KMRC announce Exclusive Rapido Class 28 Co-Bo in N Gauge as D5702 in BR Green with small yellow warning panel. Rapido Trains UK also add a 'What if' RTC livery version.

Contributed by: Graham Muspratt

10 May 2022 00:00am

We announce an Exclusive N Gauge Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 Co-Bo Class 28 as D5702 in BR Green with small yellow warning panel with small radius corners. Rapido Trains UK have also added a 'What if' RTC livery version to their class 28 range.

The ‘Co-Bos’ also known as ‘Metrovicks’ or ‘Crossleys’ were a class of 20 locomotives built in 1958/9 by Metropolitan Vickers. They incorporated several unusual features; the Crossley diesel engine was a two-stroke, and it had an unusual Co-B0 wheel arrangement of five driving axles (three at the No. 1 end and two at the No. 2 end). Wrap around windows were also fitted to the driver’s cabs.
Originally, all 20 were allocated to the BR’s London Midland Region. However, the Crossley engines were problematic with regular failures and unacceptable levels of exhaust fumes. They also suffered from excess vibration that combined with poor design resulted in the drivers’ windows working loose. By 1961, the locomotives were returned to Metropolitan Vickers for remedial work, that included the change to flat cab windows.
The class, although allocated Class 28, never carried a TOPS number, were withdrawn from service between 1967 and 1968, only one, D5705, has survived and is preserved at the East Lancashire Railway in Bury.

The KMRC Exclusive No. D5702 was immortalised by the Rev W Awdry in his 1966 Thomas the Tank Engine series book No.21 “Main line Engines” as “BoCo” and made further appearances in later books by Christopher Awdry such as book 28 “James and Diesel Engines” and book 31 “Gordon the High-Speed Engine”.

The Kernow Model Rail Centre Exclusive highly detailed model in N Gauge is being produced for KMRC by Rapido Trains UK. The model based on their post 1961 flat screen condition with a wealth of separately fitted parts and details such as handrails and headcode discs in either open or closed position and also features directional lighting. DCC decoder fitting is via a Next18 dcc socket or a DCC Sound Fitted version is also available. The livery is BR Green with small yellow warning panel with small radius corners.

The Exclusive model is priced at £119.95 for DCC ready and £215.95 for DCC sound fitted versions and both are available to pre-order with delivery expected Q4 2022.

905009 Rapido Class 28 D5702 BR Green With Small Yellow Panel
905509 Rapido Class 28 D5702 BR Green With Small Yellow Panel DCC Sound fitted

Graham Muspratt, Development Manager said: “Adding to our growing range of N gauge KMRC Exclusives this time in partnership with Rapido Trains UK, we are filling the gap in the range with D5702, and with its Rev W Awdry connection, we hope will be a popular choice.”

Rapido Trains UK have also announced they are to produce Class 28 Diesel number 97 281 in 'What if' BR RTC Red and Blue livery.

Rapido say "Following the success of our ‘OO’ gauge APT-E in ‘what might have been’ liveries, we’re pleased to announce a new scheme for our ‘N’ gauge Class 28: Railway Technical Centre red/blue. The Railway Technical Centre acquired Class 28 D5705 in 1968 and used the Co-Bo to haul its Tribometer Train. It retained its BR green until it was transferred to the Western Region in the 1970s. Subsequent RTC locomotives carried this distinctive livery and a new 97XXX TOPS number… so we thought the Class 28 needed this scheme too."

905008 Rapido Class 28 Diesel number 97 281 BR RTC Red and Blue £104.95
905508 Rapido Class 28 Diesel number 97 281 BR RTC Red and Blue DCC Sound fitted £192.95

Return to Page Top