rapidoandy

Huh! Always interesting to hear views. The Scalefour Society have congratulated us on (where we can) making things friendly for them - so much so they are coming to our show. Yes not everything is because it’s not cost effective (especially with things like steam locos). Our motto (in relation to EM and P4) is - Where we can we do - and most people are happy with that and accept it. I cant recall with the fireless - I’m off today but will ask one of the designers later this week. Take care, Andy

One of our retailers has taken an exclusive commission of opens in a suitable livery… https://thewagonyard.co.uk/product/guy-fawkes-rch-1907-spec-10t-open-wagon/

A new (fun) livery for our fireless…

For those who saw our earlier post: It's no joke, we’ve been plotting to make a 31. We are expanding the ‘Caledonia’ 0-4-0 Fireless range, with a G. Fawkes ‘What If’ Livery No. 31, the perfect loco to complement our previously launched Not-Quite-Mink. Pre-order yours now, and remember, no smoking while on board! https://rapidotrains.co.uk/caledonia-fireless-0-4-0/

‘Usual’ windup?? You know us better than that. We wouldn’t announce something we don’t intend to make - after all we made Titfield and the colourful APT-R didn’t we? Another 31 is really needed for the front of our train…

Whenever I visit my wife at her work I walk have to walk past a LBSCR box van. I often stop and stare...

Keep an eye on our website in the coming weeks. We plan to offer our sound file, decoder and the new PCB needed up upgrade the Model Rail versions as a product shortly…

With the arrival of our PO Wagons later this month we thought we would some more to the range - this time a 6' 6" side door only 7-plank. A large number of wagons were produced to this design for both private companies and also mainline railway firms - see Corbs thread on these. Once again we will produce a few private owner liveries - but after several requests we have added some ex- PO wagons in BR livery. To finish it off we have added four "What If" liveries featuring locomotive engineers of the Big Four. The orderbook is open and as usual you can order direct from us or from any of our official retailers.

You might not like the blue one but it has out sold the two you mention by a HUGE amount. The O1 is a bit of a personal project for several members of my team and I think they may have requested the liveries so we have given them a go. There is also far less physical variation in the O1 compared to the E1 so the factory are a bit happier taking the same base model, in black as per another and then only applying a few different tampo prints. The E1 models we are making are (nearly) all different to each other which takes more effort - which means the we need more sales to make it worthwhile.

We find that wartime liveries generally sell less well than any other. If someone wants to commission a similar sized run to the one above I would be more than happy to talk to them - but it needs to be quick!

Rapido Trains UK in conjunction with the Brighton Circle are pleased to announce an all-new livery for our forthcoming E1 0-6-0 tank. Locomotive No.110 (now preserved at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway) will now be available in Marsh-era goods black livery with double red lining suitable for between 1912 to the locomotive’s sale into industry in 1924. Whilst there had been previous plans to offer this livery with another retailer the plans fell through, and the livery was not retrospectively added into the standard range. After a recent approach from Brighton Circle, Rapido Trains UK have agreed to offer this livery to modellers– subject to enough orders being placed prior to the orderbook closing date in early April. The model will only be available direct from Rapido Trains UK via their website on behalf of the Brighton Circle who will donate the profits to LB&SCR-related preservation projects. A minimum of 100 orders will be required for the model to proceed. Both DCC Ready and DCC SOUND versions will be available. With a new livery being added to the E1 there is no better time to be a Brighton modeller – keep your eyes peeled for further projects in the future or sign up to the Rapido Trains UK Newsletter to find out the latest announcements. Rapido Trains UK would like to thank the Brighton Circle and its members for their encouragement, help and support with this and future projects. You can order your model of 110 by clicking the link below: E1 No.110 Marsh Lined Black – Rapido Trains UK It is worth reiterating again - this will only go ahead if enough orders are placed. If you were one of the people that asked me for one - now is your chance!

if you have been trying in the last week or so I confess we have not been around much due to Model Rail Scotland. Do leave us an answerphone or drop us an email and we will get back to you as things return to normal in the office. We are a small team and when there are big shows on we do unfortunately end up with some delays to normal processes as nearly everyone is involved elsewhere. Andy

All fixed - should read rapidorailex@rapidotrains.co.uk Thanks for pointing that out.

They were known as ‘crumb vans’ on the Cadbury railway system.

Thanks - it would still work but I have corrected it. Its been a busy day!

What is Rapido RailEx? We’re putting on a show! Over 2 days in September we are taking over the Market Hall in Maidstone with an exhibition of high-quality model railways. This is also a chance for you to come and meet the Rapido Trains UK team in person to discuss projects past, present and future, see new samples as well as getting the scoop on some new and exciting announcements we will be making! In addition to this, we’ll have trade stands for you to invest in your model railway including the chance to get 3D-scanned by Modelu for your own personalised 3D-printed figures, grab some rolling stock from some of our Official Retailers, beautify your layout with products from some of our partners and much more. A number of layouts are being confirmed as we speak but include Wendover (MET/LNER Joint) Hobbs Hill (BR(S) and Brewhouse Quay with trade support from MODELU, The Wagon Yard and Tony's Trains of Rugby with many more to follow. Keep an eye on the website over the coming weeks. Customised Rapido Wagons – An Exhibition First! You will have the chance to order your own uniquely decorated Private Owner wagon at the show! Simply fill in the form at our stand when you place your order and our graphic artists will draw up the artwork for you to approve on the day. Then your 7- or 5-plank PO wagon will be UV-printed with your chosen lettering and posted directly to you. All our PO wagon designs will be made using templates created from our painstaking research into real-life signwriting to create the most authentic look. Tickets Tickets for RAPIDO RAILEX are just £5 per adult. Kids are FREE when accompanied by a paying adult. Each ticket covers 1 day of attendance at the show, you are free to come and go during the day. ADVANCE TICKETS: If you book your ticket now (via the website links below), then you are automatically entered into a prize draw to win Rapido Trains UK goodies! You’ll find out if you’re the holder of the winning ticket when you arrive at the show. Find out more at www.rapidotrains.co.uk/rapido-railex/

Hi James. I dont have the source here but believe Gamma was delivered in blue lined black and yelllow - but with the Colmans bull on the nose. We have used this as the basis of 965002 both physically and the livery.

I’d be interested to see where that is recorded. It’s at odds with what we understood for Gamma.

Don’t give him ideas…

I reckon a O1 would like rather pretty shuffling those about 😉

We have no ‘standard’ pickup method (these things that modellers believe are often a fallacy) we look at things on a case by case method depending on a large number of factors. Always remember the golden rule of the internet - a far greater percentage of negativity will be posted rather than positivity. Whilst there will always be problems that we will help resolve - it’s not as dire as many people posting in threads will have you believe. Now if only all of that negative energy could be harnessed….or even some of those people who post it persuaded to work for a manufacturer - with their expertise there would never be a model with a fault or even the slightest blemish - that’s really easy right?

I have already spoken to someone else in the society but I will drop you an email. Andy

Sadly some societies are much more forthcoming than others. There are at least two I have tried to deal with whom were obviously uninterested or wanted to look down their noses at us as I didn’t know the secret handshake or the exact mix of paint that Stratford works used in 1911 so this I must be not worthy of their attention. Sad - and likely to mean we won’t look at things made by the company they obviously so adore. Interestingly we have found help outside of the ‘official’ channels with other excepted. Other specific groups and experts have bent over backwards and cannot be more helpful. So much so that when they have suggested new products and put packages and research materials together to show their idea we have taken it forward and you now all have their stuff on your layouts. Its not easy being a manufacturer…

We have announced an American prototype..

It’s a tampo print that has been applied over the top of the red base colour. Andy