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The Official Rapido APT-E Thread


rapidotrains

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Kit

 

perhaps I was wrong about it being added later? I was sure I'd read it but I need to find out where. The P-Train trailer cars have a cable in a tube running from that mcb to a handle hidden under a cut out in the carpet in the passenger compartment that when pulled would reset the mcb to save stopping the train and undoing the underfloor tilt pack. There is a sticker on the luggage rack that says TFDU to show where this handle is hidden! The mcb tripping just killed all the power to that tilt pack, pumps the lot, rather than switching to another backup channel.

 

Anyhow this is rather going off the topic of E-Train models! Also it'll be of no interest to 99.999% of readers of this forum!!

 

Rob

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I've just watched all of Andy's video on the project (post 236), whilst it's 45 minutes long it's extremely informative both regarding the prototype E-train and the model - recommended viewing! Get yourself a coffee , toast and marmalade and have an enjoyable break. For sure this project has raised the profile of the preservation of this iconic part of BR history, and all of the best for this venture. I certainly hope that one day she'll be running again.

 

The forthcoming model sounds the business, order placed yesterday evening (after returning from the pub, a rather unfortunate weakness I have -train beer goggles, surely I'm not the only one with this affliction?). Despite causing a "disagreement" with SWMBO, I've gone for the all bells and whistles sound version, it would be rude not to.

 

I fondly remember the WR trials in 1975/6 ( there's a pic of a APT-E alongside 252 001 up thread) so I can be justified running it on my layout, if I ever cared if facts should get in the way of my train set anyway. I believe the Swindon shot was posed, it was in all the railway press at the time.

 

Neil

Edited by Downendian
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I fondly remember the WR trials in 1975/6 ( there's a pic of a APT-E alongside 252 001 up thread) so I can be justified running it on my layout, if I ever cared if facts should get in the way of my train set anyway. I believe the Swindon shot was posed, it was in all the railway press at the time.

 

Neil

 

Actually it wasn't. :no:

 

That photo at Swindon was taken either on Tue 22nd July or  Thurs 24th on the first WR runs just before our first high speed weekend down there. The 252 was in service from Paddington to Bristol at the time and we had a path between the HST and the following service train as we could run at up to 125 mph without the chance of catching up with any traffic in front on the weekday runs. The HST should have left Swindon by the time we got there, but it was a bit delayed and we just MAY have gone a bit faster than 125 :no: so both trains ended up there at the same time.

 

I think the BR publicity guys may have been the cause of the HST's delay though, there were a lot of them hanging around Swindon every time we got there.

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As with many new announcements we modellers tend to take the following stances; not for me, how can I justify this model on my South Devon branch line, why did they not do a,b or c, I just got to have one regardless.

I want an APT-E because it is part of our history, I remember seeing the Prototype and it was certainly an impressive train. Let's face it if the prototype was stuck on HS 1 or a TGV line in France it would look the part today.

If the hype is matched by the finished product it will look impressive on any layout especially when the gas turbines fire up......Sound example ordered.

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Saw this thread 90 seconds ago and ordered one 2 seconds after reading first post!  I doubt it will even fit onto my tiny BLT layout, but its such an iconic train for me as an excited 10 year old I was CONVINCED this was going to be the future of train travel, instead we got class 142!

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I got the Hornby ZhST pack as a present when it came out many years ago then the APT with full yellow ends again for a present.

 

Both reside in the loft in their original boxes (although a bit tatty).

 

Looks like that I will have to give them a run along with the APT-E when it arrives on Third rail territory, STAR LANE, if Mike will let me!!

Edited by roundhouse
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Actually it wasn't. :no:

 

That photo at Swindon was taken either on Tue 22nd July or  Thurs 24th on the first WR runs just before our first high speed weekend down there. The 252 was in service from Paddington to Bristol at the time and we had a path between the HST and the following service train as we could run at up to 125 mph without the chance of catching up with any traffic in front on the weekday runs. The HST should have left Swindon by the time we got there, but it was a bit delayed and we just MAY have gone a bit faster than 125 :no: so both trains ended up there at the same time.

 

I think the BR publicity guys may have been the cause of the HST's delay though, there were a lot of them hanging around Swindon every time we got there.

Thanks Kit for the correction. How far west did APT-E work though on those trials- purely for interest!?

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Hello all,

 

Well done to Rapido for taking the plunge in the UK market. Always good to see a new manufacturer enter the fray and I hope that this venture is a success and it leads to N Gauge models too.

 

When I first knew they were planning the APT-E I had considerable doubts: there's only one, in one livery, it ran for a very short time, on significantly restricted routes in England only and it never actually made it into revenue service.

 

However, on reflection I am coming to see that what seem like negatives are, actually, positives: because there was only one, and it never entered service, it's immediately iconic; it's short enough to be manageable and, perhaps most importantly, it resonates with the 40+ sector of the market which, with the passage of time, is steadily becoming the biggest single group.

 

Two things:

 

1). Yes please to an n gauge version and

2) will the "fictional" extra centre cars be numbered?

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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I've just watched all of Andy's video on the project (post 236), whilst it's 45 minutes long it's extremely informative both regarding the prototype E-train and the model - recommended viewing!

Yes the enthusiasm of Jason and Kit nearly tipped the credit card into the abyss. I nearly bought one just to support them! Andys glances to camera are priceless :)

I just keep repeating but that's the money for the O2 and Manning Wardles, need to hide the card . . .

I live in hope these NRM editions keep going to include equally unique and even more desirable models to me.

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I understand that the trailer car only had approximately half of a full compliment of seats and I presume that the model will reflect this.

 

My plan is to run a seven coach set as a (fictional) regular revenue earning service train rather than as as experimental four car set.

 

Can Andy or Jason advise whether there wil be an option to have a full interior in the trailer cars - either factory fitted or sold as a spare?

 

 

Thanks

Colin

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Thanks Kit for the correction. How far west did APT-E work though on those trials- purely for interest!?

 

The photo at Swindon was as far west as we got, St. Pancras was as far east, just a tad further east than Melton Mowbray, Hayes on the WR main line was as far south and about 1/2 mile north of the NRM York was as far north as we travelled, at least under turbine power. The two Power Cars did get further north than that when we moved them from the NRM to the Thrall Yard but that was with Class 08 power. :no:

 

Who noticed the on-board radio conversation on Rapido's GMD-1 on Tuesday? Wonder if there was any radio communication with or within APT-E?

 

There was radio connection with the Old Dalby Control Centre all the time we were within range, which usually happened as we came round Syston Curve on a good day. There were also some radio hand-sets on the same net which we used to talk to the guys manning Upper Broughton Curve to ensure they were a] safely out of the way and b] that the track load instrumentation was working OK.

 

I had one of the hand-sets on the middle weekend of the WR runs which I used to find out where the train actually was when I was taking the photographs. The Station Manager at Didcot was  SERIOUSLY impressed when I asked him if the train had passed by on Run 2 that weekend and he said he didn't know where it was, so I radioed the train and found out. :no:  The train was always 'Railtest 1' and I was 'Railtest 5' that day.

Edited by Mr_Tilt
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As development moves onwards I may have a couple of questions for Jason to see what the possibilities may be.

Just had a look on the Locomotion website, it says that the model wheel sets will be drop in for EM and P4.

Cheers

Bob

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Just sat and watched.....and listened to Andy Y's wonderful video with Jason,Kit & co.  What a breath of fresh air...I am full of admiration for such enthusiasm and dedication. Jason,as the saying goes,you could sell sand to a Bedouin chieftain !

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The GWMainline runs further south than Hayes as it heads down the Thames Valley - I think the most southerly point is Reading which is quoted on 'net sources as 51.27.32 while Hayes is quoted as 51.30.07 by the same source.

 

3 minutes of arc? Close counts.............

 

On the subject of rivet counting here's a pic of Bill Schneider doing exactly that on PC2. :no:

 

mc9f.jpg

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