Rapido Trains UK announce New Highland Railway Loch Class 4-4-0 in 00 Gauge

Contributed by: Graham Muspratt

9 Sep 2025 00:00am

Rapido Trains UK announce New Highland Railway Loch Class 4-4-0 in 00 Gauge.

Following the success of the impressive ‘Big Goods’, more commonly known as the ‘Jones Goods’, the Highland Railway Locomotive Superintendent, David Jones, wanted to capitalise on this triumph and provide an equally successful passenger loco.
David Jones proposed a powerful new 4-4-0 design that took inspiration from, and in many ways resembled, the ‘Big Goods’. The design even used an identical tender to its bigger and older sibling. The Highland Railway board accepted his proposal, and an order for fifteen locos was placed with Dübs & Co. in 1896. Construction continued into 1897, and the final loco was delivered in September of that year.

Many of the Lochs were based at Aviemore to assist with piloting trains over Slochd, and the rest were scattered across the Highland Railway network. They proved handy for branchline work right through to their LMS days and could be seen as far north as Thurso.

All 18 locos were inherited by the LMS in 1923, which made a variety of alterations to various members of the class. Two of the Lochs survived through to Nationalisation, and despite the last being withdrawn in 1950, neither of these was repainted into British Railways liveries. Both stubbornly retained their LMS liveries to the very end. Sadly, none of the Lochs was preserved,

The range features a selection of detailing variants, including different chimneys, domes, safety valves, smoke boxes, doors and darts. Other small detail variants include different lubricators, safety valve turrets, tender gongs, toolboxes, tablet catchers, whistle rods and lubricator pots. The early LMS variant also includes a smokebox door number plate.
Eight different versions, in both DCC ready and DCC Sound Fitted variants, are being produced as per the image above, and can be pre ordered, due for delivery during late 2026 / early 2027 here>>>

Subject to alteration.

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