Rapido UK Newsletter No.55

©2025 Rapido Trains Ltd

This month we are breaking tradition. Here's your usual newsletter, but it’s not gone out on the last Friday of the month.

We could claim that this is some ingenious business move or some technical hiccup, but you know that's not our style. We will be brutally honest; we wanted to go and play with some real trains tomorrow.

This month we have quite a few updates from our factories, which is great news! This includes a fair few photos of models being constructed and finished. There are also updates on events that we are attending, just in case you want to know where you can see our samples first-hand.

Last but by no means least, we open the window to a rather exciting announcement. This time it’s another new pre-grouping brake van. You’ll just have to keep reading to find out which one!

So, while you absorb this month's newsletter and mull over which of the new brake vans you fancy pre-ordering, the Rapido team will be packing their high viz jackets, steel toe-capped boots, and polishing cloths, as we are heading to the Kent and East Sussex Railway for their first Dwarves of Steam Gala.

Our very own little loco Marcia will play gracious host to several delightfully dwarven visiting engines.

We want Marcia to look her best, so we will be putting in the elbow grease at the crack of dawn. Once we are done, we will proudly adorn her with the Rapido Trains UK headboard; we promise she will be ready for when the punters arrive.

If you fancy joining us to ride behind some of the cutest locos to grace Britain’s preserved railways you can still grab tickets for Dwarves of Steam.

Right let’s jump into April news before we get our hands too dirty, and we stink of Brasso!

New Announcements

LNWR Dia.17B ‘Crystal Palace’ Brake Van (OO Gauge) 

First introduced in 1917 by the London and North Western Railway, the Dia.17B brake van design was conceived as a general-purpose 20-ton brake. Given that LNWR records show that during this period their overall brake van numbers didn’t increase, it is a fair assumption that these were all built as direct replacements for any dated and condemned stock. 

A total of 539 vans were built to this diagram, each carrying the number of their condemned predecessor. 

Numerous vans were built after the LNWR had amalgamated with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1921; with the LNWR’s Earlestown Wagon Works issuing LYR numbers to some of these vans as there were insufficient free LNWR numbers to use. 

Production of the Dia.17B brake vans continued at Earlestown right through to 1924; by which point it was under LMS ownership. With a 10-foot wheelbase and a modest 18-foot body length, the Dia.17B was by no means a large brake van. However, what it lacked in size it made up for in fittings that would have assisted the guards using them considerably. 

Fitted with a doored veranda that had 3 large end windows, the guards were relatively safe and sheltered from all weather. Another 3 large windows were fitted at the opposite end, which meant the guards could clearly see in whatever direction the van may be facing. The centre window on either end could be opened so that the guard could reach the lamp brackets without leaving the comfort of their van. 

Adding to the guard's visibility were the ogees (Duckets), that were fitted to either side. This was rounded off with 2 small windows across the top panels of either of the van's sides. With windows on all sides, the Dia.17B justifiably earned the witty nickname ‘Crystal Palace’.

Many later and privately owned examples lost the veranda side doors in favour of an opening horizontal iron bar. This coincided with many of them being refitted to remove the veranda end windows.

As a general-use van and as they were built in such quantities, the ‘Crystal Palace’ brake van could be seen across the LNWR network. Its reach expanded upon LMS ownership, and furthermore when a number of them survived into the days of nationalisation. 

Beyond this, several of the ‘Crystal Palace’ brake vans were purchased by private railway companies, with examples going to the NCB, RNAD, MSC, Ore Mining Branch, and even the Longmoor Military Railway. Thankfully, a couple have made it as far as preservation. 

This model is the first LNWR brake van diagram to be produced as a OO gauge ready-to-run model! It will feature the usual wealth of detail seen on our previously released pre-grouping era brake vans. 

Each model will have a multitude of separately fitted parts, including highly detailed brake gear, running boards, rails, ogees, lamp irons, and a chimney. 

Variants representing the vans in their early life are fitted with windows on the veranda ends and have veranda side doors, whereas later and privately owned examples are open-ended and have the doors replaced with an iron bar. 

The van's interior contains a guard’s desk, stove, and pigeonholes. All versions are fitted with metal bearings, NEM Pockets, and either disc or spoked wheels. Finally, there is a selection of lamps in the polybag so you can personalise your model as desired. 

The order book is open, and you can preorder yours now!

Product Updates

Hunslet 16in 0-6-0ST Batch 2 Colour Samples (OO Gauge)

Over the last couple of months, we have received several updates from our factory on Batch 2 of the OO Gauge Hunslet 16in 0-6-0ST; this month we thought we would share a few more photos. As this is the second run of these models, we didn’t need running samples for every single livery, as we only needed to review the new liveries and tampo (pad printing) application; this is to ensure they colour match our swatches, and all of the details and lining are where they need to be. We are very pleased with what we have seen so far. 

Of course, we don’t just look at the shiny new models, we also want to check how they run. Just before last month's newsletter dropped into your inboxes, we received two painted running samples, so we spent some time this month reviewing their mechanical and running capabilities. We are confident that these will be as outstanding as the Hunslets from the original batch, which was released a couple of years ago. 

A Peak into The Factory – Class 44 Production Pics (N Gauge)

Do you fancy a peek at the peaks in our factory?

Oh, go on then, here you go!

As you can see these are looking awesome, and we are confident that with their progress being so good that they will still be arriving in Q2 of this year. 

A Boatload of E1’s Nearing Completion (OO Gauge)

Following nicely on from last month's colour sample photos, we are pleased to say that the OO Gauge E1 project is nearing completion at our factory. We are hoping we can get them on some form of boat, ship, dinghy, galleon, catamaran, or even a pedalo if we have to, just to get them here by the end of Q2. As usual, many things can impact international shipping, so we won’t have a clearer indication of when these will be in your hands until they have arrived and passed our QC checks. The reality of this may mean that their arrival may slip ever so slightly into Q3, but sadly we won’t know for several weeks yet. Once we know more, we will update you!

First Factory Updates for the SECR O1! (OO Gauge)

We know many of you have been eagerly awaiting an update on this project, and we are pleased to say that we have some news from the factory for you. With prototypes being signed off a little while ago, the factory is going into production and the first images of its progress arrived with us a few days ago. These look rather good, don’t they!

With the production progressing nicely, our factory has said they are expecting these to be finished in mid-summer, at which point they will be shipped to the UK for QC checking. If all goes to plan, and the factory workers don’t go on strike because we’ve asked them to apply full Wainwright lining to hundreds of models, then these should be on track for a Q3 arrival. 

Glorious Grain – Achieving Realistic Teak Finishes (OO Gauge)

A beautiful teak finish is something that has been admired by railway enthusiasts and modellers for many years, and we understand that getting it right is very important to many of you. That's because we're railway modellers and it's important to us too!

We know many of you loved the effect on our LNER Dynamometer car, but we have learnt a lot since making those models and felt we could improve upon it for our GNR Evolution coaches. This has been no simple task, and we have put a lot of effort into getting both the colour and the grain pattern as close to the real coaches as possible.

This is a shot of an early sample we have received. We understand that without all the fittings, markings and details it only gives us a glimpse of how awesome these coaches will be, but we think this looks superb.

Order Book Closing Dates

This month's order book closures have an LNER theme to them and give both OO and N gauge modellers some delightful Eastern Region prototypes to look forward to. With the next order book closing deadline only a few days away, this is a polite reminder to get your orders in by Monday if you want to be guaranteed these models on pre-order.

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

 GNR 8-Ton Van (OO Gauge)

LNER Dynamometer Car (N Gauge)

Following this, the order books that are closing at the end of May also have an Eastern Region theme. Make sure to get your pre-orders in for the following before Monday the 26^th of May:

GER Dia.17 5-Plank Open wagons (OO Gauge)

GER Dia.48 7-Plank Open wagons (OO Gauge)

Some of you may have seen that we were planning on closing the order books for the OO Gauge Manning Wardle L Class on the 28^th of April. Having consulted with our factory, they don’t believe they can begin production on this project yet, so we have chosen to keep the order books open for the time being. This will give everyone who wants one a chance to pre-order their models.

To better reflect this new info, we have since updated the delivery schedule on our website. We apologise for any confusion we may have caused. The order books are unlikely to remain open for long, so we still recommend getting your pre-orders in while you still can. 

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

Small Steamers, Big Sound: AB Fireless and Port of Par Bagnall DCC Sound Update

We know many of you like our ‘How Does it Sound’ videos, so over the last month we put together a selection of new ones! These show a detailed breakdown of all of the sounds that will feature on a couple of upcoming little loco projects.

The first feature is the fabulous Andrew Barclay Fireless. This smokeless and sparkless steamer is mechanically rather unconventional, and it was vital that this was reflected in the model's sounds. Without the depth and variety of sounds, the immersive experience of controlling a DCC Sound-Fitted loco would have been broken. We think we’ve captured how the industrial oddball sounds perfectly. What do you think?

Just in time for Judy’s Dwarves of Steam appearance, here's a ‘How Does it Sound’ video for the pretty little Port of Par Bagnall Twins. We were already looking forward to this project's arrival, and with how awesome this detailed sound-fitted model sounds, we are champing at the bit to get these models in your hands. 

Both the AB Fireless and the Port of Par Bagnall Twins are due to arrive in Q3 of this year. To get you even more excited for their arrival, here are a few pictures from inside our factory of their current progress. The maroon is being applied to fireless loco cabs and a rather bright yellow is being applied to 'Alfred'.

For those of you who are still considering adding these lovely models to your collection, there is very limited stock still available. Before you miss out, make sure you pre-order yours now. Click here to order your AB Fireless, and click here to order your Port of Par Bagnall Twins.

Kernow Model Rail Centre Guildford Open Day

We are proud to have been invited back to this year's Kernow Model Rail Centre Open Day at their Guildford store on the 30th of May.

We will have a nice selection of the latest samples and prototypes for you to see and a couple of the Rapido staff on hand to answer any of your budding questions.



This is likely to be the last time we publicly display our models before Rapido Railex 2025; make sure to head down to the store and have a gander at all of our samples before they are tucked away at Rapido HQ for the summer.

We look forward to seeing you all!

Thought of the Month

Fifty Shades of Grey

Don’t panic, Rapido isn’t branching out into poorly written smut; we are quite content with puns, wordplay and the occasional use of innuendo thank you very much.

No, this month's Thought of The Month is about a highly contentious subject. Colour!

More specifically, the issue at hand is conflicting ideas of the ‘correct’ colour for a given model.

Over the years we have received plenty of emails from well-meaning customers, many of whom are keen to correct us on the colours that we have used on certain models. Some have such an excellent recall of colours for locomotives and rolling stock that haven’t been seen for 100+ years that one would think they have their very own TARDIS. Don’t tell our Jason if you have a TARDIS; he’ll no doubt commandeer it and you'll be stuck visiting the old Blackpool Doctor Who exhibition in the 1970s over and over again!

We thought we would give you an insight into our process of choosing the most suitable colour, and hopefully give you a better understanding of how different colours can appear.

So, let's start with that!

Colour changes. This is a fact that is unavoidable, and so many contributing factors can impact this change. Simply looking at a loco or piece of rolling stock with the naked eye at different times of the day, or from different angles depending on where the sun and shade are can change how it looks. Oh, and let's not forget the great British weather; compare the different amount of light on a gloomy Scottish winter’s day to a brilliant Cornish summer's day and you will understand why a glossy loco can easily look different.

There are other visible changes to locos and rolling stock. Paint fades, a vehicle is easily weathered, and paint application is often inconsistent. A colour can change simply by adding more thinners to the mix and applying a thinner coat, for example. Take a look at the photo below showing how weathering can change the shade of green on a loco - compare the County below with the clean tender to the right hand side of the image.

That is before you introduce any device to capture the piece photographically, as these can have a varying array of settings and quality too.

Once the piece has been captured, the way it is presented can then be changed once more, be it on film, digitally, or even as a slide. All give different results. A great example of this was when our team first received the samples of the gorgeous HR Yellow ‘Jones Goods’. We had the painted boilers in our hands and a photograph of the same component on 3 monitors in front of us. All 3 were different! These were also different to the model that was physically in our hand, despite it being the same object and the same photograph.

To show you this first hand we have put together a quick video of the lovely upcoming E1, this green loco will demonstrate how some of the previously mentioned changes can impact the colour.

As we research models we have a similar headache, as these varying outcomes can taint what is perceived as the correct colour. Given that we have cheekily called this piece Fifty Shades of Grey, we thought we would demonstrate this principle on the cutest grey loco we could think of!

Here are 2 photos of ‘Diana’ who currently resides at the Amerton Railway. As you can see, from these two images, the colour is quite considerably different. But in reality, they are the same!

Before we move on to our choice of colours, we also need to highlight a couple of other points. Colour often looks different when presented in different scales. There have been several occasions where we have been presented with the actual tin of paint used to paint a loco or wagon, and when we put it down on a sample it looks far too dark on a small model, so we have to make the difficult decision to make the model the wrong colour so it technically looks like the right colour in that scale (if that makes any sense at all…).

In real life we view trains through dozens or hundreds of feet of atmosphere. The further away you stand from something, the lighter it will look. Rapido Canada always uses the same shade of blue on its VIA coaches, and Jason admits it looks a bit too dark on the N scale models because the smaller scale means it is always "further away" from the person looking at it.

The final varnish finish changes things furthermore. The difference between a gloss and satin finish can change the look yet again, so despite the real thing having a gloss finish, we will often select satin as an alternative for the model.

So, this brings us nicely to the research and development of our models. We don’t have an individual who picks out a colour; there are many, many stages. Let’s walk you through them.

During the research stage, we gather as many images as possible. These can be historical images, as well as ones from preserved examples if they exist. We then run into the first hurdle of determining which colour is correct. At this stage, we engage with as many experts as possible. This includes societies, preservation railways, research groups, and notable industry individuals including book authors. For example, we have been working very closely with the Brighton Circle to achieve the correct liveries for the E1 and speak to people like David Larkin and Paul Bartlett on regular occasion about all things wagon related. We show them our ongoing research and see if they have any advice regarding liveries.

It’s not only the experts who know what they are doing. Funnily enough, there are several other manufacturers of historically-conscious railway models that have been around for many years. Much like ourselves, they want their products to run alongside all of the other locos and rolling stock available without it looking out of place. So, we like to have a chat with our friends and colleagues elsewhere in the industry to compare notes. We share with them as much as they share with us, and this is all to benefit you, the customer. Many of us are hobbyists ourselves, so we want this to be right as much as you do!

Alongside this ‘book’ research, we spray many sample colours onto test sheets and get lots of our staff to compare them in different lights and against the research images. This can result in disagreements, but everyone’s opinion is listened to. Once we are comfortable that the public is going to be happy with it, we sign it off and send the sprayed sheet to the factory.

We then patiently await basic painted samples – usually a shell from a previous product sprayed in each base colour.

We keep detailed records of all of our colour samples, including an ever-evolving swatch catalogue. This is useful when we want to return to the same colour and make sure the livery matches our previous products. All of our design team then has their own copy of this swatch asset library so there are no crossed wires. Spare swatches are kept in draws at HQ and are sent to the factory for colour matching as required.

When the colour swatch samples arrive, we compare them to the ones we sent, and even at this stage we can make revisions, as occasionally it’s ever so slightly off. Our Evolution coaches from Batch 1 are currently at this stage, and out of 20 or so colours we had to request 2 slight tweaks and one complete change (as we honestly picked the wrong shade…).

So, as you can see, we do care, and hopefully, when all is said and done, we get it right the majority of the time.

A lot of work goes into getting these colours right, and so many things can change both what you see on your screens and in magazines. We implore you to trust us. Of course, you can come and see it for yourself. We attend as many shows as is manageable for a business of our size, and probably a couple more too; at each show we display painted samples of the upcoming projects that we have received.

Thanks for reading, we hope we see some of you at Dwarves of Steam, and we look forward to seeing what the next month brings.

The Rapido Trains UK Team