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N Gauge Class 390 Pendolino (post Kickstarter) with Rapido


Revolution Ben
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... Here bogie mouldings are being racked up for spraying. Allowing for Rapido's own models, and spares, maybe 25,000 will be needed. This job will probably tie up one worker for a solid week alone....

 

 

.

 

Wow  -  fancy walking into work on a Monday morning (or whenever) and looking at a pile of 25,000 mouldings and thinking "what a lovely week I have coming to me !"

 

That brings home the price of our hobby.

 

.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hello all,

 

Rapido have sent us some more photos showing latest progress on the Pendolino.  It is a huge job but - just like BR of yesteryear - they're getting there.

 

Trailer car bodyshells with grilles picked out in black, though the centre grille above the aircon fans still to be fitted:

 

post-420-0-94838800-1496686337_thumb.jpg

 

The doors are ready for the black striping which I suspect will be tampo printed:

 

post-420-0-87147500-1496686303_thumb.jpg

 

Spraying power car ends in a rather fetching pinafore:

 

post-420-0-81523700-1496686312_thumb.jpg

 

And the fruits of his labours:

 

post-420-0-42921200-1496686284_thumb.jpg

 

 

I am pretty sure these images have been taken over the space of a few weeks, and quite possibly the models are further advanced than this now.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hello all,

 

Another month, another Pendolino update from Rapido's factory in China.

 

post-420-0-63414600-1498413162.jpg

 

The bodies seen in the last update are now having the black areas and printing added. And there are lots and lots to do...

 

post-420-0-89864300-1498413174_thumb.jpg

 

The inner ends have plenty of printed and painted details...

 

post-420-0-93243200-1498413185.jpg

 

And the pantographs correctly have their bases painted Virgin red...

 

post-420-0-51254200-1498413197.jpg

 

There are more images on our website. It's too late now to order a model from Revolution, however our partner retailers C&M Models, Colletts and Kernow will be taking some into stock and may still have some left for reservation.

 

Once again thanks so much to everyone who supported this project and joined with us to make it happen, and kudos too to Rapido who know their stuff and are doing an incredible job.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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Looking excellent!

 

The end details are interesting to see, as it's very rare to see a split Pendolino. I'm assuming a seperately fitted gangway is still to be added? I may have missed one further back in the thread, but is there a close up photo of any of the sample model showing the gap between the vehicles on straight track?

 

I found the video of the test of the third and final version of the couplers, and it looks very close coupled even on the curves, which is amazing considering the length of the vehicles, the tight radius curves and apparent close coupling.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hello all,

 

Rapido have sent us a short video showing a production Pendolino under gradient and running tests on their Rollercoaster layout in Canada.

 

post-420-0-29495100-1501279985_thumb.png

 

It's an oval of Kato unitrack with a tight radius and a pair of 4% (1 in 25) inclines on the far side of the loop.

 

post-420-0-85338200-1501279995_thumb.png

 

The train comprises standard production vehicles taken off the assembly line and sent to Rapido's HQ in Canada. Some of the vehicles don't have small tampo lettering, as they were rushed in for testing, but that isn't really apparent, though what is apparent is that the train has the correct number of cars, 11, but they aren't all of the correct type as both pantograph cars are absent. However that should have little bearing on the running.

 

There is a video on our website or via this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0cmq6ljsupge3pd/Pendo%20test%2028-07-2017.mov?dl=0

 

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

Edited by Ben A
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Excellent demonstration of the allure of this train. Seems to be over 350km/hr (about 220mph) scale speed on the faster runs. Hope the glazing has been tested for two trains passing at this speed in a tunnel. :no: Just 3 years since this was first a glimmer on here, and 2½ years since the new Rapido/Revolution funding project began. Congratulations to Ben and Mike, and Rapido Trains for their tenacity and skill in seeing this through.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

 

Hello Harry,

 

Thanks for getting in touch - PM sent.

 

Duplicating the information on the Class 92 thread, in general terms, our website is having to deal with traffic levels far greater than anticipated when it was originally created to support the Kickstarter Pendolino campaign. We are in the process of revamping it to significantly improve its layout, capacity and functionality so please bear with us!

 

Timing wise we are just waiting for Rapido to complete the manufacture of the production Pendolinos, which they have indicated will be around the end of August. After that it is just a question of shipping them to the UK and posting them out.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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Timing wise we are just waiting for Rapido to complete the manufacture of the production Pendolinos, which they have indicated will be around the end of August. After that it is just a question of shipping them to the UK and posting them out.

Cheers

Ben A.

Not long to wait now then Ben!

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

Edited by cornish trains jez
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Awesome!

 

Can't afford one, totally out of my time period, nowhere to run it, but....

 

kinda wish I had one :-(

 

 

Cheers,

Paul

You will get chance to play with a couple of them if they arrive in time for this years shows albeit with a dummy 67 on the front.

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