Although there had been some development at the Meccano factory after the end of hostilities in 1945, it was not until 1948 that the Meccano factory resumed full production. 1948 saw business as usual with models designed prior to the Second World War starting to appear.

The Hornby Dublo ﾑDuchessﾒ was first designed in January 1939 but it was not until Spring 1948 that the ﾑDuchess of Athollﾒ appeared in LMS Maroon. The locomotive was fitted with a metal body while the tender top was produced in moulded plastic. The launch of the ﾑDuchess of Athollﾒ in 1948 was a major milestone for Hornby Dublo and it is therefore appropriate in this, Hornbyﾒs Centennial Year that the same named locomotive be made available once again with a metal locomotive body and a moulded tender top.

This limited edition Hornby Dublo ﾑDuchess of Athollﾒ has been specially produced as part of the Hornby Centenary Collection and celebrates the 1940s decade by not only reproducing a metal bodied locomotive for the first time in many years but by also using artwork inspired by the Hornby Dublo packaging style of that period. Included with this Limited Edition model is a numbered certificate confirming that the model is just one of 500.