Wolf27 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Yes really, Charlie paid them to do make them. Sub contracted if you like. Cheers Shane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rapidotrains Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Yes really, Charlie paid them to do make them. Sub contracted if you like. Cheers Shane The REALTRACK Class 144s (and 143s) were made at our first factory. It's not a "Rapido" model as the factory made it to REALTRACK's specs. So the brilliant reception the 144s got is entirely due to the hard work of Charlie and his team and Rapido can't take any of the credit. In contrast, the APT-E is a Rapido model. We'll gladly take the credit for its successes (and failures - though not so gladly). We're still using that factory for a lot of our production as they do great work, but many of our newer models are produced at the MLW factory. The lead times at the first factory are measured in years whereas the lead times at the MLW factory are measured in months. The APT-E is being made at the MLW factory, and if we do any more projects with Charlie (and we hope to!) they will be produced at the MLW factory as well. -Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Rapido have 'The Man' in China to project manage various models, they helped us via 'The Man' the iron out issues (His Chinese & English) is better than mine, to get where we are today, Jason might come over as a 'Nutter', I can assure you that what he promises, HAPPENS! The UK market needs innovation, flair, style, quality & Jason. PPS Bill comes in handy too! + 'The Man' 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf27 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Thanks for clearing that up Jason, it was reported in the press that Charlie's units were made in conjunction with Rapido, so it's easy to see where the confusion arises. Cheers Shane Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I wondered what MLW mean't in your CN models blurb. I thought it was the sponser's (invester's) name not the factory name (doh..... gros naze je suis!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post rapidotrains Posted September 18, 2014 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 18, 2014 Hi all, I am pleased to report that, as of yesterday, tooling on the Rapido APT-E has officially BEGUN. Woo-hoo! -Jason 29 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MickD Posted September 18, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 18, 2014 Hi Jason, Not hanging about then?. Can't wait. MickD. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Tilt Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Hi all, I am pleased to report that, as of yesterday, tooling on the Rapido APT-E has officially BEGUN. Woo-hoo! -Jason APT-E.jpg Great news Jason. That pic is terrific, I can almost hear it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mozzer models Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 So from Scan to cutting is 12 weeks Now that going some Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelpara Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Now that is fast, makes me tempted to order some of the additional carriages after all.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted September 18, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 18, 2014 I'd better get on with building the layout for it then........... Cheers, Mick 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
experimental Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 That's brilliant new guys, looks just fantastic. Great job all round everyone. Paul APT-E Conservation & Support Group. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornish trains jez Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Looks terrific! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Experimental1967 Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 Some APT-E footage I have never seen, thanks to Mel of the APT-E group for digging it out, great stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5285nt9kdk 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Jackson Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Some APT-E footage I have never seen, thanks to Mel of the APT-E group for digging it out, great stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5285nt9kdk Cool, from the looks of the film i can run mine with 3 cars on 2nd radius curves Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted September 24, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 24, 2014 Cool, from the looks of the film i can run mine with 3 cars on 2nd radius curves ...and semaphore signals... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Tilt Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) That's Syston Curve just north of Leicester in that vid that Mel found. It was the sharpest curve we ever took E-Train round and I think the speed limit was 10 mph. Here's a shot of a Hastings Coach test train heading back to Derby on Syston, it's VERY sharp! And back then there were lots of semaphore signals still about in the East Midlands. Edited December 6, 2018 by Mr_Tilt 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Steve Purves Posted September 25, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) You can travel on the Syston East curve on a few EMT services daily that call at Melton Mowbray. 140m Radius so about 6ft radius in 00 gauge... Edited September 25, 2014 by stevepurves Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 ...or a roughly 71 inch radius curve in OO. I take it the Class 25 in the picture could only be used on Radius 2 or greater track? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Tilt Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 ...or a roughly 71 inch radius curve in OO. I take it the Class 25 in the picture could only be used on Radius 2 or greater track? If at all possible we didn't use the darn thing at all, on ANY radius curve! 25s seemed to put a curse on APD test trains, about half an hour after that pic was taken, in the middle of Trent Junction, we had an air spring failure in Hastings Coach and the body fell down onto the bump stops. The ride was APPALLING and we all de-camped into Lab 3 for the rest of the trip back to Derby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shreds Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 (edited) Have a dig on youtube for Jean Jacques Perrey... you'll find plenty of odd moog based cheese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKI8GY69lyU Forget sound modules, for those of you with long memories of such musical creations, this year is the 50th Anniversary of Moog producing their first synth and there is a special event on in Bloomsbury, London on 11th October and a few classic synth bands playing too. Mark Jenkins "Klaus Schulze" and "Tangerine Dream" sets (live), plus Moog UK distribution demos and more. Relieve your youth! Tickets £18.99 from moog50london@gmail.com Edited October 9, 2014 by shreds Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 we had an air spring failure in Hastings Coach and the body fell down onto the bump stops. The ride was APPALLING You were lucky - spent 9 months riding them every weekday on the Southern's indifferent track !!!! I used to perversely ride in the motor coach just to experience the full hideousness of the ride Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Tilt Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 'Hastings Coach', or 'Laboratory 4' officially, had dispensed with the original bogies, and almost everything else under the body shell as well. We used it to test the APT-P bogie, tilt and suspension systems as could tilt 6 deg and still stay within the C1 gauge. It had H4X bogies, two of only four ever made, and it had big secondary air springs which had solid rubber bump stops inside in case the air pressure failed, which it did in the case I mentioned. 'Hastings' still exists and it's at the Electric Railway Museum nr Coventry Airport, but it's in pretty bad shape thanks to the 'loving care' which Hastings Diesels subjected it to for many years. It's owned by the APT-E Conservation and Support Group but we don't have enough money to sort it out as yet. H4X-3 bogie showing the air spring 'Hastings Coach' tilted 6 deg at Sandbach Station. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf27 Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 I've painted the roof and started some body work repairs so it's on the long road to recovery! Cheers Shane 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Vistisen Posted September 26, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2014 You were lucky - spent 9 months riding them every weekday on the Southern's indifferent track !!!! I used to perversely ride in the motor coach just to experience the full hideousness of the ride I grew up thinking that all trains were Hastings line diesels. Why has no one produced a model? I can't think of a better DMU for DCC sound. I remember them making more noise that a Paxman Valenta, and as they were slugs you could enjoy the noise much longer. Ahhh the sound of them pulling away from Tunbridge Wells Central station uphill through a tunnel with the sound thundering off the brickwork about 3 cm from the coaches.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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