We are pleased to announce we are producing the GWR Steam Railmotor in 00 Gauge in association with the Great Western Society at Didcot.


The Great Western Railway wanted a cost-effective way to improve local passenger services at the start of the Twentieth Century in response to the threat from urban tramways. The Railmotor was their solution to this and such was their success in many areas that patronage rapidly outgrew the capacity available! Several batches were built and by 1905 there were around 50 in service with around 100 built when production was complete in 1908. A number of trailers were also built in response to the success of the Railmotors to increase their capacity. By the mid 1920s most Railmotors had been converted to auto-trailers to allow longer trains to operate in conjunction with a more powerful steam locomotive.

Operational details and preservation

Used through the Great Western Railway from Cornwall to the London suburbs, number 93 is preserved by the Great Western Society at Didcot and has made many visits around the country, most notably to work on the Looe branch in Cornwall and the Brentford branch in London.

The Exclusive Model

The prototype was laser scanned at Didcot to ensure an accurate rendition of the body shapes and details.

The model features:
- Fully detailed body and underframe with many separate and etched parts and wire handrails
- Sprung buffers with metal heads
- Working directional oil lamps
- Working interior lighting
- All wheel pickup
- Coreless motor mounted vertically within a scale die cast metal representation of the vertical boiler
- Accurate working valve gear including piston valve rod movement
- Strong haulage capacity (well over that of the prototype)
- DCC ready with a PluX-22 decoder socket or DCC Sound Fitted options available
- Factory fitted 25mmm speaker within luggage compartment

Five livery versions, either DCC ready or DCC Sound Fitted are released with a price of £189.99 DCC Ready or £299.99 Sound Fitted.   

Graham Drew, Great Western Society Railmotor Project Manager, said "The Society is pleased to offer every assistance to Kernow Model Rail Centre to enable an historically accurate model to be produced to the highest standard, and to be involved in bringing this unique vehicle to modellers of the GWR.”

Chris Trerise, Kernow Model Rail Centre Managing Director, said "When I first rode on the Railmotor from Liskeard to Looe and return in 2012 I was hooked and knew I had to get this into my portfolio of models. I am really pleased to be working with the Great Western Society as this project progresses"

Click here for details of the versions available

Update 25th April 2024

Last call for our exclusive OO Gauge GWR Steam Railmotor - we have released a small number that were held back for warranty issues but have proved surplus Click here>>> 

Crew and Passengers 

Should you wish to fit crew and passengers these are now available from our friends at ModelU here>>>

Bogies

The distinctive 9 foot wheelbase trailing bogies either 'Fish belly' or 'Equalising beam' as fitted to our GWR Steam Railmotors (Diagram O and R respectively) are also suitable for use with other GWR coach types, we have therefore made these available here as complete RTR spare parts suitable for kit builders etc. 

DCC Headlamp Dimming

Although stated within the supplied instructions that the front and rear lamps could not be dimmed, it can actually be achieved by setting CV#114=252 (applies dimming for F0F and F0R), then using CV#60 to adjust the brightness.

DCC provision has been upgraded to Plux-22 and DCC(DC*) Sound Fitted versions for each of the five liveries have now been added to the range. The KMRC Exclusive sound project has been produced in association with YouChoos and combines a dedicated sound file with a Zimo MS series decoder. In addition to the sounds recorded from the preserved No. 93 GWR Steam Railmotor the sound file exclusively includes a range of station destination announcements matching the various alternative destination boards that will be supplied with each model that are chosen to align with the allocation of the specific Railmotor during the period for its livery.

*DCC Sound running on DC information: The Railmotor sound project will produce all automatic sounds on DC the same as under DCC – this includes chuffs, start-off release, come-to-halt sounds, and certain random sounds. As with any sound decoder running under DC, the decoder kicks into life above a threshold voltage – somewhere between 5V and 9V, so you will be running the loco in the top part of your throttle’s voltage range, but otherwise is quite controllable.

The Models

We have produced five livery versions, as DCC ready or DCC Sound Fitted, as detailed below click on the item to order:-

 

 K2301 GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. R Number 93 (As preserved)  SOLD OUT
 K2301SF GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. R Number 93 Sound Fitted (As preserved)  SOLD OUT

 

 K2302 GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. R Number 97 (Simplified GWR Chocolate & Cream late 1920s onwards) SOLD OUT
 K2302SF GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. R Number 97 Sound Fitted (Simplified GWR Chocolate & Cream late 1920s onwards) SOLD OUT

 

  K2303 GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. O Number 63 (GWR Lined Brown 1908 - 1912) SOLD OUT
 K2303SF GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. O Number 63 Sound Fitted (GWR Lined Brown 1908 - 1912) SOLD OUT

K2304 GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. R Number 85 (GWR Lined Crimson Lake 1912 - 1922) SOLD OUT
K2304SF GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. R Number 85 Sound Fitted (GWR Lined Crimson Lake 1912 - 1922) SOLD OUT

 K2305 GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. O Number 61 (GWR Fully Lined Chocolate & Cream 1903 - 1908) SOLD OUT
 K2305SF GWR Steam Railmotor Dia. O Number 61 Sound Fitted (GWR Fully Lined Chocolate & Cream 1903 - 1908) SOLD OUT

Bogies


The distinctive 9 foot wheelbase trailing bogies either 'Fish belly' or 'Equalising beam' are also suitable for use with other GWR coach types, we have therefore made these available as RTR complete spare parts, inclduing wheels, brake rigging and electrical pick ups,  suitable for kit builders etc. 
 K9009 Kernow Models GWR Steam Railmotor Fishbelly Bogie £7.99 each
 K9010 Kernow Models GWR Steam Railmotor Equalising Beam Bogie £7.99 each

Crew and passengers

Should you wish to fit crew and passengers these are now avaialble from our friends at ModelU here>>>

Note: Links below take you to the ModelU website to order.
 
12203 ModelU GWR Railmotor Loco Crew - link to ModelU website

12204 ModelU GWR Railmotor Passengers - link to ModelU website

Archive Project Updates

Project update October 2023 - Production and Decoration

We received the first decorated samples for evaluation in Nopvember 2022 these also included some slight tooling amendments requested since the review of the first Engineering Prototypes. Whilst the review has highlighted a small number of minor corrections required, inclduing darkening slightly the GWR crimson versions,  these will incorporated during production. 

With the decoration of each individual Railmotor being over 150, yes 150, separate processes it has taken the factory a little longer than anticipated to complete the large quantities being produced.

Project update – 20^th September 2022

We have now received, last week, all five livery decorated samples (delayed slightly due to a further Covid related restriction within China) decorated samples of each livery to evaluate along with checking the minor tooling amendments.

And a brief video to show the lovely valve gear in action

Project update – 29^th March 2022 

Since our last project update work has been continuing behind the scenes to fully test and evaluate the 1^st Engineering Prototypes (EPs) and compile the livery artwork from research and continued, grateful assistance, from the Great Western Society Steam Railmotor project team.

Following the testing and evaluation of the EPs we have been working with the factory to undertake some tooling adjustments to make some minor aesthetic, running, and manufacturing changes along with improvements to the lighting. Running is very quiet and powerful and far out performs what the full-size prototype could achieve. For those operating on DCC the specification has also been upgraded to include a Plux22 socket as standard.

The complex livery artwork, as shewn below, has been completed and approved. Externally, the artwork includes all the intricate panel lining, motifs, supporting logos, solebar lettering and power bogie number plates where appropriate and relevant for each livery. Internally, the seat colours will be relevant to those used depending on the time period; drivers controls in each cab along with the boiler, the copper / lagged pipework, and pressure gauge will be faithfully coloured / printed. The individual model artwork can be seen on each versions product page, click here for links to each version.

The artwork also includes the additional destination boards that will be included with each specific version, approximately based on their allocation appropriate to the livery period.

 

Project Update - 26th July 2021

We have received the first engineering prototypes of the GWR Steam Railmotor and these are being fully evaulated and tested. 
The models have electrical pickups on all wheels, they have full working valve gear including the radius rod and piston valve stem. The 1020 coerless motor is positioned vertically completely hidden inside the actual boiler of the power bogie. They have working directional oil lamps and interior lights. The models will be DCC ready with a Plux22  decoder socket and 28mm speaker preinstalled. 
We have already identified a smalll number of minor issues to amend, initial runninng tests show that they run very quietly and smoothly and the valve gear is a joy to watch in action
The livery artwork is underway concurrent with testing these EPs and we hope to see decorated samples in due course, we should then be in a position to start to arrange production. 

The tooling allows for both the Diagram ‘O’ type and the Diagram ‘R’ type Steam Railmotors to be produced in five versions, as listed below. The diagram O type most obvious differences from the diagram ‘R’ are the larger boiler room windows, double leaf passenger doors and ‘Fishbelly’ rather than ‘Equalising’ bogies. 

Click here for details of the versions available

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Project Update - June 2021

We have received images of the first impressions off the the tooling. The first Engineering Prototypes have been assembled and will be with us for review and testing very soon. 

Pictures of the first impressions of some of the plastic parts can be seen below.



The diecast power bogie, where the motor will be concealed verticaly within the Railmotor's boiler can be seen below. 



We will provide a further update once the full Engineering Prototype is received. Click here for details of the versions available.


Project Update - March 2021

Tooling is still in progress and we await the first impressions soon. Please note that the prices and new pre-order prices have increased slightly to £179.99 and for pre-orders £169.99.
We will contact customers who placed their orders prior to 15^th March 2021 about their pricing and payment for pre-orders in due course.

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Project Update - October 2020 - Final CADs Approved for Tooling.

We have received what the final CADs for our GWR Steam Railmotor project. The tooling will allow for both the Diagram ‘O’ type and the Diagram ‘R’ type Steam Railmotors to be produced The  most obvious differences between the diagram O and the diagram ‘R’ are the larger boiler room windows, double leaf passenger doors and ‘Fishbelly’ rather than ‘Equalising’ bogies. The CADs illustrated below had a couple of final ammendments before we approived the to ebable tooling to commence.  

Diagram O

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Project Update - January 2020 - Fifth CADs.

One of our busiest December's on record followed by the Hornby Previews means we have only just had chance to give this update.  CAD images below of the latest version, which we believe is now virtually complete.



Project Update - July 2019 - Third CADS received

Project Update - November 2017 - First CADS received

Just in time for Warley, the first CADS have been received.  These are not yet complete but show progress to date.



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Project Update - November 2016

The laser scanning has been completed and work can now start on the CADs.  Image below shows the laser scanner in action, under the supervision of Assistant Manager Sam

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