Ace Trains

The first Ace Trains locomotive was an electric 4-4-4 tank, the first advertisement being a 1/8th page appearance in the HRCA Journal, February 1996. The first official mention within the HRCA Journal was March 1996, when it was reported that the model was launched at the HRCA AGM the previous month (Saturday 17th February 1996). Described as 'a joint venture between HRCA members Allen Levy and Andries Grabowsky', two special models were presented to HRCA chairman John Kitchen and secretary John Beadsmoore, each model in Southern livery, with the recipients names on the tank side. An Ace Trains leaflet was included with the same issue.

The next HRCA mention was June 1996, when E1 in Southern livery appeared on the front cover (in colour) , and the model was favourably reviewed by HRCA Chairman John Kitchen. Members were urged to support this first issue (£249) as, if successful, it would be followed by the as yet unnamed Celebration E3 4-4-0 tender loco. No mention was made of the E2 4-4-2 tank. The same issue included a letter from Allen Levy, confirming that the first batch of E1s should be issued early June, with the remainder (subject to an unexplained upgraded mechanical detail, but see below) following by the end of June.

The October 1996 HRCA Journal includes an article by Allen Levy, confirming that pre production E1 models were displayed at the HRCA AGM in February, with full production models in some liveries reaching customers in late June, then more liveries late August and additional liveries mid September. The fitting of phosphor bronze bearings to the main gear shafts is mentioned, and referred to as the Mark II motor.

Ace Trains E1 4-4-4 tank locomotive, very much in the spirit of the original clockwork Hornby No. 2 tank loco, and made in many liveries from pre grouping through post grouping to British Railways as well as French and other overseas company liveries.

Ace Trains E1 4-4-4 tank locomotive, Southern Railway green livery

Ace Trains E1 4-4-4 tank locomotive, Metropolitan Railway maroon livery

Ace Trains E1 4-4-4 tank locomotive, London North Eastern Railway green livery

Ace Trains E1 4-4-4 tank locomotive, French PO livery

Ace Trains E1 4-4-4 tank locomotive, French NORD livery

Ace Trains E2 4-4-2 tank locomotive, produced in various liveries from pre grouping through post grouping to British Railways.

Ace Trains E2 4-4-2 tank locomotive, London North Western Railway black livery

Ace Trains E2 4-4-2 tank locomotive, London Midland Scottish Railway maroon livery

Ace Trains E2 4-4-2 tank locomotive, Southern Railway green livery

Ace Trains E2 4-4-2 tank locomotive, British Railways black livery

Ace Trains E3 4-4-0 Celebration tender locomotive, again in pre and post grouping, British Railways and overseas liveries. The Celebration loco was also the first to be supplied in Sets, with two passenger coaches.

Ace Trains E3 4-4-0 'Celebration' tender locomotive, British Railways black livery

Ace Trains E3 4-4-0 'Celebration' tender locomotive, British Railways blue livery

Ace Trains E3 4-4-0 'Celebration' tender locomotive, London Midland Scottish Railway maroon livery

Ace Trains E3 4-4-0 'Celebration' tender locomotive, Australian Victoria Railway maroon livery

Ace Trains E4 LNER Gresley 4-6-2 pacific locomotive, class A4, in various pre and post nationalisation liveries, and the first Ace Trains die cast (rather than tinplate) locomotive, as well as the first dual motor model.

Ace Trains E4 4-6-2 LNER A4 tender locomotive, Quicksilver, LNER grey livery

Ace Trains E4 4-6-2 LNER A4 tender locomotive, Frank Hornby, LNER green (fictitious) livery

Ace Trains E4 4-6-2 LNER A4 tender locomotive, Dominion of New Zealand, British Railways green livery

Ace Trains E4 4-6-2 LNER A4 tender locomotive, Sir Nigel Gresley, British Railways green livery

Ace Trains E4 4-6-2 LNER A4 tender locomotive, Bittern, British Railways green livery Double tender model, issued by Modelfair

Ace Trains E5 0-6-0 Southern Railway Q Class tender locomotive, SR green livery

Ace Trains E5 0-6-0 LMS Fowler 4F Class tender locomotive, LMS unlined black livery

Ace Trains E5 0-6-0 LMS Fowler 4F Class tender locomotive, early BR black livery

Ace Trains E6 4-6-2 LNER Class A3 pacific tender locomotive Blink Bonny, NE black livery

Ace Trains E6 4-6-2 LNER Class A3 pacific tender locomotive Windsor Lad, LNER green livery

Ace Trains E6 4-6-2 LNER Class A3 pacific tender locomotive Papyrus, British Railways blue livery

Ace Trains E6 4-6-2 LNER Class A3 pacific tender locomotive Papyrus, British Railways blue livery

Ace Trains E7 4-6-0 GWR Castle Class tender locomotive Caerphilly Castle, BR green livery

Ace Trains E7 4-6-0 GWR Castle Class tender locomotive issued as a kit

Ace Trains E7/2 4-6-0 GWR Castle Class tender locomotive Avondale Castle, early BR apple green livery

Ace Trains E8 2-6-4 tank locomotive, LMS black livery

Ace Trains E8 2-6-4 tank locomotive, BR gloss green livery

Ace Trains E9 Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 tender locomotive Winston Churchill, BR gloss green livery

Ace Trains E10 SR Schools Class 4-4-0 tender locomotive Roedean (fictitious war time livery)

Ace Trains E11 LNER N2 Class 0-6-2 tank locomotive, early British Railways black livery

Ace Trains E12 LMS non streamlined 4-6-2 tender locomotive Duchess of Atholl, LMS maroon livery

Ace Trains E12 LMS steamlined 4-6-2 tender locomotive Coronation, LMS blue livery

Ace Trains E12 LMS steamlined 4-6-2 tender locomotive Duchess of Hamilton, LMS maroon livery

Ace Trains E12 LMS non steamlined 4-6-2 tender locomotive Duchess of Montrose, BR green livery

Ace Trains E16 GWR 4-4-0 Bulldog locomotive Falmouth (curved frames) and tender, Great Western unlined green livery

Ace Trains E16 GWR 4-4-0 Bulldog locomotive Falmouth (curved frames) and tender, Great Western unlined green livery

Ace Trains E16 GWR 4-4-0 Bird locomotive (straight frames) and tender, Great Western unlined green livery

Ace Trains E16 GWR 4-4-0 Bird locomotive (straight frames) and tender, Great Western unlined black livery

Ace Trains E18 LMS Jubilee locomotive and tender, British Railways early lined green livery

Ace Trains E18 LMS Jubilee locomotive and tender Kolhapur, British Railways lined green livery, early totem

Ace Trains E18 LMS Jubilee locomotive and tender Bahamas, British Railways lined green livery, late totem

Ace Trains E19 LMS Stanier Black Five locomotive and tender, LMS satin black livery

Ace Trains E19 LMS Stanier Black Five locomotive and tender, British Railways late totem satin black livery

Ace Trains E19 LMS Stanier Black Five locomotive and tender, Glasgow Yeomanry British Railways late totem gloss black livery

Ace Trains E21 GWR 57xx 0-6-0 Pannier tank locomotive, Great Western green livery

Ace Trains E21 GWR 57xx 0-6-0 Pannier tank locomotive, London Transport maroon livery

Ace Trains E22 GWR City Class 4-4-0 locomotive and tender, Great Western lined green livery

Ace Trains E24 SR ex LSWR M7 Class 4-4-0 tank locomotive, Southern Railway green livery

Ace Trains E25 LNER ex NER G5 Class 0-4-4 tank locomotive, NER green livery

Ace Trains E25 LNER ex NER G5 Class 0-4-4 tank locomotive, LNER lined black livery

Ace Trains E25 LNER ex NER G5 Class 0-4-4 tank locomotive, British Railways early unlined black livery

Ace Trains E25 LNER ex NER G5 Class 0-4-4 tank locomotive, British Railways late lined black livery

Ace Trains E26 Caledonian 0-4-4 tank locomotive, Caledonian blue livery

Ace Trains E27 British Railways Britannia Class 4-6-2 pacific locomotive and tender, Britannia, BR green livery

Ace Trains E27 British Railways Britannia Class 4-6-2 pacific locomotive and tender, Oliver Cromwell, BR green livery

Ace Trains E28 British Railways 9F Class 2-10-0 locomotive and tender, early BR totem (satin black)

Ace Trains E28 British Railways 9F Class 2-10-0 locomotive and tender 92003, late BR totem (gloss black)

Ace Trains E28 British Railways 9F Class 2-10-0 locomotive and tender, Black Prince late BR totem (satin black)

Ace Trains E28 British Railways 9F Class 2-10-0 locomotive and tender, 92220 Evening Star, gloss green livery The 999th of the British Railways 'Standard' locomotives to be built, and the last steam locomotive to be built by British Railways. Completed March 1960

Ace Trains E28 British Railways 9F Class 2-10-0 locomotive and tender, 92214 Leicester City, fictitious BR blue livery

Ace Trains E29 Great Western Railway Large Prairie Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive, GWR 'shirt button' tank side green livery

Ace Trains E29 Great Western Railway Large Prairie Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive, GWR 'G W R' tank side green livery

Ace Trains E29 Great Western Railway Large Prairie Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive, GWR 'Great Western' tank side green livery

Ace Trains E29 GWR Large Prairie Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive, British Railways unlined black livery

Ace Trains E29 GWR Large Prairie Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive, British Railways lined black livery

Ace Trains E29 GWR Large Prairie Class 2-6-2 tank locomotive, British Railways lined green livery

Ace Trains E31 British Railways Duke of Gloucester 4-6-2 pacific locomotive and tender

Ace Trains E34 LSWR N15 King Arthur class 4-6-0 locomotive and tender Sir Galahad, Southern Railway lined green livery

Ace Trains E34 LSWR N15 King Arthur class 4-6-0 locomotive and tender Tintagel, British Railways lined green livery, early totem

Ace Trains E35 SECR Wainwright D class 4-4-0 locomotive and tender (Pending)

Ace Trains E36 LNER P2 locomotive and tender (Pending)

Ace Trains E37 GWR Churchward 2-6-0 mogul locomotive and tender (Pending)

Ace Trains E38 LMS 8F class 2-8-0 locomotive and tender, LMS black livery

Ace Trains E40 SR rebuilt Merchant Navy 4-6-2 pacific locomotive and tender (Pending

Ace Trains E42 LMS 5XP Patriot 4-6-0 locomotive and tender (Pending)

Ace Trains E43-E46 4-4-0 tender locomotives (Pending)

(b) Ace Trains Electric Locomotives

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive. The Metropolitan loco was also supplied in Sets, with two passenger coaches.

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive 5 John Hampden

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive 12 Sarah Siddons

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive 15 Wembley 1924

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive 18 Michael Faraday

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive 19

Ace Trains E17 Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive, London Transport grey livery

Ace Trains E20 Westinghouse Metropolitan Railway electric BO-BO locomotive

(c) Ace Trains Diesel Locomotives

Ace Trains D1 BR(W) Class 42 Diesel Hydraulic Warship locomotive

Ace Trains D1 BR(W) Class 42 Diesel Hydraulic Warship locomotive, moroon livery

Ace Trains D1 BR(W) Class 42 Diesel Hydraulic Warship locomotive Tenacious, blue livery

Ace Trains D2 LMS 10000 Diesel locomotive (Pending)

Ace Trains E39 (or D2) Ivatt LMS 10000 Diesel locomotive, later BR Class D16/1 (Pending)

Ace Trains E41 Class 55 "English Electric Deltic" Co-Co Diesel locomotive

Ace Trains E41 (later Class 55) "English Electric Deltic" Co-Co Diesel locomotive, Prototype

Finally, thanks to The Station Master's Rooms for the use of many of the images reproduced above.

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