The Rapido Trains UK ‘00’ gauge LBSC E1 0-6-0 tanks were originally announced way back in 2018 as being a commission by Model Rail magazine with Rapido Trains UK. Following the magazine’s decision not to proceed the project was finally confirmed as going ahead, by Rapido Trains UK alone, in January 2022 and eventually 14 variants were announced.
The class were originally introduced in 1874 by William Stroudley for local goods and piloting duties, as the E class. Many gained a Marsh type boiler from 1906-7 with a larger dome moved rearwards, encased Ramsbottom safety valves and the whistle relocated to the cab roof. The last six engines were built by RJ Billinton that also has slightly different boilers, Ramsbottom safety valves and a manhole cover, with whistle, was fixed over the firebox.
These six were also given different chimneys, to Billinton’s design, (a cast-iron type in one piece) and were known as Class E1, subsequently all the earlier engines also became known as Class E1.
Withdrawals commenced in 1908 and continued in SR days during the 1920s, with some examples sold to industrial railways rather than scrapped. Eight examples were also rebuilt as E1/R 0-6-2 radial tank engines for use in the west of England.
Four E1s were also transferred during 1932/3 for duties on the Isle of Wight and renumbered W1-W4 and given names related to the Island: 136 (originally Brindisi) became W1 Medina, 152 (originally Hungary) became W2 Yarmouth, 154 (originally Madrid) became W3 Ryde and 131 (originally Gournay) became W4 Wroxall.
Thirty survived to British Railways ownership but during the 1950s they were gradually replaced by diesel shunters.
The versions I have purchased are: 936008: No. 2151 Maunsell Southern Black and 936010: No. 32138 BR unlined black (early emblem). The latter was based at Southampton Dock in 1951 and the former I have modified and renumbered to be 2156 also a Southampton Docks allocated example, so both are suitable for running on Canute Road Quay.
The impressive tooling suite covers a wide range of the variations in the class during their lifetime, including: safety valves, chimneys, boilers, coal rails, smokeboxes, and with or without air brakes. Included within the accessory bag are buffer beam vacuum and air pipes (hanging and upright, if not already factory fitted), steam heat pipes, coupling hooks and three link couplings.
It should be noted that a couple of errors have crept into the user instructions supplied with these models, specifically around the body and keeper plate removal and Rapido trains UK has responded by updating the instructions and making them available to download here.
This is not intended as full review, as I will let the pictures do the talking, but also a reminder as to the process that I use for the renumbering, removing tamping printed decals, and the modifications required to turn 2151 to 2156 as she was when allocated to Southampton docks in 1947 in SR Sunshine Black livery (just about the only livery omitted from the 14 versions produced by Rapido!).
Firstly, as 2151 is in her very early SR condition, I had to remove the condensing pipes from the tank fronts to the smokebox and filled the holes with filler to give the impression of the blanking plate, and also add the steel backing, from thin black plasticard, to the originally open coal rails and add the high level air pipes, supplied within the accessory pack, to the buffer beams.
I removed the tank side number and lettering by my trusted method of using good quality enamel thinners (Precision Paints General Purpose), I avoid using T-cut or Brasso as this is more abrasive.
I initially soak the decal in thinners for a few minutes then gently and slowly rub the decals of off with a thinners soaked cotton bud. It will leave a shinny patch suitable for new transfers. I used HMRS Pressfix decals.
I then masked off just bunker and the tank area at suitable edges and sprayed with Railmatch statin varnish from a rattle can, as this will seal in the transfers and match the factory finish of the rest of the loco. Both my E1 models now await some suitable weathering.
If you want suitable crew for your E1 my friends at Modelu have produced a both LBSC and BR style 3D-printed crew for this long-lived locomotive and can be found here.
The models have an excellent wealth of details, especially pipework, via separately fitted parts, lovely fully painted cab detail including a steady firebox glow, and run really nice and smoothly thanks to more than adequate overall weight, all wheel pick up via the split axle method and a flywheel.
Definitely a must for all LBSR / SR modellers. The Rapido trains UK E1 Class are still available from retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre here.