Birmingham / WMT Leyland Fleetline Buses from Rapido Trains UK

[DJ Dangerous]

Received a few of these beauties in the post today, Birmingham / WMT Leyland Fleetline buses from Rapido Trains UK.

My interest stems from having family live in Birmingham, aside from that, it's all two-tone green Dublin buses for me.

Hopefully, they are one of the "small" IRM announcements this side of Christmas.

These are plastic buses, not diecast, so they feel very light, but the level of detail is great.

They come with lighting, powered by two cables trailing from the underside of the bus which you connect to a 9V battery, but I have not tried this function.

The wiring could probably have been designed slightly better - a friction-fit or magnetic clip to connect the cables to the underside of the bus, rather than having them trailing permanently, but overall, they're lovely models.

 

 

[connollystn]

Really nice looking bus, think that you tend to get finer detail with plastic - lines look really sharp on that model. Rapido Trains are a Canadian bases company so a tad surprised that they are producing British  OO models. Lots of nice stuff being produced by Rapido Trains for the North American railroad modeller.

[DJ Dangerous]

They only launched their UK sister company last year.

I guess that there must be a saving using plastic over diecast in manufacturing, the trade-off being weight loss, but as you say, it allows or a much greater level of detail.

[Si2020]

On 11/11/2021 at 3:54 PM, connollystn said:

Really nice looking bus, think that you tend to get finer detail with plastic - lines look really sharp on that model. Rapido Trains are a Canadian bases company so a tad surprised that they are producing British  OO models. Lots of nice stuff being produced by Rapido Trains for the North American railroad modeller.

Just to give you a bit of brackground, Jason the boss at Rapido went to Uni in Birmingham and being the transport nut he is spent time riding the buses and has an intrest in them, owning his own in Canada.

There are several reason for using plastic but the main two from memory are better body detail and thinner body sides, which woud be more difficult to do on a diecast body.

[Blaine]

2 hours ago, Si2020 said:

There are several reason for using plastic but the main two from memory are better body detail and thinner body sides, which woud be more difficult to do on a diecast body.

The mad thing is, collectors turn their noses up at plastic as it does not have the required 'heft'. This could explain why the likes of oxford diecast and base toys/classix etc still make their models in diecast. A throwback to Dinky/Hornby Dublo days, only now are we seeing a few diecast bodied model railway locos again due to needing the weight but also loads of electronics needed inside... Explains why the Murphy Models 1916 set didnt fly off the shelfs, despite being stunning models, they just were not heavy enough for some. 

Even though the Rapido bus has both working lights and poseable axles, never mind the detail its not diecast, so therefore wont do for many. In time this will change though

[Si2020]

43 minutes ago, Blaine said:

The mad thing is, collectors turn their noses up at plastic as it does not have the required 'heft'. This could explain why the likes of oxford diecast and base toys/classix etc still make their models in diecast. A throwback to Dinky/Hornby Dublo days, only now are we seeing a few diecast bodied model railway locos again due to needing the weight but also loads of electronics needed inside... Explains why the Murphy Models 1916 set didnt fly off the shelfs, despite being stunning models, they just were not heavy enough for some. 

Even though the Rapido bus has both working lights and poseable axles, never mind the detail its not diecast, so therefore wont do for many. In time this will change though

It's crazy and as you say as they bring out more buses then it will change. 

They just don't know what they are missing in the mean time.

Plus you can add the 'heft' by making the wheels look natural with a sanding stick to make the tyres look as though they have weight on them. plastic ki modellers have been going it for years.
I did to the two bachmann BE enginnering buses they brought out.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Si2020

[Georgeconna]

"Explains why the Murphy Models 1916 set didn't fly off the shelfs" - Mostly cause people were not bothered with that set. I think was it late coming out too?  Mr B's Thread says in 2018:  "the Murphy Models MM1710 arrived at the Talbot Hotel Toy & Train Fair yesterday"

Can't remember ever selling one in the Cork Shop. Did not float my boat either. I think the Selling the Fire engine on its tod would of been a better bet but It did have Dublin on it so..... Sets still for Sale in Rails for £45 notes.....

The Rapido bus is looks massive over the Diecast Jobs IMHO.

 

[connollystn]

I didn't understand why Murphy Models brought out that set. Would have been much better if he'd produced the GAC/Bombadier buses. Pity yer man from  RapldoTrains didn't spend so e time in Dublin.

[murphaph]

Ah sure I think we know a few lads that have 

[K801]

How many of them did CIE have?

 

Edited December 19, 2021 by K801

[DJ Dangerous]

25 minutes ago, K801 said:

How many of them did CIE have?

 

Wow! So they'd make for good respray candidates?