Heljan Class 40 in British Railways green livery with full yellow ends.

This model started life as a BR Blue liveried example. It has been professionally resprayed, fully detailed and weathered by Roger Manton (aka Dodgy). Using prototype images supplied from various sources, I commissioned Roger to fully detail and weather this model of 40106 to the lcocomotives condition in 1979.

Roger completed this commission to the required specification and professional standard he is known for. As can be seen in the images, the detailing is exceptional, paying particular attention to the detail layers on the roof and bogie side frames. Even the engine room pipework for the loco’s boiler is prominent through the side windows at No.2 end.

Roger’s attention to detail is something I have admired for many years and he has been, without doubt, an inspiration to many of us over the years. It was his work with Just Like The Real Thing all those years ago that brought me back into the hobby after many years away…

A brief history of 40106

40106 was one of 20 Class 40’s (40105 to 40124) built at the Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn factory in Darlington, allowing production capacity at Vulcan Foundry to build the 22 production Deltics. It was released into traffic in 1960 as D306 in the all over BR green livery.

After years of anonymous hard work with the rest of the fleet, by 1978 the loco was among a handful of Class 40’s which still hadn’t been repainted into Corporate Blue and yellow. In September 1978, 40106 entered Crewe Works for what was to be it’s final classified repair, which included a repaint. Rumours have circulated for many years that 40106 did actually receive a coat of blue paint and then quickly repainted into green. Now whether this is true still remains a talking point. However, the condition of the locomotive shortly after leaving Crewe Works, shows evidence that blue paint exists under the final green top coat. It is evident due to the removal of all the builders plates under each of the cab windows. Three blue patches and one white patch can be seen on prototype images and these have been modelled exactly as the prototype. Further speculation states that the builders plates had been removed by depot staff and that blue paint was applied to patch up the exposed areas.

Rocket 150 Event

In May 1980 and due to being built at the Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn works in Darlington, 40106 was given a sprucing up as it was chosen to take part in the Rocket 150 event, celebrating the Rainhill Trials. A partial repaint covered over the once blue and white patches and the bufferbeams had been repainted in the tradional red colour. The light grey cantrail stripe was also added and black paint applied to the access doors on the bonnet tops. The locomotive remained in this livery until its final withdrawal.

The end of active BR Service and a new life in Preservation

40106 was withdrawn from BR traffic in April 1983, being deemed ‘life expired’ and less useful having only vacuum train brakes. The locomotive escaped the cutters torch when it was saved by the late Gerald Bowden and entered preservation in March 1984 at the Great Central Railway. On 11th August 1984, the then renumbered D306 was named “ATLANTIC CONVEYOR”, in memory of the Cunard cargo ship and those on board who lost their lives in the 1982 Falklands war. The name was dedicated by John Brocklehurst, Chief Officer of the ship. Following the naming ceremony, D306 worked its first passenger train in preservation, becoming the first Class 40 to do so.

The loco gained world-wide attention in a brief film career. Cleverly disguised as D326, the loco was used in a re-enactment of the ‘Great’ Train Robbery for the hit movie “Buster” . Filming took place at the Great Central Railway on 29th October 1987.

In November 2015, 40106 was purchased by The Class 40 Preservation Society and was transferred to the East Lancashire Railway. 40106 has just completed a long term loan period at the Severn Valley Railway and has now returned to the East Lancashire Railway, where it will be a regular feature on various running days and events.

The photographs of 40106 superbly captured on the East Road layout were taken by Jonathan Newton at the Great Electric Show in October 2025, where he captured the first running in its new livery on the layout.