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Model Rail announce GWR Class 1600 0-6-0PT via Rapido


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A couple of photos of the 16XXs together:

20210219_115252.jpg.affcd00463d2ae7d444aad3078150d9e.jpg

 

20210219_115414.jpg.aa9a86641e54fd97d26dec4bffad5914.jpg

 

I am so pleased with the running of the RTR one, that I will be keeping this one as an OO model and will need to get hold of another one, if I wish to proceed with a P4 one.

 

I'm also a lot less bothered by the bunker seam than I thought I would be.

 

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27 minutes ago, Captain Kernow said:

I'm also a lot less bothered by the bunker seam than I thought I would be.

 

The driver's side is actually better than I had expected.

 

DSCN7526.JPG.e5cb1cb41660f8c17b77237e210134a2.JPG

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1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

Just to say that I have received my 16XX in the post this morning.

 

I am very pleased with it indeed. At last, a decently-running RTR loco, straight out of the box, it seems like it's been a while since I've had the pleasure of being happy with the running straight away.

 

The back-to-backs are all a consistent 14.5mm, so no problems with the wheels bumping along on my C&L chaired track.

 

The following footage shows it being test run on 'Bethesda Sidings', using an old AMR slow-speed hand-held controller (DC):

 

 

 

I also got my recently-finished kit-built 1628 out and ran it alongside the Model Rail-Rapido one:

 

 

 

 

Wow....You got a sound fitted version :D

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My 1668 also arrived today. A slight kink in the left hand running plate but i am sure that will fettle away. Smooth, slow running straight from the box - and the seams/bunker joins less of an issue in the flesh at normal distances. Plus a first for me - firebox glow that actually works on DC!!!! 

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Mine arrived today - very nice indeed, and remarkably heavy.

 

Just one point - it seems to be fitted with a form of sprung plunger pickups. There is very little sideplay on the outer axles, and the pickups remain in contact with the wheels over what sideplay there is.

 

The same cannot be said for the centre axle; on sharp curves the wheels move sideways beyond the ability of the pick-ups to follow them.

 

On my curves, this is not an issue - but it could be for anyone using first radius curves.

 

John Isherwood.

 

PS. I was a little surprised that etched number plates are not supplied.

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I'm currently working on mine and starting weathering it which certainly helps bring the model to life. Watch out for a blog entry shortly. 

 

Over time you certainly appreciate how good this model is. I've tweaked the bunker and fitted etched Fox numberplates.

 

However the method of construction is very clever particularly the metal body. 

 

Well done to Model Rail/Rapido for producing this model.

 

I'll be ordering a second one shortly to renumber as 1608.

 

 

Edited by 46444
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12 hours ago, cctransuk said:

 

12 hours ago, cctransuk said:

Mine arrived today - very nice indeed, and remarkably heavy.

 

Just one point - it seems to be fitted with a form of sprung plunger pickups. There is very little sideplay on the outer axles, and the pickups remain in contact with the wheels over what sideplay there is.

 

The same cannot be said for the centre axle; on sharp curves the wheels move sideways beyond the ability of the pick-ups to follow them.

 

On my curves, this is not an issue - but it could be for anyone using first radius curves.

 

John Isherwood.

 

PS. I was a little surprised that etched number plates are not supplied.

 

It is fitted with plunger pick-ups. It is intended for minimum second radius curves. Fox etched plates are a perfect fit over the printed plates. (CJL)

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Is a separate service sheet available with an index? The one supplied in the instruction pamphlet is really too small to read.

 

A larger one would be very helpful for us of who want to convert to EM or P4. :D

 

All in all, a lovely model with perfect running straight from the box.

Edited by Re6/6
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2 hours ago, dibber25 said:

... Fox etched plates are a perfect fit over the printed plates. (CJL)

 

I can confirm this is the case Chris. 

 

A perfect fit..  

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Received 1646 in the post from Kernow this morning having ordered it on Thursday, excellent service.

It really is a smashing little model and commendably heavy.

The much mentioned bunker seam is hardly visible on mine, no doubt helped by the black livery and in all honesty if I hadn't read about it on here I doubt I would have noticed it.

Well done Model Rail, Rapido and Kernow.

 

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36 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

They certainly do .... and Hardys crew look the biz too

23ADF375-B3DB-4929-816B-C236F28883F2.jpeg

A503DCE0-3461-4EE0-8B66-D1E2D132A6F9.jpeg

 

Very nice  Phil, did you squeeze them through the sides or did you take the body off to fit them.

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52 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

Very nice  Phil, did you squeeze them through the sides or did you take the body off to fit them.

 

4 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Fireman needs a haircut :D


Worcester was a trendy place in the 60s! And don’t forget this is the WR that’s the driver! 
 

4 screws to get the body off Rob... sound chip went in at the same time

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1 hour ago, Phil Bullock said:

 


Worcester was a trendy place in the 60s! And don’t forget this is the WR that’s the driver! 
 

 

Quite right, years of LNER has made me forget the GWR got it all wrong :lol:

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On 19/02/2021 at 11:29, Re6/6 said:

Conversion to P4

 

Mine arrived today and by and large I'm very pleased with it. It's impressively heavy and runs very smoothly.

 

Ordering one was speculative as it would be required to be converted to P4. As it turns out, this should be a fairly straight forward job as there is sufficient space between the insides of the centre splashers. Grinding out the insides of the mazak (?) splashers would seem not to be necessary. I haven't tried to separate the wheel assembly from the chassis yet so I'm assuming that the inside distances between the slashers will be the same on both fore and aft wheelsets. Either this 'extra' spacing is fortunate or Mr Rapido calculated this for for us of the wider persuasion to convert to P4 or EM.

20210218_163518.jpg.028c6ba7d0bd58cfb092e56dcbd42a2c.jpg

 

Another thing of note is that the stub axles appear to be 2mm, measured crudely with a slot cut in a piece of plastic card as there wasn't enough space to get the vernier calipers in without dismantling the chassis. After further investigation the axles are 'normal' with pickup by way of sprung pins bearing on the wheel tread backs (Slaters style) so it will remain to be seen if they will have enough spring to reach the new wheels.

 

Items required for the conversion would be a set of AG wheels or Ultrascale LNER 12 spoke if a minor compromises (1/4" smaller diameter and 2" less crank throw) would be acceptable, some 2mm brass or steel rod and 'Branchlines' 1.5mm >1/8th brass top hat bushes (01373 822231 e-mail sales@branchlines.com ....no web presence) So it seems to be a fairly straightforward job...........!:P

20210219_110959.jpg.8ea4bd3203f6d1f51bb266ac386e099f.jpg

 

 

 

 

20210219_115441.jpg

I'm hanging back on buying one of these as I too would like to convert it to P4. Be grateful for a report on your experience. 

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54 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

I've just noticed that my chosen renumber 1608 has a white A power class displayed. Further info is given here

 

http://www.gwr.org.uk/liveriesloco1948.html . Just wondering if there's a source for these as a transfer, I've never seen the A in white , just black on the HMRS sheet.

 

I thought Fox did them. But it's little white Xs.

 

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/transfers/gwr-route-availability-power-classification-symbols

 

 

Jason

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40 minutes ago, PenrithBeacon said:

I'm hanging back on buying one of these as I too would like to convert it to P4. Be grateful for a report on your experience. 

It might be a while David. I'm ordering an Ultrascale LNER 12 spoke set for which the waiting time is around five months. As mentioned these will be a slight compromise but I can live with that!

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AGW wheels are 48S49B for P4 (1/8" axles) and AGW also do side frames for the Class 2021 LM1-187 which (as I haven't done the research) I'm assuming would do the trick if it isn't possible to do a conversion using the Rapido chassis.

Look forward to seeing the outcome!

Edited by PenrithBeacon
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37 minutes ago, PenrithBeacon said:

AGW wheels are 48S49B for P4 (1/8" axles) and AGW also do side frames for the Class 2021 LM1-187 which (as I haven't done the research) I'm assuming would do the trick if it isn't possible to do a conversion using the Rapido chassis.

Look forward to seeing the outcome!

Hi David,

 

I'll no doubt be discussing the conversion with John in due course. I'm also considering getting a second one for conversion to P4.

 

One thing to consider with the model 'as is', is that the way to get to the motor (eg. to install a DCC chip), is to unscrew the tank assembly, so in other words, the footplate (which is plastic) remains attached to the chassis.

 

No doubt the whole thing can be completely dismantled, but this seems (at first sight) to be different from the Bachmann approach, where a couple of screws allow you to remove the complete body, leaving the complete chassis and motor as a separate item.

 

So getting to the situation where you have a complete body, ready to accept a replacement chassis, might involve a bit more work that (say) a Bachmann 57XX, 64XX or 94XX.

 

That said, the body is really rather good and certainly worthy of conversion.

 

I'd have thought that the ideal chassis option would be to go for the NuCast Partners 16XX etched N/S chassis kit (designed by Justin Newitt). This is very good indeed and is the one now supplied with the old Cotswold (later NuCast) whitemetal body kit and is available as a separate item from NuCast Partners or Branchlines. This is how I would convert one of these locos to P4, resulting in the RTR chassis being sold on.

 

John's method has merit, however, and using 2mm axles and the existing final drive gear wheel, bushed up to 1/8" for the AG or Ultrascale driving wheels, should be feasible.

 

I suspect that some material may need to be removed from the inside of the splashers (plastic), in order to give a little bit more sideplay, depending on the kind of curves you are expecting to run the loco over. At least there seems to be a little more room in the 16XX splashers as compared with the new Bachmann 94XX, which will require metal being machined away, in order to fit EM or P4 wheels.

 

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