Model Rail Magazine originally announced their intention in collaboration with Rapido Trains to produce the ex LBSC E1 0-6-0t in 00 gauge back in June 2018 as reported here, they have now advised via their latest issue now arriving with subscribers, that they are to withdraw from this project.
My friends at Rapido Trains UK have now embarked on a customer research programme to allow them to determine if / how they might take the project forward direct themselves. They have created an online poll that can be accessed here, therefore if you are keen to see a RTR ex LBSC E1 0-6-0t please complete the poll as the more responses they receive the more likely we are to see the E1 project continue.
By way of some background into the E1 Class; with the exception of the final six built in 1891 under the auspices of RJ Billinton with different boiler, dome and chimney known as E1s from new, the rest of the 80 strong class were originally introduced by William Stroudley from 1874 as the E Class. Essentially a larger goods version of the A1 Terrier 0-6-0t, using the same cylinders, motion and boilers as the D Class 0-4-2 passenger tanks. Later all the E Class were reclassified as E1s.
Although most of the class worked on the Brighton section some were used in Southampton Docks, (hence my own interest as ideal for Canute Road Quay), and on the Isle of Wight. Ten members of the class were converted between 1927 and 1929 to become E1/R Class 0-6-2t with new cabs, extended bunkers and the addition of a Radial axle for use in the West Country.
Despite withdrawals starting as early as 1913 many passed into British Railways ownership with the last surviving to 1960. Four members of the class ended up being sold into industrial colliery use, including the one preserved example B110 now located on the Isle of Wight steam railway.
Please therefore help Rapido Trains UK with their customer research and complete the online poll here.
Personally, I would prefer to see the E1/R which I would buy at a reasonable price.
Completely agree.
I would hope they might produce the E1/R version in due course but their survey doesn’t include this as a possibility. Nevertheless, I might get a standard E1 if there was no choice!
Hi Graham
Do I earn extra pedantry points for noting that the fifth paragraph is essentially the same as the fourth?
😉
Well spotted managed to schedule an old draft version to go live, now corrected.
I’d really love see the Isle of Wight fleet of locomotives specially as they were strongest engines in the Isle and that lends them to some unique and easy to model settings. 🙂 make it make it make it!! 😀
Well done Rapido for stepping up the the mark.
Please can an E1/R be included?
There is almost certainly as much commonality between an E tank and a 0-4-2 D tank as there is with an E1/R. The D tank would make an interesting addition.
The other thing that would make an E tank attractive is if it were designed for easy conversion to EM/P4.
Surely since the original Model Rail proposal grew out of a poll in the magazine as to which model people would most like to see produced, it would seem reasonable to assume there is a demand for it…. unless I am missing some step of logic? (I have voted nonetheless).
A poll of Model Rail readers is a smaller sample size than a wider poll out to all. The justification for a magazine with the backing of a large publisher is different than the justification for a new manufacturer taking on the project themselves.
I would be very interested in the model as a previous owner of 110.
Class E1 0-6-0T. I have a good photo of 32160 on shed at Basingstoke in 1951. It would appear to have been on loan from Eastleigh.
However the poll for a Model from Rapido, appears to have left out the possibility of a BR liveried version !!!!
It would be worth perhaps contacting Rapido Train UK and letting them know. https://rapidotrains.co.uk/contact-us/
Hi James,
Sorry to bother you. I am building a 4mm scale model of Basingstoke shed – the plane being to model the shed from 1948 until 1967. I am buying or building examples of all the loco’s allocated to 70D over those years and note that E1 32160 was allocated there in 1950/51. From your picture of 32160, which version if the Rapido E1 would be most appropriate? I thought 32138 but would welcome your comments before I pre-order.
Kind regards,
Richard B