A Nod To Brent - a friendly thread, filled with frivolity, cream teas and pasties. Longing for the happy days in the South Hams 1947.

[gwrrob]

5391 seen again, this time on an up service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Limpley Stoker]

OK Rob, you can stop now? I’ve just bought one !

[gwrrob]

23 minutes ago, Limpley Stoker said:

OK Rob, you can stop now? I’ve just bought one !

 

Don’t blame the influencer !

[gwrrob]

More goodies imminent from Rapido, this time their 8 plank wagon.

 

[The Fatadder]

Has there been any word on the loriot Y?

[gwrrob]

30 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

Has there been any word on the loriot Y?

 

Still down for a this month delivery.

 

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/delivery-schedule/

[NHY 581]

Mmmmmmm.......December's looking a tad tricky........

 

Rob

[NHY 581]

2 hours ago, gwrrob said:

More goodies imminent from Rapido, this time their 8 plank wagon.

 

 

 

Oh........

 

 

[BWsTrains]

8 hours ago, gwrrob said:

More goodies imminent from Rapido, this time their 8 plank wagon.

 

 

Methinks a torrent of new RTR stock has just turned into a deluge.

 

What must the other manufacturers be thinking / feeling as such an immense flow of high quality supply just keeps on coming into play? "Sinking" springs to mind.

 

It seems to me that Rapido are executing one very well thought out plan of attack on a market sector which was ripe for the picking. Bravo indeed!

[St Enodoc]

10 hours ago, gwrrob said:

More goodies imminent from Rapido, this time their 8 plank wagon.

 

Price?

[Neal Ball]

4 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Price?

Hattons are listing them at £28.01

 

The Rapido GWR Toad brake vans are also due very soon…. Days, maybe a couple of weeks?

[Coach bogie]

6 hours ago, BWsTrains said:

 

 

 

It seems to me that Rapido are executing one very well thought out plan of attack on a market sector which was ripe for the picking. Bravo indeed!

Alternatively is it too much too frequently. Yes it is an improvement in quality but is the money really out there to buy all these releases just weeks apart from the last? With the state of finances of many in the UK, it is an interesting marketing plan that allows all the other releases, and still considers the market  buoyant enough to introduce yet more new releases. Noting that the Rapido iron minks are being offered with 30%+ discount at some retailers I do wonder how long the UK market can continue to support the level of new products being introduced.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[St Enodoc]

41 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Hattons are listing them at £28.01

Hmm. That's about twice the price of a Dapol 8-plank open. Is it twice as good?

[Dunsignalling]

58 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Hmm. That's about twice the price of a Dapol 8-plank open. Is it twice as good?

If the Dapol wagon in question is one of those stretched to fit the old Airfix 10' steel chassis, and then some.

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, Coach bogie said:

Alternatively is it too much too frequently. Yes it is an improvement in quality but is the money really out there to buy all these releases just weeks apart from the last? With the state of finances of many in the UK, it is an interesting marketing plan that allows all the other releases, and still considers the market  buoyant enough to introduce yet more new releases. Noting that the Rapido iron minks are being offered with 30%+ discount at some retailers I do wonder how long the UK market can continue to support the level of new products being introduced.

 

Mike Wiltshire

There are always leftovers and different retailers will tolerate stock on the shelves for differing periods.

 

It really depends on the quantities being discounted, and if the business model needs tweaking, no doubt it will be.

 

Better IMHO, than, like Hornby deliberately underproducing then crowing that the item sold out inside a month. Not exactly unexpected and mainly to the benefit of ebay scalpers.

 

John

[St Enodoc]

16 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

If the Dapol wagon in question is one of those stretched to fit the old Airfix 10' steel chassis, and then some.

Dunno.

 

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/collections/wagons?gf_518168=410299203807

[NHY 581]

Morning all, 

 

Regarding Rapido, I must admit the flurry of releases is.......um.........demanding.....BUT....

 

 

 

All their wagons  are of exceptional quality and are seemingly accurate ( GWR Open door bumpers aside ). Their pricing reflects this but when compared with other brands and similarly accurate products it's actually okay. 

 

Take the 6 wheel SE&CR brake van. Simply stunning and retailing at £39.95 ( full rrp ). Bachmann SE&CR Dance hall brake is of a like standard and comes in at £44.95 ( full rrp ) 

 

Rapido's opens and vans are also, in my opinion, well priced for the quality and when compared to the cost of state of the art coaches and locos, they're not in any way expensive and pro rata are about right. 

 

As an example, Bachmann's 94xx was about £130.00, Accurascale's Siphon is £54.95 and Rapido's Iron Mink etc are about £30, depending where you go. 

 

The danger is of course, that these new items will throw up the short comings with older stock. Compare Bachmann's offering of a typical Southern Van against Rapido's ex SE&CR Vent. Van.......Inevitably, the earlier, older model looks of it's time. However, when viewed from "normal" viewing distance, it's no so much of an issue and new and old blend in. 

 

For me, a modeller of small self contained layouts it provides an opportunity to have a few accurate, " state of the art" wagons ( I generally use about ten for a session/ exhibition ) and it's just what I need. 

 

For someone building a large roundy roundy, I understand it's a more onerous and potentially expensive undertaking. 

 

But you pays yer money.....

 

We all want accurate models of our chosen prototype. Heaven forbid Accurascale dumb down their Manor.....Therefore, it's only right that rolling stock matches the standard of the new locos.........and are priced accordingly. 

 

If that's not what you want, then start writing to the new breed of manufacturers. Tell these young upstarts intent on producing these wagons to the new standards they are setting........

 

" Can you please produce some not as accurate or detailed. We're happy to make do with second best............"

 

Quite. Absurd isn't it. 

 

 

Rob

Edited June 9, 2023 by NHY 581

[sjrixon]

I'm very tempted by a couple of these.. Not that I need them.

 

What surprised me at a recent show (Not been to one for a few year) was the price of the second hand stock. People asking double figures for wagons etc. I'd much rather pay £28ish for these new, absolutely cracking wagons than £12 for some old Hornby one.. 

[St Enodoc]

14 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

" Can you please produce some not as accurate or detailed. We're happy to make do with second best............"

 

Quite. Absurd isn't it. 

Perhaps they could call it their "Railroad" range.

 

Oh, wait...

[The Fatadder]

16 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

Still down for a this month delivery.

 

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/delivery-schedule/

Promising, but I think I might be out of look hoping for it to arrive in Scotland by Thursday for Rainbow to bring down to the DEMU show next weekend to save on postage...

[Dunsignalling]

23 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Dunno.

 

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/collections/wagons?gf_518168=410299203807

Yep. Livery application looks decent enough, though, and it has the right number of wheels.😉

[gwrrob]

A crew familiarisation turn with some Maunsell stock.

 

 

[gwrrob]

On 08/06/2023 at 14:42, gwrrob said:

More goodies imminent from Rapido, this time their 8 plank wagon.

 

 

More images now available on the Hatton’s website, here’s the two post ‘36 versions.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by gwrrob
photos

[gwrrob]

9 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Rapido's opens and vans are also, in my opinion, well priced for the quality and when compared to the cost of state of the art coaches and locos, they're not in any way expensive and pro rata are about right. 

The danger is of course, that these new items will throw up the short comings with older stock. Compare Bachmann's offering of a typical Southern Van against Rapido's ex SE&CR Vent. Van

 

Their SR 8 plank open released to shops today less than a year after announcing it puts others to shame.

[Oldddudders]

10 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

Alternatively is it too much too frequently. Yes it is an improvement in quality but is the money really out there to buy all these releases just weeks apart from the last? With the state of finances of many in the UK, it is an interesting marketing plan that allows all the other releases, and still considers the market  buoyant enough to introduce yet more new releases. Noting that the Rapido iron minks are being offered with 30%+ discount at some retailers I do wonder how long the UK market can continue to support the level of new products being introduced.

I suggest that at the time that Rapido pressed the Go button on some of these products, we had not had a war in Ukraine, nor other world economic effects sending the cost of living off the scale, sadly to the deep discomfort of many. No, these are not pocket-money priced items, but the dozen or so Rapido wagons I have bought so far are simply superb. 5 or 6 of these come in at about the same price as a medium-priced steam loco, of which many people probably have one or two, and, as said, complementing the loco with stock of the same calibre really is adding value to those prior purchases. 

 

Rapido's website shows some earlier products as sold out. From their perspective the market is there and they are happy to continue to serve it. I will be taking four of these.