Rapido UK Newsletter No. 58

©2025 Rapido Trains Ltd

Alright, my luvver?

Despite last month's mammoth newsletter featuring a ton of new samples, product updates and video content, it would be fair to say that a particular British Railway Region was missing from our updates. No, we aren’t talking about the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway (any excuse to reference Britain’s only railway to include an exclamation mark in its name!). We are, of course, talking about the GWR!

Western Region modellers are a dedicated bunch, and we are pleased to say that your patience and loyalty have paid off. This month's newsletter is crammed full of as many lush GWR updates and samples as possible.

Having answered a gradually increasing number of emails titled “Where's my 44xx to?”, we can now give you the news you’ve been waiting for.

In addition to the awesome Western Region news, we have updates on several of our other projects, Railex 2025, upcoming deliveries and much more. So, there is plenty for you to enjoy even if Swindon standardisation isn’t your cup of tea.

Without further ado, let's start our recap of July by taking a tour of the Western Counties!

Product Updates

GWR County - Engineering Prototypes Have Arrived (OO Gauge)

Producing a large GWR loco feels like it is a rite of passage for any model railway company, and the new engineering prototypes of our upcoming GWR County begin to make this pivotal part of Rapido’s history a reality. 

So that we can properly review all of the detail differences within the range, our factory has kindly sent us prototypes that feature a wide selection of variants. The range features models fitted with single and double chimneys, varying oil pipes, different name plate lengths and loads of other subtle details. Here are a few close-ups of these key parts so you’ve got a better idea of what your chosen model is going to look like.

Some versions are even fitted with a Speedo. No, not the unflattering swimming shorts, we mean a device for measuring the loco's running speed. 

The 3D prints that we displayed at shows earlier this year were excellent, and we thank ModelU for their usual impeccable level of detail. But these new engineering prototypes are something else!

One observation that was immediately obvious was the model's weight, so we went and weighed the samples for a bit of fun! 

The samples weigh a whopping 430g, which we thought was appropriate considering the prototype's 'red' axle load rating. The models feature an injection moulded boiler shell, so rivets and other details are finer, but the core that the plastic coating is attached to is a hefty lump of metal. This means you have the best of both worlds, the weight a metal model offers and the detail an injection moulded plastic one does.

When combined with the metal chassis, tender chassis and some detail parts, there is a fair amount of weight in this model. Ideal for pulling prototypical express trains. Now, this is the engineering prototype, so things are subject to change and revision, meaning that the figure may go up or down slightly. But it’s a good start.

Over the coming weeks, we will conduct a full and in-depth review of these prototypes. Oh, and if you fancy seeing them for yourself, make sure you either join us at Rapido Railex in September, or pop by and see our stand at any of the shows that we will be attending throughout the Autumn and Winter. You won’t be disappointed.

GWR 44xx ‘Small Prairie’ - Painted Samples (OO Gauge)

Proudly emerging from their burrow (or in this case, factory) are our colour production samples of the first of the OO Gauge GWR ‘Small Prairies’, the 44xx. 

We were blown away by how good these samples looked, and we think you’ll agree that these will be a must for every GWR modeller. Their arrival coincided nicely with the recently-arrived County engineering samples, so the office test tracks, display boards and dioramas were littered with a host of Western locos. 

We've fitted some of the additional parts to one of our samples. As you can see, with their cabside brass number plates and smoke box number plates added, these already lovely models have an enhanced level of realism and depth. We have included these as parts that you can choose to fit yourself, as it makes it much easier for those who wish to renumber their models. You will find these number plates and more in the detailing packs provided.

If you’ve already grabbed a bunch of our GWR wagons, or one of our beautiful B-Sets, then this lovely little loco is going to be right at home at the head of your train. We’ve only got a handful of 44xx locos left in stock, so head to our website now if you want to add one of these delightful little dogs to your fleet. 

We will be reviewing these samples in detail over the next few days. Once they are signed off, the production models will be completed and made ready for shipping. So, watch this space!

Finally, a polite reminder that if you’ve ordered yourself a 44xx and are still looking for the perfect rolling stock to complement it, then you will be pleased to hear that we have a very limited number of the GWR Liveried Evolution coaches from Batch 1 still available to order. They are due to arrive later this year, so don’t miss out! 

Delivery Updates

In addition to the aforementioned OO Gauge GWR 44xx, we have various loco projects that will be arriving over the next few months. Let’s see what spectacular steamers you’ve got to look forward to. 

SECR O1 Bound for Blighty!

In last month's newsletter, we mentioned that the OO Gauge SECR O1 was nearing completion. Well, since then they have been finished and are on the way to the UK. However, with the variables in international shipping, it is impossible to give a clearer date that they will be in your hands. But we are still hoping they arrive within Q3 as originally predicted. Keep an eye on future newsletters for further updates, and if you are a direct customer, reminder emails will be sent out when they arrive, so keep an eye out for those too!

For those who still want to add these gorgeous locos to their collection, we have very limited stock for certain SKUs still available. Find out more and order yours HERE.

Lots of our Official Retailers also have taken stock of the rather pretty model, so if we have sold out of the version you are hunting for, we would recommend contacting your favourite Official Retailer with haste.

Small Steamers Near Completion - Port of Par Twins and AB Fireless Almost Finished!

With the O1 on the way, our factories have been able to give further attention to some of our other pending projects. Construction of both the OO Gauge Port of Par Twins and the OO Gauge ‘Caledonia’ Fireless is almost complete, and they are due to leave the factory any day now!

We are hoping to be able to give you a shipping update on these shortly, so check in on next month's newsletter for further info. In the meantime, here's a nice picture of painted samples of these industrial oddities for you to enjoy. 

Order Book Closing Dates

We don’t want to downplay this bit of news; this is a big deal!

The collection of projects that form this month's order book closures is probably our most significant to date. With a massive loco (well, two locos really) for N Gauge modellers, a gorgeous range of OO Gauge industrial shunters, and of course the Ivor range, we are sure there is something you are going to want to order before the deadline.

The order book closing deadline is only a few days away.

You have until Monday the 28th of July, to get your pre-orders in before the following order books close:

• Ivor the Engine Train Pack (OO Gauge)
• Ivor the Engine Rolling Stock Pack (OO Gauge)
• BR Class 45 (N Gauge)
• BR Class 46 (N Gauge)
• Manning Wardle L Class (OO Gauge) – Including the recently announced SECR No.331 and No.481 Hawthorn liveries

If you are on the fence about whether or not to order the DCC Sound-Fitted version of Ivor, the sound file and decoder will not be available as a separate product after these models have arrived, as it is a fully licensed product. So, if you want to hear the amazing sounds in this model (accurate to the television programme!), we recommend pre-ordering a DCC Sound-Fitted model while you still can!

Our business is built around pre-orders – we don't make a lot of extra stock – so please take note of our order deadlines. The next order deadline slides just into September. Make sure to get your pre-orders in by Monday the 1st of September for the following:

• LMS 12 Ton Vans (D1832A and D1663)

Remember, if you want to pre-order these lovely vans, you can do so directly through our website or with any of our Official Retailers. 

LBSC E1 – Instruction Manual Update

A few weeks ago, we delivered the stunning LB&SCR E1. The majority of you have been thoroughly enjoying your models and have taken to social media and email to tell us how happy you are with them.

We have since updated the model's instructions for the DCC fitting process to clarify that the boiler and tanks are removed, but not the cab. There is also a correction for removing the keeper plate.

An updated manual has been uploaded to our technical centre, which will show you the correct way to remove the keeper plate.

LBSC E1 – Crew from Modelu

On the subject of E1s, our friends at Modelu have developed a suitable 3D-printed crew for this long-lived locomotive.

Head over to the Modelu website's Rapido section where there are a variety of ready-to-paint figures available, such as this BR-era crew.

For the pre-grouping locomotives, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway is also catered for, as seen here.

“'Old Yer Orses Mista Forks, This Ain't Salt in This Van!”- Exclusive G. Fawkes RCH 1907 Salt Van

We are proud to announce that The Wagon Yard is adding a conspicuous new G. Fawkes-liveried OO Gauge RCH 1907 Salt Van to their gradually expanding range of exclusive wagons.

Mr. Fawkes’s dodgy little outfit is expanding at such a rate that it might arouse suspicions with the law if it's not careful.

You can find out more about this ticking time bomb of a new announcement here.

It is also worth bearing in mind that our OO Gauge ‘Caledonia’ Fireless is due to arrive in the latter part of this quarter, and this includes the G. Fawkes liveried example. So, with all of these interesting wagons to choose from, and a loco to pull them, you’ll be setting off indoor fireworks before you know it! 

Rapido RailEx Reminder

Eight weeks to go!

To you lot reading this at home, that sounds like ages, but to us, RailEx feels like it's only a matter of days away. We can’t wait!

With loads of our friends, colleagues, and fellow enthusiasts heading to the show to make it as special as we can, we know we still have a mammoth task of getting it all ready. Thankfully, we have an shedload of fantastic layouts, vendors and displays for you to enjoy. There are a lot of familiar faces who helped make last year's event happen, but we are pleased to say that we also have a bunch of new exhibitors in attendance. Over this newsletter and the next, we will recap who's coming and what you’ve got to look forward to. So, in no particular order, let's take a look at the first half of the vendors and layouts that are joining us at RailEx this year!

Leysdown (P4)



The first Layout we will highlight is one that is rather close to home for us. Set on the rugged Kentish Island of Sheppey, this P4 layout represents the Sheppey Light Railway’s rustic seaside terminus of Leysdown. This finely-detailed example of one of the many rural branchlines that littered the southeast of England is a must-see for Southern modellers. 

Bowaters (0-16.5)



Situated just across the Swale, and in direct line of sight to much of the Sheppey Light Railway when it was running, is the Bowater papermill at Kemsley. The St. Neots Model Railway Club layout, Bowaters, is a gorgeous 0-16.5 rendition of part of the sprawling narrow gauge network that stretched from Sittingbourne Down to Ridham dock. This layout has only had a limited number of outings so far, so we are privileged for it to be attending our show. 

Bryford County Terminal (HO)



Given Rapido’s North American roots, it felt right to add an interesting American layout to our list of attendees. This compact shunting (that’s switching for our North American friends) layout is set somewhere on the Eastern seaboard of the USA. It has a variety of industrial units dotted along its backscene, ideal for a multitude of freight cars to drop off their varied goods. This is a must-see for American and Diesel enthusiasts. 

Dinsdale 1820s (OO)



Spotted by our General Manager at its very first outing at the recent Faversham show, Dinsdale 1820s was the perfect layout for us to include in the Year of the Rail 200 celebrations. Although not representative of any specific section of the Stockton & Darlington, this Era 1 layout is a respectful tribute to the famous railway and an opportunity to enjoy an era of railways seldom modelled.

Folly Lane (OO)

In striking contrast to Dinsdale 1820s, Folly Lane represents a much more modern era of railways. Representing nowhere in particular, but somewhere in the Southern Region, this 90s-era layout even has the 3rd rail modelled! With a wide range of colourful stock and interesting running options, there is plenty for you to see and enjoy on this layout. 

Bryn Stwffwl (009)



In the year that we announced our first 009 locomotive, we simply had to have a layout to go with it. So, we commissioned the talented Dan Everson to make us a compact 009 layout. Bryn Stwffwl represents a quiet Welsh quarry, and its name loosely translates as Rapido’s hometown, Staplehurst. We'll be putting the layout through its paces over the weekend, so we know it's suitably run in for when our 009 Diana arrives. 

Clyre Valley (009)



This award-winning layout displays an entirely new level of cinematic scenery. Real narrow gauge railways often ran through gorgeous landscapes, and this is captured beautifully. Set in Cornwall, Clyre Valley represents a railway that could plausibly have run between Port St George (aka Padstow) and Bodmin. Handling significant China Clay traffic, as well as passengers and general goods, there are always interesting trains running in the wonderful landscape.

009 Society



Having liaised with the 009 Society through the development of our new 009 range, we wanted to include them in the festivities. This experienced bunch of hobbyists have a wealth of knowledge they can impart and will gladly welcome new like-“narrow”-minded people into the society's fold. Pop by the stall and have a chat with them, see what beautiful models they have on display, and sign up!

Fourdees Narrow Gauge models



While we are on the subject of narrow gauge railways, we need to talk about Fourdees. Owner and designer Dani is well known in the world of 009 gauge and has been making some of the best 3D-printed kits for the scale for years. We worked alongside Dani so that our new Sirdar chassis could be implemented into their designs, and received lots of useful tips about making 009 models from them. So, it was a no-brainer when it came to offering Fourdees a table at RailEx, so that more people can see their fantastic models.

Buggleskelly Station



Buggleskelly Station, aka. Tom Marshall, is a scale model maker and well-known modelling YouTuber. Tom will be attending with a stand chocked full of his latest limited edition rolling stock, 3D-printed figures and buildings, and Buggleskelly Merch. He is a really nice chap, so make sure you pop by his stall and have a chat, even if it's just to see his fantastic beard. 

Primo Models



We first experienced Primo Models at Model Rail Scotland a few years ago, and were blown away by the detail of their trees and scenics. We walked away with a handful of trees that weekend, and they have left a lasting mark on us. Aspiring to bring some of the best vendors to RailEx, Primo Handcraft was near the top of our invite list. Drop by the stand and we promise you that you will struggle not to get inspired to do a new layout!

Tony’s Trains of Rugby



Tony attended last year's show and left with a huge grin, so we simply had to invite him this year. As one of our Official Retailers, we are sure that Tony will have a variety of Rapido models for you to buy, as well as loads of other items of interest. 

The Wagon Yard



Last but by no means least, we have our friends and colleagues from The Wagon Yard. They will be attending once more and will have a plethora of interesting niceties on offer. The Wagon Yard also have numerous exclusive Rapido wagon liveries, and you will be able to pre-order all of them at the show. 

Marcia Inspires Budding Future Drivers

After she visited Chatham Dockyard earlier this year, Marcia decided to stick around and enjoy the rest of her summer holidays at the Medway-based museum.

Thankfully, this extended visit also happened to include the week that the Chatham and District Model Railway Club held their exhibition in the Dockyard. With railway enthusiasts filling the cobble streets and slipways of the historic site for the weekend, it only seemed fitting to get a fire lit in Marcia and have a steam locomotive on show for the weekend's festivities. 

Marcia not only provided the perfect photo opportunity for many, but she also hosted the ever-popular “Driver for a tenner” for a load of aspiring steam loco drivers. With proceeds going to the upkeep and ongoing restoration of the Dockyards' very own fleet of locomotives, plenty of people were able to contribute charitable donations while having a bit of fun in the process. 

Alongside this, The Wagon Yard was also on site with a gazebo full of Marcia and Peckett-themed merchandise and gifts, so everyone who took part had something to take home with them to remember their driving experience.

We would like to thank Neil and his team of volunteers at the Dockyard Railway who helped make this happen. We had an awesome weekend.

Oh - we were also inundated with requests to make a model of our very own locomotive - do you think we should consider it?

Thought of The Month

We want to play with our trains - A Rapido Layout Update!

We have been incredibly busy over the last month or so, and after having a chat about it amongst ourselves, the staff fancy playing with their own models and chilling out for a bit. So, Thought of the Month is a little different in July. Rather than presenting you with a thought-provoking question, or covering a business insight that gives you a better idea of why we do things, we are opening a can of worms and sharing exactly what’s on our minds. 

That one's nice and simple: “I fancy playing with my trains more. How am I going to make that happen?”

So, as a group, we set about creating the next stage of our Rapido layout. If one wishes to play with their trains at a whim, having somewhere to do so is a prerequisite to this enjoyment. 

We laid the four-track loops and the first lines for the terminus on the top level, along with much of the station approach. We then began the very first scenic sections of the layout. Now, we could have gone at this alone, be we thought, let's get some friends involved too. Thankfully, these aren’t just willing victims who stood still long enough to have a paintbrush thrust in their hands; these are highly skilled friends.

Bringing their expert skillset to the table were Dan Everson of Tunnel Lane Model Railways and Jonathan Scott of JSModels. 

Dan is a dab hand when it comes to scenery and turning a baseboard into a work of art, so he helped our guys get the first rural scenic section started. What do you think so far?

While they were cracking on with this, Jonathan got out his tape measure. We have some rather nifty retaining walls that are going to go in, and Jonathan is designing and producing them for us. If you haven’t seen a JSModels kit before, we would highly recommend checking them out; there is a reason we trust Jonathan's expertise on this section. 

Jonathan also sent Dan a few of his buildings to complete for our layout ahead of their visit, along with a stencil of a well-known and thoroughly dishonest business. We are so pleased with how these buildings turned out and can’t wait to line up our G. Fawkes wagons alongside them.

In addition to this, we have started work on an engine shed and have completed a diesel depot, so there will be lots of great places to pose our collections in the near future. We think we will hold off and show you these another time when they are completed and attached to the layout. 

Finally, we managed to source the most important building of the entire layout, the pub. Thanks to Tony’s Trains of Rugby for providing us with this classy establishment. We can’t decide on a name, though. Maybe, Repubdo?

What do you think we should call our pub? 

Jason: Definitely The Cloven Hoof. It's from the 1971 Dr Who story "The Daemons" which took place in the village of Devil's End and was filmed in Aldbourne, Wiltshire. I've been there.

Rapido UK: No.

Jason: How about The Fox Inn? It was where the Brigadier stayed in Tulloch, Scotland, during the 1975 story "Terror of the Zygons". This was filmed in Charlton, West Sussex. I've been there too.

Rapido UK: No.

Jason: Fleur De Lys? It was the pub in Devesham in "The Android Invasion" (1976) and is actually a real pub in East Hagbourne near Didcot. I've been there... twice!

Rapido UK: Maybe.

Jason: PROGRESS! I'LL TAKE IT!

Rapido UK: Dear readers, please feel free to ignore Jason and send us your suggestions.

Silly pub names aside, we are one building short. Dan, our Warranty Engineer, has lent us a Bachmann Pendon Collection Little Chapel Cottage. We love this building and want to add it to our layout but need to find our own. Does anyone have one not being used or know the the location of one for sale? We can offer a reward for any information that results in an acquisition...

Well, with July wrapped up, our sights are now firmly set on making RailEx 2025 as special as we can. We hope to see you at the show in September and can’t wait to see what your reactions are to everything we have on display.

See you next month.

The Rapido Trains UK Team

Jason: Here's a photo of the sign from The Cloven Hoof, in case you change your mind. It's really cool! You can use it!

Rapido UK: We're just receiving a telegram right now. It says Jason STOP Please please please STOP.

See you next time everyone! Except Jason, hopefully.

Jason: I heard that.