Description
The Rapido 909502 is an OO gauge DCC Sound Fitted model of Metropolitan Railway E Class 0-4-4T No. L48 in London Transport Lined Maroon livery — and a model of one of the most celebrated locomotive classes in British railway history.
It was January 2013 when a humble 0-4-4T that had spent much of its working life on permanent way duties became Britain’s most famous locomotive, briefly eclipsing even Flying Scotsman. That locomotive was Metropolitan Railway No. 1, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the world’s first underground railway by returning to tunnels under London that had not seen steam since 1971. No. 1 was built at the Metropolitan Railway’s Neasden works in 1898 — apparently from spare parts left over from the construction of Nos. 77 and 78 two years earlier — becoming the third of T.F. Clarke’s E Class to enter service. It worked the opening train on the Uxbridge branch in 1904, the 50th anniversary train as London Transport No. L44 in 1954, LT’s last steam-hauled passenger train in 1961, and the Metropolitan Centenary Parade at Neasden in 1963.
Classmate No. L48 — formerly Metropolitan No. 81, built by Hawthorn Leslie in 1900 — was close enough in detail to No. 1 to be modelled alongside it, and is represented here in London Transport Lined Maroon livery as depicted between 1999 and 2009.
Rapido’s model is built to the exacting standards the brand is renowned for. Die-cast metal forms the core of the construction alongside precision injection-moulded plastic, and a high quality motor and mechanism ensure smooth, reliable running. The Next18 DCC sound decoder is factory fitted, delivering authentic sound performance straight from the box. A high level of detail is achieved throughout, with plenty of separately fitted parts and optional user-fitted tripcocks, airbrake and vacuum hoses included for those who want to go further.
Model features:
- Rapido Trains UK OO gauge
- Metropolitan Railway E Class 0-4-4T
- Running No. L48, London Transport Lined Maroon livery
- Era 5
- Die-cast metal and injection-moulded plastic construction
- High quality motor and mechanism
- Factory-fitted Next18 DCC sound decoder
- High level of detail with separately fitted parts
- Optional tripcocks, airbrake and vacuum hoses included
- NEM coupler pockets
- Sprung buffers
