Happy Birthday, Queen Elizabeth II!
In celebration of the queen’s 96th birthday, Severn Valley Railway (SVR) is partnering with British model company Hornby to create a limited-edition model train. The SR West Country Class 34027 ‘Taw Valley’ is being repainted in a unique purple and silver version renamed ‘Elizabeth II’. Its silver livery goes hand-in-hand with honoring the queen’s Platinum Jubilee, or the queen’s 70th anniversary of service to the country.
“We knew we’d cause a stir by painting this wonderful heritage locomotive in such a striking color,” says SVR Head of Visitor Experience Michael Dunn. “It’s a huge seal of approval that Hornby now wants to reflect this bold move. There’s already a huge amount of interest from visitors who want to see the ‘purple loco’ for themselves and we can’t wait to welcome them to the railway so they can travel behind it.”
The original model will be officially renamed as ‘Elizabeth II’ on June 2 at the beginning of SVR’s Platinum Jubilee weekend event. The train will carry its new colors, name, and the number 70 for a limited time, and then return to its original design.
The collectible ‘Elizabeth II’ model will be limited to 1,500 pieces. SVR and Hornby are also donating a portion of profits from its sale to The Patron’s Fund, which provides funding to various charitable organizations across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.
“Hornby has had a strong relationship with the Severn Valley Railway for a number of years, and the opportunity to produce this model is the absolute pinnacle of our association,” says Hornby Marketing and Product Development Director Simon Kohler. “We’re certain this will be a hit with model railway enthusiasts and collectors and also those who simply want to celebrate such a momentous event in royal history.”
The limited-edition ‘Elizabeth II’ model is available to preorder from the SVR Shop and the Hornby website for $352.59.
