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May Rapido UK Newsletter No. 56
©2025 Rapido Trains Ltd
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See, we told you we had a lot of good things up our sleeve!
Announcing a brand-new range while still working at our usual pace on the existing projects and events has certainly kept us busy. Even though we don’t go into a huge amount of detail about 009 in this newsletter (see our newsletter from the 16th of May for more info), we think this month’s edition is one of the biggest and jam-packed newsletters to date. It has truly been a mad May.
You probably already know that we have announced Rapido Narrow lines, an exciting new range of narrow gauge ready-to-run models.
It would be fair to say that many of our team are very excited to be producing narrow gauge models, as several of us are either current or previous volunteers for a variety of British narrow or minimum gauge railways. As for the rest of us, well, we can’t help but think they are just cute!
We have also taken on a new Technical Graphic Artist. Much like the rest of the team, Steve loves narrow gauge railways and volunteers at the delightful Richmond Light Railway. More on Steve later.
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At the very end of April, and just after the last newsletter hit your inbox, most of the team headed to the Kent and East Sussex Railway for the Dwarves of Steam Gala (which we sponsored). Adding to an already packed schedule of little trains, we had a blast and got to play with some of the cutest and most squat shunters the UK has to offer.
Of course, this month isn’t just about new 009 models and us playing with trains. We have an explosive new OO gauge wagon announcement, a generous number of new prototypes to show you and some key updates on other upcoming projects too.
Even if vertically-challenged locomotives aren’t of interest to you, we have plenty more for you to get your teeth into. So, let's jump into May’s update.
| | If you are using a web-based email service such as Gmail, be sure to click on the link near the bottom of the email that says something like "[Message clipped] View entire message". That will ensure you don't miss any of this newsletter. | | Ammonium Nitrate / Chemical Tank Wagon (OO Gauge) | | |
The Great War brought about the industrialisation of warfare and alongside it, technological developments such as aeroplanes and tanks.
At this time, there was also an enormous change in the manufacture of munitions. In the UK, this was brought about by the Ministry of Munitions. From 1915, they took charge of the entire process of manufacturing armaments, which included the acquisition of the raw materials right through to the production of the finished artillery shells.
One of the Ministry’s greatest accomplishments was to set up a network of National Shell Filling Factories (NSFF), which packed the explosives into shell casings. Foremost amongst these was NSFF Chilwell, near Nottingham. By the end of its production in 1918, NSFF Chilwell had produced more than 19 million shells and employed over 8,000 workers.
The explosive packed into the shells by Chilwell and other factories was a mixture of TNT and ammonium nitrate called ‘amatol’, which was produced by mechanically mixing the two components and squeezing them into the shell casing; the ammonium nitrate and TNT they used was produced at other sites and transported by rail to Chilwell. Needless to say, this process was very hazardous, and on 1st July 1918 an accident occurred. This enormous explosion resulted in the deaths of 138 workers, with a further 250 injured.
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In the latter part of the Great War, the Ministry of Munitions commissioned a new ammonium nitrate factory to be built at Swindon, which would facilitate the bulk transport of the chemical between Swindon and Chilwell. To accommodate the safe transfer of this volatile load, the Ministry ordered a fleet of 100 10-ton tank wagons from The Leeds Forge Company in 1916.
Ammonium nitrate is a tricky chemical to transport because it is a crystalline substance which absorbs water vapour and then sets hard like concrete, so there is potential for the load to set hard during transportation. To counter this problem, the wagon's design featured an airtight tank to prevent water ingress. This door resembled a conventional dished tank barrel end and was designed to open like a smokebox door, with a hinge at the top.
The wagons were loaded through the two manholes on the top of the barrel and were emptied at Chilwell by releasing the end door and lifting them at the fixed end of the wagon to tip out the contents, which was further aided by the conical shape of the barrels. These were highly unusual wagons, as they appeared to be similar to their conventional liquid tank wagon counterparts but instead carried powder. They also featured underframes made from pressed steel components, which was a speciality of The Leeds Forge Company.
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At the end of WW1, these wagons immediately became War Surplus and were disposed of as there was no need for any wagons to transport ammonium nitrate. They were subsequently converted into liquid-carrying tank wagons. This was done by securing the end door and fitting discharge facilities.
As almost brand-new wagons, they quickly found homes with several private companies. With these gradually changing hands over the years, they would appear across the country in an eclectic mix of guises.
| | No longer limited to ammonium nitrate, they were utilised by organisations such as the British Molasses Co., Derby Gas Company, Glasgow Corporation Chemical Works, British Sugar Corporation and the War Department, which sent them to the Longmoor Military Railway. | Another of these new owners was Chipman Chemicals. Tasked with weedkilling, Chipman’s created purpose-built trains that featured tank wagons filled with a chemical weedkilling solution. This was then sprayed as the train moved. Weedkilling trains featuring these vehicles were seen from the grouping era through to the 1960s. | | Tank wagons were generally long-lived vehicles, and the Leeds Forge tanks were no different. Many lasted in service into the early 1960s, surviving into the early modernisation era; two complete examples are now preserved at the Middleton Railway and the Leeds Industrial Museum. | | |
These explosive new models are our first-ever tank wagon; they will have the usual wealth of full external and underframe detail and feature numerous tooling variants. There are 13 different versions for you to choose from.
Detail differences within the range include split or continuous walkways, hinged end-door or fixed-ended tanks, and a selection of top, side- and end-valve setups depending on the version.
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All models feature either split-spoke or disc wheels and will be finished off with brass bearings, NEM coupling pockets and a high-quality livery application.
As you can see from these rather smashing-looking samples, these models have already been tooled.
The order book is open, and you can pre-order yours direct or from any of our Official Retailers now!
| | Peak Performance! – BR Class 44 Painted Production Prototypes (N Gauge) | | We knew this project was going to be a mountain to climb, but boy, was the view worth it! | | There are only so many attempts at using peak-related word play before we are over the hill. Thankfully, we’ve got summit special to show you. Here are some gorgeous painted production samples of the soon-to-arrive N Gauge BR Class 44 ‘Peaks’ for you to feast your eyes on. | | We are very pleased to confirm that production on the Class 44 is now complete, the models have arrived in our warehouse and are currently undergoing our QC checks. Once we are happy these models meet our standards, we will begin shipping them to Official Retailers and direct customers in the first week of June. If you have ordered them directly through our website, we recommend keeping an eye on your emails over the coming few weeks, as we will be sending out reminders and payment links. | | We have a very limited number of them still available to pre-order, so if you are looking to add one of these powerful diesels to your N Gauge collection, we recommend placing your order as soon as possible. You can do so directly through our website or via any of our Official Retailers. | | GCR 15t 6-Wheeled Brake Van Engineering Prototypes (OO Gauge) | | |
Expanding our complement of pre-grouping brake vans is the OO Gauge GCR 15t 6-Wheeled Brake.
We have just received these incredible engineering prototypes of this robust-looking van and have been having a bit of fun putting them through their paces.
| As many versions of this large brake van were fitted with vacuum brake gear, this is the perfect model for someone looking for a mainline or express freight brake. Remember, these things were used the entire length of the LNER network upon the grouping of the railways and beyond. Thankfully, not all of them were fitted, so they would also have appeared on even the smallest of branch lines. | | Oh, and now that you’ve got your brake van ordered, we suspect you are probably going to want to bolster your goods consists with more GC-liveried wagons too. Our upcoming GER Dia.17 5-Plank range features some GCR-owned variants too. | | New historical information has come to light regarding this model, so we are updating artwork and any production models for SKUs 975001, 975002, 975003 and 975004. We’ve worked closely with members of the Great Central Society to ensure this is correct, and we think you’ll agree that these vermillion ends and headstocks look rather smart as a contrast to the grey of the van. | | LNWR D84 and D90 Open Wagon Engineering Prototypes (OO Gauge) | | Hot on the heels of last month’s announcement of the LNWR Dia.17B Brake Van, we have received engineering prototypes of even more LNWR rolling stock. These engineering prototypes of the OO Gauge LNWR D84 and D90 open wagons look great, and when you put them alongside other pre-grouping open wagons, you can see just how much longer they appear. | | With the ‘Crystal Palace’ brake van and these wonderfully detailed wagons moving through development nicely, we are sure that LNWR modellers will have a fully prototypical freight train to enjoy before they know it. | | Take a Peek at This Tiny Teak! – Updated Dynamometer Car Sample (N Gauge) | | Following on nicely from last month’s update of the teak application on the OO Gauge Evolution coaches, we have received a painted bodyshell of the upcoming N Gauge Dynamometer Car from our factory. Taking the principles that we have learnt on both the OO Gauge Dyno car and the upcoming Evolution coaches, we were able to create a shrunken-down teak finish that captures the beauty of probably the most famous teak coach ever to exist. We are happy with the finish and have approved it with the factory, allowing them to move on to the next stage. | | Just In Case You Missed It! - New Rapido Narrow Lines Range (OO9 Gauge) | | |
Just because it's last on the product updates doesn’t mean that these fall short. Far from it. We just suspect this is old news for many of you.
As mentioned in the previous newsletter, we are proud to announce that these new models are going to produce some awesome little trains, but in a big way!
Covering all things narrow gauge, Rapido Narrow Lines is our latest range of exciting models.
To get us started, we have announced a gorgeous little 009 Gauge steam locomotive, the Kerr, Stuart & Co. Sirdar (Long Tank) 0-4-0. This is heavily customisable and available in a variety of colours. This is complemented by our new 009 Gauge All-Purpose Wagons, which feature a multitude of wagon types and liveries for you to enjoy.
Perfect if you are just getting started with 009, or if you are a more seasoned modeller.
You can find out more about all of the new 009 models by clicking on the links below.
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This month's delivery update is a tad different to normal and the honest reason for this is we didn’t have anything different to say about the two products; they were both at exactly the same stage at the same time.
So, here they are, the OO Gauge LBSCR E1 and Hunslet 16in 0-6-0ST, almost finished and ready to leave the factory. We are going to fly these models to the UK rather than send them by sea, so they can be in your hands faster. We are expecting them to arrive in late June or early July ready for checking and dispatch.
Keep an eye on your emails for further delivery news and payment links, as we are hoping to be able to put these in your hands ahead of the next newsletter
| | In Production - Factory Updates | | |
As usual, our factories have been rather busy; however, they did manage to grab us a few work-in-progress images from inside the workshops. Here are a few colourful updates for you to enjoy!
Port of Par Bagnall Twins (OO Gauge)
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Look at all those tiny tanks!
The timing couldn’t have been better; we have received some lovely shots of the decorated tanks for the Port of Par Twins. These arrived the week after we’d spent the weekend playing with Judy at the K&ESR’s Dwarves of Steam Gala. As you can see, they are coming along nicely and looking rather smart.
Andrew Barclay ‘Caledonia’ Fireless (OO Gauge)
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Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.
Everyone loves a bit of wasp stripe markings, don’t they!
We were really pleased when we received a few photos of the upcoming AB OO Gauge Fireless, particularly as the factory chose one of the least subtle liveries to send us. Getting wasp stripes right can be a challenge, and when you consider this has been applied to a spherical shape on the end of the loco's reservoir, it makes it all the more impressive. We can’t wait to see how the rest of the models are going to turn out.
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SECR O1 (OO Gauge)
Last month, we showed you the early stages of production for the SECR O1. This time, we’ve been sent even more pictures of the factory's progress. It would appear that the complexity of full Wainwright Lining hasn’t put our colleagues in the factory off, and the models are well underway. Superb.
| | The three models above are due to arrive in quick succession, and we are still hoping to achieve a Q3 delivery date for them. Once we know more about their completion, shipping, and distribution, we will let everyone know more. | | STOP PRESS! First Images of the GWR 44x in the Factory (OO Gauge) | | |
No sooner had our factory finished making one Class 44 than they had moved on to working on another one. Here are a few pictures of the first components being produced for the OO Gauge GWR 44xx. What do you think of them so far?
These models are expected in Q4 of this year. Keep an eye on future newsletters for more progress updates.
If you are looking for some suitable coaching stock to run with your 44xx, don’t forget, there are some lovely Great Western examples in Batches 1 and 2 of the Evolution Coach range. Batch 1 versions are selling out fast, and the order books are open for Batch 2. So, get your pre-orders in while you still can!
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Well, progress on this project has been really good, we’ve closed the order books so they can get in the production queue with our factory. This range also includes liveries from the Great Central Railway and the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway, both seldom seen in ready-to-run accurate prototypes. So, this is a great opportunity to add something a bit different to your collection.
The order book closed a few days ago for these models, so get your pre-orders in now as stocks are limited. Once they are sold out, that’s it, so if you don’t want to miss out, we recommend you place your pre-order right away.
| | Dwarves of Steam at the K&ESR | | |
We are pleased to report that the Dwarves of Steam Gala was a complete success, and as the main sponsor for the event, we were incredibly proud to put our name to this new idea. Many galas and events are about getting the biggest or the greatest number of locos, Dwarves of Steam turned this premise on its head.
Arriving on the Friday morning with a clean cloth in hand and an enthusiasm to make everything spick and span, our team got to work. Many of the Rapido staff travelled the length and breadth of the country to join in and make it a success, so we were all keen to get to work and prep the locos. One of the regular K&ESR drivers even commented that it was the busiest he had seen the shed in a long time.
With five beautifully buffed engines ready for their adoring public, our staff got cleaned up too. We wanted to spend the rest of the weekend enjoying these lovely little locos, and much like the public who attended the event, we planned to hop on and off as many different trains as possible.
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The titchy rains made their way between Tenterden Town and Wittersham Road all weekend, and we grabbed as many photos and videos as possible. some of us even bought our families along to join in with the festivities.
Having one of the Port of Par 'twins' so close to home was an opportunity we weren’t going to miss. We grabbed a few photos of the boss proudly standing on the footplate of Judy and displaying our latest samples of the Port of Par twin box.
| | We think this might have been an unsubtle attempt for the boss to prove that the weekend wasn’t just an excuse to play with our loco Marcia. It's ok, Andy, we believe you… | | |
We spoke to loads of you over the weekend, which was awesome, and it sounded like you were all having a blast.
The event was rounded off brilliantly with a rather spectacular triple header of Marcia, Willy, and Judy. Several of our staff managed to grab photos of the wee trio as they headed out of Rolvenden Station and gave it their all for the climb up the hill. What a sight!
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In addition to an enormous amount of gratitude that we would like to share with the Kent and East Sussex Railway for hosting the event, we would like to thank everyone else who was involved. That’s everyone from visiting loco crews, on-site volunteers and staff, people who have helped with the promotion of the event, and of course, all of you lovely lot who descended upon the railway in your droves. The coaches were full to the brim throughout the entire weekend. We know there were many more people involved whom we haven’t thanked, and let us reassure you that we are grateful to you all.
So, what do you think, same time next year?
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Model World Live 2025
Over the same weekend as Dwarves of Steam, Model World Live was also in full swing at the NEC in Birmingham. A couple of our guys took a more modest display than our usual arrangement and were on hand to answer any budding questions.
Thank you to everyone who attended and came to see us; your feedback and positive comments were much appreciated. We would also like to thank Hornby Magazine for putting on the show, it was a fantastic weekend.
| | Marcia's Riverside Holiday | | Shortly after staring at Dwarves of Steam our little Peckett Marcia was off on holiday. Travelling North she headed to The Historic Dockyard Chatham for a weekend pottering about on their demonstration line - the first steam loco to operate here in a number of years. | | The visit allowed Marcia to operate along the dockside lines next to the destroyer HMS Cavalier, submarine HMS Ocelot and 1854-built Sloop HMS Gannet and around some rather amazing and historic buildings. | | Marcia looked right at home and we know the visitors really enjoyed watching her strut her stuff and listen to her whistle echo across the river. Jason and Sidura even got to visit Rapido's only steam engine in person for the first time! Jason's shirt is a tad ironic, given that he's on the footplate of a steam engine... "I'll get you, Butler Hardy!" | | As a final treat we were lucky enough to see the steam tug boat Challenge - one of the Dunkirk "little ships" making her way back up the Medway after her visit to France - and she even gave us a welcome whistle! | | We love seeing Marcia out and about - if your reading this and work on a heritage line that would like to hire her for an event then please get in touch! | | Going to Town on Hiring New Staff | | |
Despite much of this month's news being about the models and gauges getting smaller at Rapido, one aspect most certainly isn’t. The number of staff we have!
We are pleased to say that we are expanding and have taken on a brand new Technical Graphic Artist, Steve Town.
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Steve is the undisputed Rapido gurning champion, an avid railway enthusiast and, along with his photography work that he does for the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, he is also a regular volunteer at the Richmond Light Railway. He assures us that his role involves wearing a lot of different hats, but like many of us railway volunteers, he loves it.
In his home life, Steve likes to produce his own Cider under his brand BEARDSpoon and even finds the time to design humorous & novel railway-themed gifts, which he sells through his business called Railwear.
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At Rapido, Steve will be utilising his design skills to bolster our growing design team and will be working on producing new product artwork and much more!
Welcome aboard, Steve. We hope you are as mad as the rest of us; otherwise, you are in for a bit of a shock. We look forward to sampling your cider and seeing your first creations.
Jason: And Steve's a Doctor Who fan.
Rapido UK: Is that supposed to be a positive trait?
Jason: I thought that's why we hired him.
Rapido UK: Why don't you go do some cosplay or something? Go dress as a Dalek and prance in a field or something, leaving us alone.
Jason: Speaking of cosplay, I was test fitted for my latest Doctor Who costume last week:
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Rapido UK: Is that really you?
Jason: Yes. Isn't it amazing?
Rapido UK: Do you know how many more models we could make if you weren't spending all your money on weird stuff? Wasn't that guy in only one story, 50 years ago?
Jason: Ummm... Why don't you get back to the newsletter?
| | Rapido RailEx 2025 Update | | |
All that aside, we're happy to remind you that Rapido RailEx is returning this autumn!
This year has melted away, and we are at the start of summer already. However, that also means we are drawing closer to RailEx.
We promised you that there would be much to look forward to, and we weren’t kidding. The beacons were lit over the last month, and a rallying call was made for some of the best offerings the model railway world could muster. During that time, we have had more awesome attendees kindly confirm. Here are our latest confirmations:
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Redbridge Wharf
OO Gauge - BR (SR)
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Bury, Thorn & Sons
O Gauge - Industrial
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Bryn Stwffwl
009 Gauge - Industrial
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Whiteoak Light Railway
O-16.5 Gauge - Light Railway
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Bryn Y Brenin
OO / 009 Gauge - Modern
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Bristol Harbour
OO Gauge - Industrial
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Bryford County Terminal
HO Scale - North American
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Folly Lange
OO Gauge - Modern Image
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Bowaters
O-16.5 Gauge - Industrial
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Croxley Hall Depot
OO Gauge - London Underground
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Dinsdale
OO Gauge - 1825 S&D
| | | Don’t forget, you can find out more about Rapido RailEx and pre-order your tickets by clicking on the link below. Last year was epic, we suspect this year is going to be even more popular now the word's got out there. Avoid disappointment and pre-order your tickets now! | | |
Thought of The Month
Diversification
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Diversification, what does that mean to us?
Well, it's when you go on holiday, dress in a tight, unflattering black outfit and go around the seabed harassing the local wildlife. Oh no, hold on, that’s a diver's vacation. (Ed: Thank God I wore my corset, because I think my sides have split.)
Diversification is defined as the following:
Diversification (especially in business): the act of developing a wider range of products, interests, skills, etc in order to be more successful or reduce risk.
Well, we couldn’t have put the Rapido attitude and approach better if we'd tried.
We like making model trains – no, we love making model trains – and we intend to do this forever if we can get away with it. However, to do that, we need to make decisions to prolong the longevity of the company and, in a broader sense, the hobby in general.
Over the last few years, we have broadened our horizons by adapting, rather than letting change define the direction of our business. We have evolved to become far more than just “that Kentish firm that makes the nice pre-grouping locos and wagons” or “you know, that company who are owned by the funny Canadian fella”.
You’ve witnessed gradual examples of our diversification over the last few years; these have included entering the N Gauge market, running our own show, exclusive runs of models for Official Retailers and becoming UK Distributor for ESU. Let’s not forget our most recent effort, the newly announced Narrow Lines 009 range.
This is all to bring in a diverse new group of customers, and we are doing this with diverse new products. If you are relatively new to Rapido Trains UK, hi, we’re talking about you. To the newsletter veterans, all we can say is thanks for getting the word out there.
New and additional customers mean that we can continue to produce the aforementioned nice wagons and locos, along with a multitude of less conventional projects that draw in yet more new faces. This cycle then continues, with new customers, more diverse products and so on, and so on and so on. Putting our cards on the table and approaching this with our usual transparency, it can be summed up in one phrase. Nothing is off the table!
We are always grateful for your product suggestions, and it's fair to say that some ideas that you guys have come up with would be deemed as unsuitable by other companies, but would be right up our alley. So, keep them coming.
Want to know where we are taking Rapido Narrow Lines, or what mad ideas we have up our sleeve? Well, you’re just going to have to wait and see, or come to Rapido Railex and ask us. It's up to you…
We look forward to hearing what you think about the new Ammonium Nitrate/ Chemical Tank Wagon announcement! Oh, and well done for reading this far, and sorry for Jason's silly interruptions. Honestly, we're convinced he thinks he owns a Doctor Who company rather than a model railway company.
We appreciate this month's edition was lengthy, and we hope you are as pleased with the current progress as we are.
Thanks a lot for reading!
The Rapido Trains UK Team
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You can write to us at Rapido Trains UK, Unit 3, Clinton Business Centre, Lodge Road, Staplehurst, Kent TN12 0QF. Alternatively, you can call us on 03304 609496 or you can
e-mail us at customerservice@rapidotrains.co.uk
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