New from Rapido: SR U Class Locomotives!
RAPIDO TRAINS 'U CLASS' LOCOMOTIVES ANNOUNCED TODAY
Rapido Trains UK has just announced its latest addition in OO Gauge – the Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 “U‑Boat”.
A true Southern workhorse, these versatile Moguls served from the 1920s right through to 1966, with four survivors in preservation today.
Rapido’s all‑new model captures the detail of the newly built batches and will be available in 10 authentic liveries.Click below to secure yours on pre‑order today – don’t miss out!
Price: £195.46 (DCC Ready) / £293.21 (DCC Sound-Fitted)
10 Variants Available
Rapido Trains will be offering this model in 10 different guises with both DCC Sound and Analogue variants once again available
Product Features
• New OO Gauge SR U Class 2-6-0, with 10 versions available to pre-order.
• Liveries span U Class history in both Southern Railway and British Railways eras.
• Features highly detailed diecast metal and injection moulded construction.
• Includes lots of separately-fitted era-specific details.
• Firebox flicker with dynamic fire draw effect.
• Factory-fitted speaker for enhanced sound.
• Smooth-running mechanism for reliable operation.
• Equipped with MoPower stay-alive, tender pickups, and 21-pin decoder socket.
• NEM coupler pockets for easy compatibility.
• Available to pre-order now!
Historical background...
he Southern Railway U Class 2-6-0 was designed by Richard Maunsell in the mid-1920s as a reliable and practical mixed-traffic locomotive. It originated from the need to replace the unstable K Class 2-6-4 tank engines following the 1927 Sevenoaks accident. The first 20 U Class locos were rebuilt from K Class engines, with a further 30 newly built between 1928 and 1931.
Known as “U-Boats” for their versatility and widespread use across the Southern Railway network, these locomotives combined influences from Maunsell’s earlier N Class and the GWR 4300s with improvements for stability and performance. They were capable of speeds over 70 mph and handled both passenger and freight duties efficiently. The U Class continued service into British Railways era until withdrawal by 1966, with four examples preserved today.
