Railway Models UK

Rapido have announced a model of the Great Western Railway ‘45XX’ 2‑6‑2T, otherwise known as the "Small Prairie".

Seventy‑five of these mixed‑traffic engines were manufactured by the GWR between 1906 and 1924 at the Swindon and Wolverhampton works. The class was largely based on the earlier ‘44XX’ 2‑6‑2T, but the new locomotives feature larger driving wheels. Later examples were fitted with super‑heated boilers, external steam pipes, curved running boards, and other refinements. The class remained in British Rail service until 1964, and three locomotives have been preserved.

The new model will recreate early and later variations with accuracy. Options include original or extended running boards, standard or enlarged coal bunkers, straight or curved running boards, tall or short chimneys and safety‑valve bonnets, ‘porthole’ windows, and superheating as well as top‑feed arrangements on the boiler. Each model will be supplied with a factory‑installed speaker and a stay‑alive capacitor, a Next18 DCC socket, and a firebox glow feature. Sprung buffers will be fitted, along with NEM coupling pockets, and all models will come with etched number plates for customer fitting.

The initial range consists of twelve models. GWR‑era versions are: