Welcome to an autumnal-themed Rapido Trains UK newsletter, now that it appears that summer has finally left us.

Yes, it's that time of year for wrapping up for a brisk walk through clear skies and piles of golden leaves. This actually means endless days of wind, rain and mud.

But it’s Hallowe'en in a couple of days and, after that, Bonfire Night. And speaking of Guys…

ANDY: Ah, nicely done!

RICHARD: Thank you. Yes, our appeal for more BCT ‘New Look’ Guy orders last issue made very little impact, We've had no choice but to make good on our threat of resorting to sad animals to sell them.

ANDY: I didn’t think you had any pets.

RICHARD: I haven’t. I’ve had to improvise. Anyway, here is what else you'll find in this issue:

And finally:

ANDY: Another seamless autumn reference.

RICHARD: These newsletter aren’t just thrown together you know!

STOP PRESS: We started getting reports just as this issue closed for press that using a 12V power supply to light up our most recent buses was causing the circuit boards to fail. We've discovered that the factory has installed a voltage regulator with an incorrect setting.

You asked for it: a heart-string tugging tale of woe that you can watch by clicking here or on the above image. It'll have you ordering 'New Look' Guys by the, well, bus-load... and if it doesn't, we won't be held responsible for what we do next.

With Bonfire Night on the horizon, now’s the time to think about Guys. And we don’t mean Guy Fawkes!

We’ve probably been just as guilty as everyone else that most of our attention has focussed on the Fleetlines recently because they're new. But in preparation for making the above video, I had to re-acquaint myself with the BCT ‘New Look’ Guy.

It’s easy to forget what an impact it had on the model bus world when it came out in 2019. Who else other than Rapido would think to include lights and steering in a 1:76 scale bus? As it's plastic, there’s a crispness to the body panels (complete with rivets/screwheads) that you don’t get with die-cast metal.

While we may have made a joke about the slow selling nature of this fresh batch of Guys, this bus really is fabulous and deserves its place in any collection, regardless of regional affinity. If you don’t believe us, even Andy, a die-hard Southern modeller, was won-over by it and bought one for his layout (long before he joined Rapido!).

Why not follow Andy’s lead and give a penny for a Guy? (Well, you’ll need 5,495 pennies to be exact). And if you don’t buy any more Guys, we’ll have to make more videos. And Jason will suggest something crazy like blowing them up…

No, not the final scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark but what the inside of our warehouse looks like. Click here or on the above image for the full virtual tour.

Want to know what our new warehouse looks like? Then wonder no more!

Andy's been round the office with a video camera to bring you an exclusive look at our palatial new abode. Click here or on the above image to see what it's like working for Rapido Trains UK.

ANDY: Just without the bickering and Dr Who references!

RICHARD: It's banter, not bickering! Anyway, if you want to write to us, you can. Our address is: Rapido Trains UK, Unit 3, Clinton Business Centre, Lodge Road, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0QF.

The Covid pandemic has interrupted much in our lives but one thing, from a model manufacturer point of view, is not being able to speak to you, our loyal customers. Well, thanks to the joys of modern technology, you can join us for a chat live.

Our Facebook Live event is to take place on November 16th at 7pm. All you need to do is to log in to Facebook and go to our page where you'll be able to speak to Jason, Bill, Andy and me. We'll try and share with you product progress, answer your questions about Rapido or simply chew the fat about the model market or sci-fi TV shows.

Look forward to seeing you!

The warehouse is now a lot emptier now that the bulk of the Fleetlines have left for new homes.

ANDY: It could do with being a bit emptier. We just need a few more Guy Arab sales.

RICHARD: Have we mentioned that we have Guys for sale?

Anyway, now that the Fleetlines have started finding new homes, a couple of common questions have raised their heads:

1 What power source do I need for the lights?

2 My lights don’t seem to work. Is there something wrong with my bus?

Well, here’s a step-by-step guide that's illuminating:

I bought a pair for £5.99 on Amazon but bulk deals are available for those with lots of Fleetlines to light up.

Step 4: Aim the wand between the wheels on the off-side (or driver's side) and hey presto! the lights come on. A temporary setup like this took just a few minutes to complete. If your lights don't work, check all the connections and the battery. If there's still nothing, please drop us a line.

We originally produced 20 different number/destination combinations of Fleetline and some have now completely sold out. We’re also getting quite low on several others, even down to single figures in some cases. If you want a Fleetline, it’s best to get your order in quick before they all go. Remember that you can order direct from us or from your local Rapido stockist.

We’ve had a few e-mails from customers saying that everything has gone quiet on the APT-E. The simple reason for this is that the factory is now hard at work making them. Such is the progress that… well, you can see for yourself.

We’re hopeful that the APT-Es should be with us in January. But given the current supply chain issues, they might be delayed.

It’s so difficult to predict anything these days. We just hope that we’re not in the position that the Guys (see what I did there?!) in Canada are in. They currently have containers full of models stuck on ships or on the docks waiting for onward shipment to Toronto. Don’t get Jason started on this…

JASON: Grrrrr!

ANDY: His head's about to explode like a keg of dynamite.

JASON: Enough with the Guy references!

RICHARD: Why? You want them sold as much as we do!

Here’s the first look at our ‘OO’ gauge WR ‘15XX’… sort of. If you’re wondering why it looks a little angular, that’s because this is not an Engineering Prototype but a 3D printed sample produced from the design files.

The first stage with assessing any model is studying the computer design file. Once you get used to looking at a CAD file, it becomes much easier to spot mistakes or areas that don’t look quite right.

But the problem with looking at a CAD file is that it’s little more than pixels on a screen. It can be very difficult to see how the multicoloured image will look as a physical thing. A 3D print helps with that.

So that’s what we're going to do with the ‘15XX’. We’ll double check that everything looks shipshape and Swindon fashion before we approve the factory to start making the moulds. Finger’s crossed, we’ll get that done in the next few days.

So, what else is happening with the rest of the Rapido range? Read on!

Here's the first look at revised samples of our Gunpowder Vans. We've made a few tweaks to them, namely adding or removing some of the rivets, improving the position of the handbrake lever and setting the NEM pockets further back.

They're all small changes but they really enhance the look and feel of the model. We're really pleased with the result. The factory is now working on getting the colours right and, hopefully, it won't be too long before we can show them to you. More importantly, these are in production now.

This is the RCH/BR version, now complete with flush riveted roof. Stocks of these GPVs are getting low so it's recommend to order now to avoid disappointment.

If you missed Richard making a fool of himself... er, rather, recording a sensible promotional film about the GPVs, you can click here or on the above image to watch it again.

Click here or on the image above to watch our Hunslet in action.

Our ‘OO’ gauge Hunslet 16in 0-6-0STs are getting closer to going into production. You'll see from the above video that we've had one running nicely round our test track. We've just got to sort out the weedy looking wheels (which looked so much better on the CAD than they do in real life) before we approve full production. Don't forget that the order deadline for the Hunslet is December 3rd.

In other news, the moulds are being made for both the ‘N’ gauge MetroVick Type 2 and the ‘Conflat P’. Production has already begun of the SECR open wagons and the factory is confident that they should be ready early in 2022.

And what about The Titfield Thunderbolt stuff? Well, we’ll tell you more next time!

Sole surviving LBSCR 'E1' 0-6-0T No. 110 on display inside Train Story at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. It's being restored as No. 2 Yarmouth. If you want a 'OO' gauge 'E1' for your layout, read on... Photograph: Richard Foster

Model Rail and Rapido Trains UK have come to a mutual agreement to cancel the proposed ready-to-run ‘OO’ gauge LBSCR ‘E1’ 0-6-0T that was first unveiled in 2018.

However, it’s our intention to bring this project to fruition… but it can only progress with your input.

Model Rail Editor George Dent said, “We had been confident that the ‘E1’ would be a great addition to Model Rail’s range of exclusive models. However, with so many existing projects on the go, we’ve re-assessed our future plans. The ‘E1’ was simply a project too far for us, but we hope that Rapido will be able to make it a success.”

I feel particularly guilty for announcing a project, getting people’s hopes up and then concentrating on other projects! I’m pleased that we’ve been able to come to an agreement with Model Rail for us to take this project on ourselves. However, we can only make this project a success with your help.

So what help do we need?

The ‘E1’ is a very complicated project. To cater for all the proposed versions involves lots of additional moulds and slides. Every single one of these changes pushes the price up.

We've devised a way to make the ‘E1’ a more economical model to produce by reducing the number of potential versions. But is this what LBSCR afficionados want? Would modellers be prepared to pay more to get every version of ‘E1’? Would modellers be put off by fewer versions to choose from?

We want you to give us your opinion.

To have your say in shaping this project’s future, Rapido Trains UK has prepared a short questionnaire which you can find here. Closing date is December 6th 2021. We'll then make a decision on how to take the project forward after this date.

We couldn't leave the subject of 'E1s' without including a shot of one on the Isle of Wight. No. 2 Yarmouth was captured at Wroxall with what appears to be an engineering train in the early 1950s. Photograph: MIKE MORANT COLLECTION

This is your chance to have your say on how we take the project forward. We urge anyone with an interest in seeing a ready-to-run ‘OO’ gauge ‘E1’ to vote – and to tell all your friends to vote too! Your input really will shape this project’s future.

By Richard

What is it that causes that spark in your brain that makes you think: “I have to model that”?

Often, it's not even a conscious thought. It's an urge, a deep rooted desire that springs from somewhere deep in your soul. There are almost as many sources of inspiration as there are layouts and modellers.

One of the key drivers for me are locations where you can legitimately run as many different types of trains together. It’s why I love ‘Joint’ lines, such as the Somerset & Dorset.

But I also love it when locomotives end up in radically different liveries than their designers would ever have envisaged. GWR panniers in London Transport red or LMS ‘8Fs’ in Longmoor blue; they're all potential layout gold!

Combine any of these locations or railways with fabulous scenery and you have a blend with ‘dream layout’ written all over it. That’s why, for me, the Isle of Wight is one of my favourite railway destinations. And I know I’m not alone…

The island manages to mix up all the best bits of England. You get rugged Cornish coastlines, quaint Cotswold villages, South Coast beaches and rolling Norfolk hills all mixed up in a delightfully small space, which is then imbued with a character all of its own.

This character runs deep through the island's railways and is just as strong today.

The island’s geography imposed its will on the railway builders. There could be no double track-main lines here. Instead, a web of sinuous lines grew to link all of its main conurbations. These lines could only accommodate smaller locomotives and coaches and so the island became a haven for stock made redundant from elsewhere. By the 1930s, its locomotive fleet reached a degree of standardisation that managers elsewhere could only dream of: ex-LBSCR ‘Terriers’ for the lightest duties, ex-LSWR ‘O2’ 0-4-4Ts for the most powerful trains and the ex-LBSCR ‘E1’ to plug the gaps.

It’s the diesel and electric era that’s probably the island’s most fascinating, which is difficult for a steam fan like me to admit. But who wouldn’t want to see London Underground stock rumbling out over the waters of the Solent? Where else could you find Class 05s carrying TOPS numbers? Or Class 03s in Network SouthEast livery? And now the island is on the cusp of a new future as the Island Line between Ryde and Shanklin is being rebuilt to take the new Class 484 EMUs. Well, I say new for their underpinnings are ex-LT ‘D-Stock’.

From a motive power point of view, you have everything you need to model the Isle of Wight’s railways in ‘OO’ from the mid-1920s onwards. OK, there are one or two gaps. The Class 485 and 486 units (ex-LT ‘Standard Stock’) as well as the Class 484s.

And, of course, the LBSCR ‘E1’.

The handsome Stroudley 0-6-0Ts are a must for any island modeller. I know which one I shall be voting for!

So that's it for another month and thank you for making it to the end of another newsletter. Make you sure you have your say about the future of the 'E1'.

We've plenty of exciting plans afoot and, hopefully, it won't be long before we can share more of them with you.

Best wishes,