- Smokey Joe
Smokey Joe is a model
steam locomotive produced byHornby Railways . It has an0-4-0 wheel arrangement and has been in the Hornby Railways range since1983 .This is the locomotive commonly included with the 'starter' level
train set s and is incredibly popular with younger children.Fact|date=September 2007 It is also the centrepiece of a train set in the Hornby range called, appropriately, Smokey Joe.Prototype
Smokey Joe uses the
Caledonian Railway Class 0F , a shunting locomotive in service from1885 to1962 . This model had been in the Hornby range since 1981. The Smokey Joe version omits the wire handrails that had been present on earlier variants.The 0F class was popular in
Scotland , often running with home-made tenders to improve their small coal capacity. A number were sold into private industry and one even made it as far south asCrewe , where it acted as a works shunter.The real number 56025 was based at
St. Rollox railway works .The engine also bears a resemblance to the
NBR G Class .Model
Engineering
Like most other Hornby locomotives, this model is powered by a small, 12 V electric motor.Fact|date=September 2007 The locomotive has drawn complaints from railway modellers that the motor is too powerful for the engine to be realistic,Fact|date=September 2007 and some have replaced the motor with a less powerful model.Fact|date=September 2007
Livery and Number
Smokey Joe carries the number 56025. The livery it carries is based upon the mixed traffic livery of
British Railways , black with red and white lining. On its tank it carries crude-looking lettering spelling out its name, the explanation given in Hornby catalogues being that it has been customised by shed staff.Fact|date=September 2007Popularity
Smokey Joe has certainly been one of Hornby's best selling locomotives, priced usually at £30.Fact|date=September 2007 Although some claim the locomotive unrealistic and very toy-like, many hobbyists still chose Smokey Joe as a typical
shunting locomotive for alayout .Fact|date=September 2007Other Uses
Smokey Joe is also the brand name of a type of charcoal grill.
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