Rapido Trains UK has announced four additions to its growing OO9 range, led by two freelance 'What If?' versions of its popular Peckett & Sons Cranmore Class 0-4-0 saddle tank locomotive. The announcement is accompanied by a selection of new OO9 wagon liveries, giving narrow gauge modellers even more options for building authentic industrial and estate railway trains.

Available in both DCC Ready and factory DCC Sound-fitted forms, the new locomotives retain the highly detailed tooling of Rapido's recently announced Cranmore Class while introducing an alternative interpretation of how the design might have evolved.

 

'What If?' Large Tank Cranmore Class

Rapido Trains OO9 Gauge Cranmore Class Peckett & Sons Large Tank in Peckett Standard Green. Available DCC ready and DCC sound-fitted. Explore now.

Rapido Trains OO9 Gauge Cranmore Class Peckett & Sons Large Tank 'Pugbash' in Lined Black. Available DCC ready and DCC sound-fitted. Explore now.

The prototype Cranmore Class traces its origins to Peckett & Sons Works No. 1030, a bespoke 2ft gauge locomotive built in 1904 for the Mendip Granite & Asphalt Company. Originally named Cranmore before being renamed Gamecock prior to delivery, the locomotive worked the narrow gauge quarry system connecting the Mendip quarries with the Great Western Railway at Cranmore, Somerset. Although only a handful of locomotives were built to this design, the distinctive appearance of the class has made it a natural choice for OO9 modelling.

An engineering prototype of the forthcoming Cranmore Class 0-4-0STs. Perfect little locomotives for those industrial settings!

Rapido's latest release imagines an alternative development of the design, fitting the locomotive with enlarged saddle tanks that extend over the smokebox. While never constructed in full size, these 'What If?' locomotives are inspired by genuine Peckett design principles and offer an authentic-looking freelance locomotive for industrial, quarry and estate railway layouts. Models are available in Peckett Standard Green and the lined black 'Pugbash' livery, with DCC Ready and DCC Sound-fitted versions offered.

 

Expanding the OO9 range

Alongside the new locomotives, Rapido has announced additional liveries across its expanding OO9 wagon range. New releases include further versions of brake vans, stake wagons, dropside wagons, livestock wagons, manrider wagons, covered vans, peaked-roof vans, cylindrical tank wagons and gunpowder wagons, allowing modellers to create more varied and realistic narrow gauge freight trains.

The latest announcements build on Rapido's growing OO9 portfolio, which already includes the Kerr Stuart 'Sirdar' long tank, the freelance short tank 'What If?' version and an expanding family of industrial wagons designed to complement both prototype and freelance narrow gauge layouts. 

 

Explore the new rolling stock range additions, here.