Rapido dangles Class 13 RTR carrot...

[Mel_H]

For those who haven't signed up to Rapido Trains UK's newsletter yet, the latest issue is now out. Alongside project updates, they've dangled a carrot of a OO RTR Class 13, if enough people would buy one...

 

It would come out at around £300, they reckon.

 

Rule 1 always applies! 

 

Talking about RTR OO BR diesels, the newsletter says: "With obvious opportunities few and far between, what gaps are left are risky territory. Take the Class 13, Tinsley Yard’s famous ‘master and slave’ shunters. It’s an iconic class for sure and not available RTR. But would enough people be prepared to pay £300 for a 'OO' gauge model? And are there several thousand people willing to spend that much to warrant the investment in producing it? Probably not.

 

"Seriously, would £300 for a 'OO' gauge Class 13 put you off? If not, let us know. If we get enough, we might make it a reality!"

 

You can sign up to the newsletter here https://rapidotrains.co.uk/newsletter/

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by Mel_H

[Mel_H]

I haven't counted yet, but someone will, despite there only being three Class 13s, there were a number of livery variations, plus in the very early days they ran 'cab-to- former cab'. NMP.

 

 

[ColinK]

Personally I would not pay £300 for one, it is a very easy conversion you can do yourself. I made one from two Lima 08s many years ago.

 

I can only see it having a chance of being commercial if they made a standard 08 using the same tooling. But with two good 08 models already available, it would be very risky.

[GreenGiraffe22]

I didn't know such a thing existed! 

 

Far too modern anyway :p 

 

on the topic of £300 hmmm depends entirely on the model subject I suppose , I never thought I'd fork out £200 for a breakdown crane but I did...  I don't know if I'd be prepared to part with £300 for something like that even if I was interested,  trying to think of a comparison I am interested in, ok Rails of Sheffield D Classes are predicted to come in at around £200 each and that's sort of testing my limits I think... Would I be prepared to pay £300 for one? I don't know. Certainly it'd probably reduce my order from two to one.

[Steamport Southport]

I think it was being sarcastic....

 

 

Just get the RT Models conversion kit and a couple of second hand 08s. Loads of non runners about.

 

https://www.rtmodels.co.uk/rt_models_023.htm

 

 

Jason

Edited February 7, 2021 by Steamport Southport

[Oldddudders]

2 minutes ago, GreenGiraffe22 said:

Would I be prepared to pay £300 for one? I don't know. Certainly it'd probably reduce my order from two to one.

But it's a bargain - you get two for the price of one anyway!

[mdvle]

1 hour ago, Mel_H said:

Talking about RTR OO BR diesels, the newsletter says: "With obvious opportunities few and far between, what gaps are left are risky territory.

 

Well, if they think there are no diesels worth doing because they have already been tooled in the last 20 years that simply leaves the market open for others like Accurascale to step in and do them.

 

 

[MarkSG]

I'll be honest, I wouldn't buy one. It's far too niche for me. I don't recall it ever getting any support in the annual wishlist, either.

 

Also, if any manufacturer is going to do one, then surely it would be one that already has a class 08 in their range. The work necessary to make a class 13 from an existing class 08 must surely be much less than completely new tooling all round. If Rapido announced a class 13, Hornby or Bachmann could beat them to market with ease. And that's precisely the sort of thing that Hornby would do.

 

I think is a Rapido red herring. I'm pretty sure they do have a diesel in mind, even if only tentatively. But I don't think this is it.

[Mel_H]

3 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

But it's a bargain - you get two for the price of one anyway!

 

Of course, if you don’t fancy doing your own DIY conversion, there’s always Olivia’s Trains. Not available at the moment ‘due to a lack of donor models’ so no price.  In 2014 they were charging £275, so at least £300 now?

[Clive Mortimore]

The recommended retail price for a Hornby 08 is £152.99. So if you wish to do a bit of modelling you would still be spending 300 notes on the raw materials. I know you can buy them cheaper secondhand or at a discounted price in some shops. You would still need to do the modelling.

 

I myself will not be buying a Rapido one for three reasons. I have a master and slave shunter already, a Lima master and a Hornby Doublo slave, with all the correct boxes on the running plate and the correct handrails etc. Second, despite my layout being set in Sheffield I have no call for a hump-shunter. Third I need to finish off my part done Hornby pair of 08s being converted, delayed because I have no need for a second hump-shunter on my layout, the baseboards are not that warped as yet.

 

Looking at the price for a 08, even a few pennies short of 125 quid for a Bachmann 350 Jocko The Rapido proposed model is reasonably priced for what is two locos. 

 

I hope that Rapido have success with this model and in turn they produce a class 10, or class 09 or an 08. Which I would buy.

 

 

[Halvarras]

Still waiting for an Andrew Barclay Class 06......…......... Oh wait, Hornby already do it............ sort of 

[griffgriff]

I’m sure there are many more worthy (and profitable) subjects that would be worth a RRP of £300? 
 

 

['CHARD]

58 minutes ago, griffgriff said:

I’m sure there are many more worthy (and profitable) subjects that would be worth a RRP of £300? 
 

 

 

Class 100 Gloucester DMU anyone  

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, griffgriff said:

I’m sure there are many more worthy (and profitable) subjects that would be worth a RRP of £300? 
 

 

 

Depending on who works for the company and what their interests are, what would that likely to be?

Bear in my Rapido have a history of releasing what the various employees in the company like.

 

Mike.

[AMJ]

The 06 or baby AB 01 might be more feasible as they could be done as industrial liveries as well as the various BR ones

[Mike Buckner]

13 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

I have no need for a second hump-shunter on my layout, the baseboards are not that warped as yet.

 

[MarkSG]

A class 04 might be worth a punt. Particularly if they also did a skirted version to go alongside their Model Rail J70. The only existing RTR 04 is a bit long in the tooth now, so it's overdue a release to modern standards. As well as BR versions, it's another model which could also be released in various industrial liveries. And, unlike the 08, which is a core element of both Hornby and Bachmann's ranges, it's unlikely they'd find themselves gazumped if they did announce it. 

 

I'd buy a skirted 04, provided it was in the appropriate livery (early BR). It would go well with the J70s on my fictional W&U extension. I know that, in real life, they barely overlapped in service, the J70s being withdrawn immediately the diesels came on the scene. But in my fictitious history of the Welney extension, the changeover from steam to diesel was more gradual as a longer line needed more locos in service.

[Mike Buckner]

Forgive my ignorance.  Is there much difference between the lead unit and a standard Class 08?

 

If not, then you also get the opportunity of occasionally modelling a standard unit and another unit in the process of being scrapped.

[AMJ]

The 13 has thicker buffer beams than the 08 which with careful use of parts would be easy for modern model manufacturing techniques.

Similarly the "cab" unit of the slave could be swapped out

[Mel_H]

14 minutes ago, AMJ said:

The 13 has thicker buffer beams than the 08 which with careful use of parts would be easy for modern model manufacturing techniques.

Similarly the "cab" unit of the slave could be swapped out

 

It depends how much attention to detail someone would want from an RTR 13? There were numerous other detail differences (minor or major dependant on your view of these things, which judging by most comments on RMweb, would seem to be 'deal-breakers'), which is one challenge as a 'generic' 08 would fall short...

[dibber25]

18 hours ago, mdvle said:

 

Well, if they think there are no diesels worth doing because they have already been tooled in the last 20 years that simply leaves the market open for others like Accurascale to step in and do them.

 

 

Why would it be any less risky for 'others like Accurascale'? The toolmaking costs for any new locomotive are now heading towards half a million pounds. A manufacturer needs to be pretty confident to spend that kind of money especially when, during the months of development, foreign exchange rates can blow original cost estimates right out of the water. (CJL)

[D9020 Nimbus]

They do seem to have a liking for models that they "like" rather than any consideration of sales. That can be the only consideration for choosing the class 28 as their initial N gauge model — a small class, only 20 locos, withdrawn early (1968), which spent most of their career exiled to the Barrow area. And they had modifications to the bodywork, making it impractical to offer the early version.

 

Even DJM stayed clear of this one… yes, Hornby-Dublo chose it, but how many did they sell? And what part did it play in sinking the company? Among N gauge diesels, there are many more promising targets — class 15 (more than twice as many, lasted till 1972), class 29 (lasted till 1972, used on an iconic route — West Highland), class 25/3 (never modelled to modern standards in N), and that's not to mention the DMUs — the 104 was widely used, Bachmann don't have one to shrink, and Heljan don't do N…

[Anadin Dogwalker]

The juice fans on here are hoping for more AC locos as the biggest gap to be plugged and units. Someone's already expressed that an 84 would offer an NRM collaboration, and lemons seem to attract a following. If they're up at Bo'ness scanning the 84 it would be ideal to scan the 303 set too and have said so to Bill on a couple of occasions. He looked at me like I was a stalker. 

I don't know what RFs or the other new chap's interests are. Bill's ostensibly GWR (but has got a new basement and has been able to restart on the Ontario+Western) and Jason's anything Brummie- the only uniquely Brummie power I can think of are the Lickey Banker or the Hunslet emus (323s?). Reviving the prototype HST power cars would be the only obvious low-hanging fruit; when I heard that conversation at Warley a few years back, Bill said they'd pass on the Mk3s or at least until ORs Mk3s had come to market. Given their ambivalent reception, I reckon a Rapido HST Mk3 could be viable.

 

[Legend]

Really in D&E we are left with a few mainstream electrics or re doing an existing diesel model .

 

Not sure a 13 is a goer . At £300 for something used only infrequently for me its a definite no . In fact at that price I can see it only appealing to folk that have or can construct hump marshalling yards  and that cant be many .

 

The closest I've come is £261 for a pair of HST power cars and I thought that was too expensive .

 

Instead of the 13 I think something like an 81 would be more acceptable and generate more volume than the 13.  if not an 81 as it looks too much like an 85 then an 82 or 84 , but not at £300, in UK although Heljan are pushing £220 for a 47 its yet to be seen how successful they will be at selling at that price . I also dont need all the bells and whistles like servo pantographs , opening doors , detail on the underside you will never see.  

[Mel_H]

22 minutes ago, Anadin Dogwalker said:

The juice fans on here are hoping for more AC locos as the biggest gap to be plugged and units. Someone's already expressed that an 84 would offer an NRM collaboration, and lemons seem to attract a following. If they're up at Bo'ness scanning the 84 it would be ideal to scan the 303 set too and have said so to Bill on a couple of occasions. He looked at me like I was a stalker. 

I don't know what RFs or the other new chap's interests are. Bill's ostensibly GWR (but has got a new basement and has been able to restart on the Ontario+Western) and Jason's anything Brummie- the only uniquely Brummie power I can think of are the Lickey Banker or the Hunslet emus (323s?). Reviving the prototype HST power cars would be the only obvious low-hanging fruit; when I heard that conversation at Warley a few years back, Bill said they'd pass on the Mk3s or at least until ORs Mk3s had come to market. Given their ambivalent reception, I reckon a Rapido HST Mk3 could be viable.

 

 

So on that basis, a Class 180 is out?  Looks like we'll never get an RTR one in 4mm (or TT )