Rapido Stirling Single No.1 (OO) with Sturrock tender

[AY Mod]

Stirling Single No.1 (OO Gauge)

 

A Stirling Northerner that’s single and ready to mingle. We are proud to announce that the OO Gauge GNR Stirling Single No.1 will be returning in all its glory and in an all-new small tender version.

 

 

GNR and Pre-grouping fans will finally be able to get their hands on a ready to-run model of No.1 in the same condition as it was restored to in the 1930s. Paired with a titchy Sturrock tender, No.1 had remained in this condition for most of its life in preservation. Despite it being discovered in the 1970s that this tender wasn't meant to be coupled to this railway icon, it wasn't until many years later, in 2014, that the Stirling Tender Project actually returned it to its prototypical and current preserved condition that we know it as today.

 

Prior to withdrawal, No.1 had a standard large Stirling tender of 1891 design, but in preparation for the White City Exhibition of 1909 an old tender was found, which had previously been used behind the Doncaster Carriage Shunter, Hawthorn 0-4-2, No 112A. This consisted of a goods tender chassis with 3ft 7in wheels with a small well tank designed for a passenger tender. 

 

The 8-foot single wheelers originally used the chassis of this 1867 tender, which had 4ft 1in wheels and a larger tank.

 

 

So, the tender attached to No.1 had no historical claim to be paired with the locomotive prior to the White City Exhibition, but as it was thought no legitimate tender remained at this point, it sufficed. It did so for many years until a historically correct version was discovered. Incredibly it had been discarded rather unceremoniously in a siding just outside of Peterborough.

 

With over 80 years being coupled to the smaller of the two tenders, it is fair to say that many enthusiasts associate No.1 with this longstanding low-profiled counterpart, remembering it fondly from visits to the National collection or enthusiast events.

 

To quote Mr. Richard Gibbons, who penned the conservation report on the Stirling Single for the NRM: “The Sturrock tender currently with the locomotive is an anachronism that has been perpetuated for so long now that it has acquired its own historical legitimacy.”

 

 

As keen railway enthusiasts, everyone at Rapido Trains UK is very pleased to be able to tell the full story of this beautiful machine in model form. We have worked in partnership with Locomotion Models and the National Railway Museum to produce a high-quality OO Gauge rendition of a truly special locomotive.

 

To cover the locomotive's full history Locomotion Models will also be stocking a small second run of the immensely popular Museum Condition, large tender, preserved variant that Rapido Trains Inc. produced several years ago.

 

 

The Stirling Single model has been designed using a combination of archival materials and drawings, state-of-the-art laser 3D scanning techniques and CAD applications, which ensure its accuracy. It features a striking finescale precision GNR livery, a smooth-running mechanism, a factory-installed speaker and a firebox glow which can be seen easily thanks to the shallow tender.

 

 

Engineering prototypes of the new tender have already arrived and been reviewed. The orderbook will close on Monday 4th March and we hope that both versions of Stirling Single No.1 will be available in Winter 2024. Pre-order your model from any Official Retailer or direct from us today.

 

RRP for this exciting new version is £249.95 for DCC Ready and £349.95 for DCC Sound Fitted.

 

Pre-order yours today direct from Rapido Trains UK HERE or from any Official Retailer.

 

[60800]

Well, I ordered that almost as fast as I ordered the Accurascale Class 89.

 

This re-run has been a long time coming. I bet those who shelled out £700+ on eBay for these in recent years are kicking themselves. 

 

Cheers,

 60800

[Bucoops]

Whoop whoop!

 

So the day after my pre-order Rapido list is emptied, on goes something else 😅

Edited November 10, 2023 by Bucoops

[G-BOAF]

Any chance of a small run of just the Sturrock tender for those of us who already invested in the initial Locomotion model but would like a mix-and-match of eras and display?

[60800]

Sounds like a great idea - the other way around would be nice too. 

 

Cheers,

  60800.

[Tiny151]

Fantastic, figured this was simply a matter of time, but delighted all the same. Well done to Rapido for taking the opportunity to reintroduce the Sturrock tender, I remember a few disappointed posters in the original thread when this was reluctantly cancelled last time.

 

That said, it's the full-size version for me. Order placed with Locomotion and fingers crossed for Single #4...! The last edition was a stunning model, but sadly even after two replacements, I still had an example with issues (though admittedly different issues on each model). I didn't want to take up any more of Locomotion's resources so spoke to Rapido's designated UK support at the time, but for whatever reason the spares never managed to materialise. Eventually that lead went cold, so I tried an email to the Canadian branch, but again didn't hear back. I decided it wasn't to be and made my investment back with a sale - if only I'd waited a few more years for the silly money!

 

I drag up this long-forgotten saga as hopefully now that Rapido UK exist and are able to be hands-on with this release, some of the QC issues of the past will be worked out. If I can add one item to the checklist, the smokebox door knob! All 3 of my Singles arrived lacking this and from checking other examples over the years, they seemingly weren't alone. Maybe somebody on the assembly line thought they were a sprue... 

 

Looking forward to finally seeing that hypnotic big wheel spinning once more!

[gr.king]

It is far from universally accepted that the small tender paired with No1 for most of its time in preservation is a "Sturrock" tender.  Most of its features, especially the bearing springs concealed behind the outer iron frame plates, rather than exposed alongside the tank / bunker above the soleplate, point to it being a Stirling tender, though probably not in original condition given its age. In his books on Great Northern Locomotive History, probably the best available, N. Groves mentions the origin of the tender.  

[scots region]

I'm a wee bit confused, didn't Rapido produce a small tender version in the original run? Or am I misremembering something? (Safe bet)  

[micklner]

2 minutes ago, scots region said:

I'm a wee bit confused, didn't Rapido produce a small tender version in the original run? Or am I misremembering something? (Safe bet)  

Offered and withdrawn as not enough people wanted to buy the museum only version .

[scots region]

9 minutes ago, micklner said:

Offered and withdrawn as not enough people wanted to buy the museum only version .

 

Oh... that'll explain it. 

[BroadLeaves]

What will the livery be for the Sturrock tender? It's plain black in the photos - is that because the EP hasn't been painted, or is it a representation of the final product?

[RapidoCorbs]

1 hour ago, BroadLeaves said:

What will the livery be for the Sturrock tender? It's plain black in the photos - is that because the EP hasn't been painted, or is it a representation of the final product?

It'll be in gorgeous GNR livery.

[gr.king]

Save for one large example specially built for Sturrock's sole "GWR style" 4-2-2, which is certainly not the tender in question here, Sturrock's tenders all had visible bearing springs above the soleplate.  Groves clearly identifies the small tender paired with the preserved single as a combination of 1866 and 1867 STIRLING tender parts (possibly combined salvaged spares), putting it firmly in the family of Stirling's early type of wood-framed tender. Others who have examined the tender for evidence of alterations agree that there's nothing to suggest that it ever had Sturrock's features such as the exposed, high springs - even if it was at one time paired with an older loco.  Continued description of the small tender as a "Sturrock" tender simply perpetuates and reinforces a belief for which there is a definite lack of evidence, leading to the possible misinforming of more and more people in the hobby.

[2750Papyrus]

4 hours ago, RapidoCorbs said:

It'll be in gorgeous GNR livery.

Have you considered making the tenders available separately?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

1 hour ago, 2750Papyrus said:

Have you considered making both the tenders available separately?

What with there being a general shortage of RTR three axle Doncaster tenders...

[PeterH]

I was one of those who ordered the cancelled Sturrock tender versions many years ago; I eventually just got one anyway but I echo the others who want just the tender to use with their existing models.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Graceful passenger engines aren’t usually my bag, but this does look incredible.

 

How was the tender discovered? I imagine a 19th century tender would stick out like a sore thumb at a modern depot like Peterborough.

[chris p bacon]

6 hours ago, Rich Uncle Skeleton said:

Graceful passenger engines aren’t usually my bag, but this does look incredible.

 

How was the tender discovered? I imagine a 19th century tender would stick out like a sore thumb at a modern depot like Peterborough.

IIRC It was a sludge carrier at connington tip, identified by Kenneth Leech. 

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

50 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

IIRC It was a sludge carrier at connington tip, identified by Kenneth Leech. 

Thanks, are there any photos of it as it was found?

[JCL]

4 hours ago, Rich Uncle Skeleton said:

Thanks, are there any photos of it as it was found?

Here you go https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co206032/locomotive-tender-no-1002-great-northern-railway-locomotive-tender

[scots region]

Honestly I think the Sturrock tender (sorry Graham) looks nicer than the original, it gives the engine a much sleeker and fast profile. The large one is a bit over powering. That said, I have stumped up for the original. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

20 hours ago, Rich Uncle Skeleton said:

Graceful passenger engines aren’t usually my bag, but this does look incredible.

It only gets better when running on your layout, looks like it is gliding above the rails. 

Still photos of them in action at speed in C19th show an eruption at the top of the chimney, which flattens out very rapidly. The exhaust volume in the attached vid is of the right scale, but she isn't going fast enough for the full effect.

 

 

2 minutes ago, scots region said:

The large one is a bit over powering.

But essential when in regular operation. A plentiful coal and water supply was necessary to deliver the sustained power output.

[micklner]

Original Rapido Singles are coming up on ebay already , two for £500 each today .

 

A sudden influx of J52's for sale as well . 

 

They maybe hoping at best !!.

[railroadbill]

1 hour ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

It only gets better when running on your layout, looks like it is gliding above the rails. 

Still photos of them in action at speed in C19th show an eruption at the top of the chimney, which flattens out very rapidly. The exhaust volume in the attached vid is of the right scale, but she isn't going fast enough for the full effect.

 

 

But essential when in regular operation. A plentiful coal and water supply was necessary to deliver the sustained power output.

 Very entertaining video, the speed of the driving wheels is fascinating!

 

Having missed out on the single last time. I've ordered the large tender one from Locomotion, I'll have a timeline of East Coast locos from the Stirling to HSTs when it turns up, should look great running round the layout.

[toby_tl10]

I wonder if there is a demand for class members other than No.1, and to include some detail variations.