This week saw Rapido Trains’ launching its new dedicated UK business to develop a range of British-outline model trains and road vehicles.

Rapido Trains will already be known to many as the quirky Canadian business that has already completed commissioned models into the UK market including the J70 tram engine for Model Rail Magazine along with the APT-E and Stirling Single for the National Railway Museum’s Locomotion models. The UK arm of Rapido Trains Inc. launched 1st December 2020 with six new UK models:

• Western Region Hawksworth ‘15XX’ 0-6-0PT, ‘OO’ gauge
• Hunslet 16in 0-6-0ST, ‘OO’ gauge
• RCH/GWR Dia. Z4/BR Dia. 1/260 gunpowder van, ‘OO’ gauge
• MetroVick Type 2 Co-Bo (later Class 28), ‘N’ gauge.
• 1:76 scale Leyland Fleetline double-decker bus
• 1:76 scale Birmingham City Transport Guy Arab

Although no models of a Southern or Southern Region origin have been announced with friend Andy Hardy as Operations Manager having a ‘suitable’ interests in the South East who knows for the future…

Their Sales and Marketing Manager will also be known to many as Richard Foster has joined the new company from being the Editor of Model Rail Magazine.

More details about Rapido Trains UK can be found on their website here.