W&U Tram Cars - Non- Titfield Versions!

[RapidoCorbs]

Hey everyone, we received enough expressions of interest in the W&U coaches in the fictitious BR livery to make it viable, so they are now available to pre-order until Sunday 12th February 2023.

Here's the link:
https://rapidotrains.co.uk/wisbech-upwell-bogie-tramcars/

 

 

[NXEA!]

4 minutes ago, RapidoCorbs said:

Hey everyone, we received enough expressions of interest in the W&U coaches in the fictitious BR livery to make it viable, so they are now available to pre-order until Sunday 12th February 2023.

Here's the link:
https://rapidotrains.co.uk/wisbech-upwell-bogie-tramcars/

 

 

Great news. Any chance of a J69 to go with these lovely coaches for a prototypical Tollesbury train? 😉

[RapidoCorbs]

5 minutes ago, NXEA! said:

Great news. Any chance of a J69 to go with these lovely coaches for a prototypical Tollesbury train? 😉

Product suggestion form is right here my friend ;)

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/product-suggestion/

[NXEA!]

1 hour ago, RapidoCorbs said:

Product suggestion form is right here my friend ;)

https://rapidotrains.co.uk/product-suggestion/

Didn’t know you had that form, suggestion duly submitted! 

[MarkSG]

22 minutes ago, NXEA! said:

Didn’t know you had that form, suggestion duly submitted! 

If you hadn't, I would have!

[AlfaZagato]

Do so anyways.  Every expression of interest adds weight to the suggestion.

[JShow]

Hattons have indicated that images of decorated samples are now available.

https://www.hattons.co.uk/directory/versiondetails/article?id=1248&utm_source=klaviyo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=modvehid5650-rapidogerwisbechandupwelltramcardecosamples&_kx=NI8b_L7F9U00nIZTruyijGSYrKfLHu6htOzbjSqx0yE%3D.JGQeXh

[NZRedBaron]

Man, the 'want' factor is sky high on these; even though I don't model the W&U, how often do you see RTR tramway-type coaches that aren't related to Thomas the Tank Engine?

[NHY 581]

7 hours ago, NZRedBaron said:

Man, the 'want' factor is sky high on these; even though I don't model the W&U, how often do you see RTR tramway-type coaches that aren't related to Thomas the Tank Engine?

 

Well, let's not forget that the Thomas the Tank Engine tram coaches came from the inspiration offered by the W&U...........

 

Rob

 

 

Edited September 30, 2023 by NHY 581

[PhilJ W]

32 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Well, let's not forget that the Thomas the Tank Engine tram coaches came from the inspiration offered by the W&U...........

Rob

A better option was the 'Swedish'* coaches made by Triang-Hornby. *In fact the prototype was Norwegian.

They were part of a train set aimed at under 7's and are usually in bright primary colours.

Edited September 30, 2023 by PhilJ W

[Steamport Southport]

7 hours ago, NZRedBaron said:

Man, the 'want' factor is sky high on these; even though I don't model the W&U, how often do you see RTR tramway-type coaches that aren't related to Thomas the Tank Engine?

 

Rare as hens teeth in the UK though.

 

I'm afraid most tramways went from horsedrawn to electric and usually double deckers pretty quickly. When we think of trams it's usually something like this.

 

[Dunsignalling]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

A better option was the 'Swedish'* coaches made by Triang-Hornby. *In fact the prototype was Norwegian.

They were part of a train set aimed at under 7's and are usually in bright primary colours.

 

Wow, you learn something every day. Until now I was completely unaware they even existed.

 

[PhilJ W]

17 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

Wow, you learn something every day. Until now I was completely unaware they even existed.

 

They come up on E-bay from time to time, very sought after so a bit pricey. I did acquire one quite cheaply with broken couplings and thickly hand painted but nothing that a good paint stripper couldn't deal with.

[SteveyDee68]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

They come up on E-bay from time to time, very sought after so a bit pricey. I did acquire one quite cheaply with broken couplings and thickly hand painted but nothing that a good paint stripper couldn't deal with.

 

Last time I saw one on eBay it went for a very high price! Elsewhere I’ve been advised to check out car boot sales to find them, but the largest one in the local area didn’t survive covid/lockdown - in fact, I don’t think I’ve seen any advertised recently!

 

Steve S

[PhilJ W]

2 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

 

Last time I saw one on eBay it went for a very high price! Elsewhere I’ve been advised to check out car boot sales to find them, but the largest one in the local area didn’t survive covid/lockdown - in fact, I don’t think I’ve seen any advertised recently!

 

Steve S

I obtained mine from E-bay and I didn't pay a lot for it £12 IIRC. 

[Butler Henderson]

I have a watch on eBay for that coach- seems ages since I got a notification of such. There were a few on some time back and all went for far more than £12.

[NZRedBaron]

Huh... those do look nice; it's just a pity that it's likely that the toolings were purged long ago; otherwise they could be a good reissue for the budget range.

[Dunsignalling]

54 minutes ago, NZRedBaron said:

Huh... those do look nice; it's just a pity that it's likely that the toolings were purged long ago; otherwise they could be a good reissue for the budget range.

I'd think that, had the tooling survived in usable condition, the "Swedish " coaches would have, almost certainly, re-emerged in the Thomas range.

[PhilJ W]

4 hours ago, Butler Henderson said:

I have a watch on eBay for that coach- seems ages since I got a notification of such. There were a few on some time back and all went for far more than £12.

IIRC it was listed incorrectly and it was only by accident that I found it.

[Chris116]

20 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

IIRC it was listed incorrectly and it was only by accident that I found it.

That is the sort of eBay listing I like if I find it and others don't!

[Adi]

Here is my review of @rapidoandy@rapidoAndy rapido UK ex ger 3rd class Wisbech and upwell tram coach

 

[Dunalastair]

On 30/09/2023 at 13:13, Steamport Southport said:

 

I'm afraid most tramways went from horsedrawn to electric and usually double deckers pretty quickly. When we think of trams it's usually something like this.

 

 

There was of course a period between those extremes when steam trams ruled the roost. In most of the UK they did not last long, but they survived longer on the continent - indeed the Atlas 'Bern' steam tram trailer can be an economical tramway coach if rebogied - I put a couple of Minitrix bogies on mine when I put a Kato mech under the pretty Bern steamtram model. Most UK steam trams did indeed haul double decker trailers (and example survives in MK museum), but there were single decker trailers, e.g. Alford & Sutton ...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alford_and_Sutton_Tramway

 

... and Wantage ...

 

 

https://www.tramwayinfo.com/Tramframe.htm?https://www.tramwayinfo.com/trampostcards/Postc203.htm

 

... albeit both of those systems were more like continental interurban steam trams. Urban tramways were more often double deck, but steam tram trailers had often little more than a longitudinal bench on the roof. Antipodean steam tram trailers were more often single deck - I'm not sure why.

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Dunalastair

[SteveyDee68]

Well, I’ve just unboxed one of the two “fictitious” BR livery tramcars that I pre-ordered way back when…

 

First impressions are that the box has been designed and built by the same team that does Apple product boxes - in other words, quality card and a near vacuum-inducing tightness of fit! 
 

Once inside, however, the plastic interior cradling the model coach is an even tighter fit into the box! In fact, I struggled to be able to pull it free from the box it was inside, the fit was so tight.

 

Sliding the plastic sleeve off, you can then - carefully - open the “clam shell” packaging and remove the coach, still carefully wrapped in another protective sheath of plastic. Remove that, and finally you get to admire Rapido’s exquisite W&U bogie coach.

 

That is when I saw the instruction booklet at the bottom of the box underneath the clamshell packaging for the coach. Reading it, it warns you to be very careful removing the coach from its box, as that is when it is most likely to be damaged.

 

Thank God that I was super careful removing the coach - reading a warning about being careful after the fact is too much like bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted!

 

Thankfully, I didn’t damage my coach but if something needs a warning surely that warning should be accessible before you’ve done what it was warning you about?! Maybe it was just this one example with the booklet at the bottom - I haven’t opened my second coach yet, so cannot say!

 

On to admiring it … these really are little jewels of rolling stock and Rapido must be commended both for the model design and the execution in production of such iconic coaches. Reading the little booklet drew my attention to the balcony ends and the folding walkways linking the coaches - imagine my delight when I spotted that Rapido had actually replicated that, too!

 

A round of applause from here, then, for these superb models!

These might be iconic W&U rolling stock, but are perfect for any freelance Col Stephens type layouts, and I’m sure we shall see them deployed in such a way in due course. Roll on Rapido’s next engine project - that’ll provide perfect motive power for suchlike!

 

 

Steve S

 

 

[PhilJ W]

19 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Well, I’ve just unboxed one of the two “fictitious” BR livery tramcars that I pre-ordered way back when…

 

First impressions are that the box has been designed and built by the same team that does Apple product boxes - in other words, quality card and a near vacuum-inducing tightness of fit! 
 

Once inside, however, the plastic interior cradling the model coach is an even tighter fit into the box! In fact, I struggled to be able to pull it free from the box it was inside, the fit was so tight.

 

Sliding the plastic sleeve off, you can then - carefully - open the “clam shell” packaging and remove the coach, still carefully wrapped in another protective sheath of plastic. Remove that, and finally you get to admire Rapido’s exquisite W&U bogie coach.

 

That is when I saw the instruction booklet at the bottom of the box underneath the clamshell packaging for the coach. Reading it, it warns you to be very careful removing the coach from its box, as that is when it is most likely to be damaged.

 

Thank God that I was super careful removing the coach - reading a warning about being careful after the fact is too much like bolting the stable door after the horse has bolted!

 

Thankfully, I didn’t damage my coach but if something needs a warning surely that warning should be accessible before you’ve done what it was warning you about?! Maybe it was just this one example with the booklet at the bottom - I haven’t opened my second coach yet, so cannot say!

 

On to admiring it … these really are little jewels of rolling stock and Rapido must be commended both for the model design and the execution in production of such iconic coaches. Reading the little booklet drew my attention to the balcony ends and the folding walkways linking the coaches - imagine my delight when I spotted that Rapido had actually replicated that, too!

 

A round of applause from here, then, for these superb models!

These might be iconic W&U rolling stock, but are perfect for any freelance Col Stephens type layouts, and I’m sure we shall see them deployed in such a way in due course. Roll on Rapido’s next engine project - that’ll provide perfect motive power for suchlike!

 

 

Steve S

 

 

I had the same problem with the Titfield buffet car version. I used a narrow piece of stiff card to ease it out of the box and when returning it to the box omitted the sleeve and that made it easier removing it from the box.

[Bucoops]

7 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I had the same problem with the Titfield buffet car version. I used a narrow piece of stiff card to ease it out of the box and when returning it to the box omitted the sleeve and that made it easier removing it from the box.

 

Gravity helped mine out just now - turned the inner box upside down and it oh so gently crept out. And luckily that mean the "read me first" book was then on top. However, all the Rapido stuff I have, the booklets say to read me first so I'm used to that.