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The Official Rapido APT-E Thread


rapidotrains
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Well I received mine today, as per instructions I read the booklet before opening. The box and packaging are superb. Haven't had the vehicles out yet but they look stunning. The accompanying book on the history and development of the APT-E is excellent.

OK can anyone recommend a storage box that will accommodate the fully assembled train without having to take it apart each time? It's going to have to be court feet long.

I did post an earlier possible way of storing a multiple unit, use white electrical trunking, cuts down to length easily, and you can enclose as well at the ends, I have used this method for all my multiple units, I buy mine from B&Q

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And lo number 4 appears on ebay everyone`s jumping on the bandwagon lol

 

Interesting that the guy who`s opened his is the only one not to have a pic of it`s relevant ltd ed certificate

 

If they had had any sense they would of waited till the first one finished before listing but hey lemmings it is

 

And seeing as mines not arrived yet I've been amusing myself with the simulated version on MSTS along with the APT-P 12 car as well

Edited by tgvfan
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PC1 will run on its own PC2 need to be attach to PC1 to work on its own or though the coaches its wired like this so only one DCC chip is need

We did try it initially as a four car but the rear car was dead. As Chris states, my 13 year old separated and re attached the rear car plugs several times and eventually PC2 came to life. However the PC2 head/tail lights do not illuminate. We were all so relieved to get PC working, that no further attempt has been made to look at the plug system. it will have to live without the rear light for the moment.

 

I haven't taken mine out of the box yet. Saving that one for tomorrow when 13 year old James comes back from his mates and can connect it all together for me. Meanwhile, I will be making a tray to keep the unit complete, so I do not have to separate it again. Looking forward to seeing mine in 1935 Westbury station alongside all the Saints and Stars!

 

When I first ordered mine, James thought that APT is what the Virgin Voyagers should have looked like. I have indulged him by having a four coach section, but if he thinks I am repainting all in Virgin livery, he can think again.

 

Mike Wiltshire

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I think the balance was paid on the 12th March Richard. The top receipt is just a balance clearing exercise on the till I think.

Aye it looks that way

 

The first one up for sale was ordered and paid for in 2015 with the looks of it

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All these problems with connections,lights and cutting out should rapido not have made it a simpler connection like the Hornby apt?

I tried my Hornby APT yesterday. It hobbled along with a squeal in 1 direction & refused to move in the other.

 

It took several attempts for me to connect TC1 & TC2 together properly but they have been running in fine for the last 90 minutes or so.

This is the first time I had heard Legomanbiffo's chips outside of a show or youtube. I think it is a good advert.

I ran mine properly for the first time tonight. It looks great, runs nicely & sounds good too.

I felt that £325 was a fair chunk of money when I placed my order but now I have seen the unit running, I am very happy I bought it.

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All these problems with connections,lights and cutting out should rapido not have made it a simpler connection like the Hornby apt?

Suppose they could of done but then you`d of needed 2 sound decoders 1 in each power car for dcc running

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Maybe it's just me being a miserable old sod, but I've got nothing but contempt for these people who are selling them on ebay immediately they got them.  Pure greed, wishy washy excuses that "my circumstances have changed" don't wash with me. 

 

It's easy to leap to the most cynical conclusion.  Sometimes people's circumstances do genuinely change, and this is even more applicable where models are pre-ordered and effectively "produced to order".  Okay, a relatively small deposit is initially paid, but with no firm delivery date for arrival of the finished model, means that for some people physical delivery (and final billing) will inevitably arrive at the most financially inconvenient time (eg. car goes in for M.O.T., roof needs repairing etc etc). 

 

A similar situation happened to me with the Dapol 'Desert Sand' Western (D1000) when it was delivered.  Very nice model, but circumstances at the time meant that I required urgent funds for what were considered far more important things.  As much as I liked the model, it wasn't essential for my modelling period, as I purchased it simply because I liked it, no more no less.  So I sold it, via eBay, for the highest price possible.  Why?  Simple...

 

  1. I'm not sitting on a goldmine and needed the funds myself
  2. I'm not a charity

 

Let's assume for one moment that you simply had to sell your APT-E model tomorrow, and if you or anyone else tells me that they would sell it on at the original price they paid for it, knowing they could obtain perhaps double the money, then I simply don't believe you.

 

Of course, there will be those that set out to speculate/profiteer (call it what you will) on any limited edition, but as someone else pointed out we live in a so-called free market, and once an item is purchased and in possession then its future is at the decision of its owner. 

 

Correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to recall that the model was limited to two models per customer?  I suppose that in theory, there may be occasions for some limited edition models whereby those 'double purchases' actually contribute significantly to actually making a model viable in the first instance - a good example in this case would be the forthcoming Revolution Trains OO gauge TEA tanker, where figures were borderline in actually allowing the project to go ahead.  And I also believe that in the case of the TEA tanker that Revolution Trains themselves mentioned purchasing additional models for sale in eBay stores etc. 

 

So in summary, there is always an alternative way of looking at any situation before flying to the most obvious conclusion...

 

Edited by darkjunglemung
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Hello all,

 

I don't really see the problem with someone purchasing a model and then selling it if they wish.

 

eBay exists and it appears there are some purchasers out there willing to bid against each other to secure a model. I know Locomotion had some cancelled orders available to buy but perhaps they have run out?

 

If someone missed out on ordering at the time (not everyone follows model railway forums on the web, or reads the press - my neighbour collects BR blue diesels but has never heard of RMWeb and rarely buys magazines) then eBay may be their only route.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

Edited by Ben A
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All these problems with connections,lights and cutting out should rapido not have made it a simpler connection like the Hornby apt?

 

All?

 

There's a few of them anyway.

 

It's in the nature of the Brit psyche that we'll complain when the slightest thing doesn't work as we think it should, but we almost never say 'I've just bought a thingumyjig and it works a treat'.

 

The E-Train model would NEVER have worked with the split articulated bogie like the Hornby P-Train. For a start the E1T bogies, with Rapido's level of detail, are a lot more complex than the BT11s that Hornby made, plus the E-Train has the Joint Module perched on top of the bogie too. The power and lighting cables have to run the length of the train to ensure the motors both run at the same speed and that the lights switch over correctly as well as a lot of other things.

 

Bill & Co. already junked their first iteration of the bogie connections because it didn't allow a sensible amount of lengthening on curves and it was the very devil to connect and part, so they've 'been there and done that' already.

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I saw a really nice storage tube  / box at Utrecht Eurospoor which can be made to the required length and had folding sides with foam to grip the model when stowed. I must try and find the details although it wasnt cheap, it may be worth getting one for this model so it can be kept joined together

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Hello all,

I don't really see the problem with someone purchasing a model and then selling it if they wish.

eBay exists and it appears there are some purchasers out there willing to bid against each other to secure a model. I know Locomotion had some cancelled orders available to buy but perhaps they have run out?

If someone missed out on ordering at the time (not everyone follows model railway forums on the web, or reads the press - my neighbour collects BR blue diesels but has never heard of RMWeb and rarely buys magazines) then eBay may be their only route.

Cheers

Ben A.

I think the reason it annoys me is because I am still waiting for mine and am very passionate about it. If it was any other model I would have been bothered and may well have done the same. Glad I have one on the way at a sensible price!

 

Cheers

 

Shane

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