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Podcast Interview - Rapido returning to the UK market


mdvle
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A Modelers Life (episode 146) released today is an interview with Jason Shron (head of Rapido Trains).

 

Recorded about 2 months ago it appears it covers a bunch of topics - including the struggle to get a plain haircut in China - but likely of most interest to those on here will be the comments made by Jason at the 1:06 point that Rapido is returning to the UK market with plans to be a big player in 2021.

 

https://www.amodelerslife.com/

 

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It would be great to see Rapido with a bigger UK presence. But two months ago is, of course, a different time altogether now. I haven't listened to the entire recording, does coronavirus get a mention at all?

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27 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

It would be great to see Rapido with a bigger UK presence. But two months ago is, of course, a different time altogether now. I haven't listened to the entire recording, does coronavirus get a mention at all?

 

Covid-19 briefly mentioned as to the problems in China, with the additional 3 week closure after Chinese New Year, and a problem of other (non-model-train) factories poaching workers with higher pay.

 

Though as Jason also mentions in the podcast once tooling starts a company is committed to releasing the product given the upfront costs involved.

 

Also mentioned was the 2nd UK bus, which was (at podcast recording) waiting for Jason to finish checking the CADs - we have since learned in a newsletter that the bus has gone to tooling.

 

Though if anyone wants to stay up late they can always try to ask Jason directly as he does a Facebook Live event this week

 

Edited by mdvle
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1 hour ago, MarkSG said:

It would be great to see Rapido with a bigger UK presence. But two months ago is, of course, a different time altogether now. I haven't listened to the entire recording, does coronavirus get a mention at all?

Returning to the UK market was also referred to in the most recent newsletter so it looks like it is still Rapido's intention.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 18/05/2020 at 21:09, mdvle said:

and a problem of other (non-model-train) factories poaching workers with higher pay.

I suspect that it's the better (throughput? quality?) workers that get poached. Which might explain (perceived) reductions in quality elsewhere on these boards.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 18/05/2020 at 20:09, mdvle said:

Also mentioned was the 2nd UK bus, which was (at podcast recording) waiting for Jason to finish checking the CADs - we have since learned in a newsletter that the bus has gone to tooling.

 

 

 

 

Has there been any definitive news on the second bus ?

I think there are a good many of us wishing it to be a Birmingham "standard" fleetline as in 4xxx-42xx 63xx-7000. Obviously a few minor differences as well as between Met Camm and Park Royal, but Jason would be astute enough to cater for those.

 

Fingers crossed.

 

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4 hours ago, Covkid said:

 

Has there been any definitive news on the second bus ?

I think there are a good many of us wishing it to be a Birmingham "standard" fleetline as in 4xxx-42xx 63xx-7000. Obviously a few minor differences as well as between Met Camm and Park Royal, but Jason would be astute enough to cater for those.

 

Fingers crossed.

 

 

No further news, but it isn't really summer yet.

 

That said I suspect it is the bus Jason is with in the announcement video from 2018

 

 

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Thanks "Mdvle".  I strongly suspected it was the Fleetline because there was one at Warley in the last couple of years.  Muyst have missed that announcement though.  That really is good news.  Thanks 

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