Rapido Trains UK have announced a new OO gauge model of the Highland Railway Loch Class 4-4-0 locomotive, specifically the HR Smith Plain Green No. 131 'Loch Shin'. This model will be part of a larger range of Highland Railway locomotives, representing the Dübs & Co. built locos of the class.
The Highland Railway 'Loch' Class 4-4-0 locomotive was designed by David Jones in response to the success of the 'Jones Goods' locomotive. The new design was intended to tackle the challenging terrain of the Inverness to Perth line and the new direct line via Aviemore. The locomotive was built with a powerful 4-4-0 wheel arrangement and featured a tall louvred chimney, long smokebox door straps, and smokebox wing plates.
A total of 18 locomotives were built, with the first fifteen being constructed by Dübs & Co. in 1896 and 1897. The locomotives were named after Scottish lochs, including the famous Loch Ness. The class proved reliable and successful, with the Highland Railway placing a further order for three locomotives with the North British Locomotive Company during World War I.
The locomotives were later superseded by the Castle Class, but continued to work on local passenger services and branch lines. Ten of the original Dübs & Co. locos were modified with new boilers in 1923, which gave them a distinct appearance. The class was eventually inherited by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) in 1923 and later by British Railways.
Rapido Trains UK's OO gauge model of the Highland Railway Loch Class 4-4-0 will be available in a range of liveries, from pre-grouping to BR days, as well as a 'what if' Highland Railway yellow livery. The model will feature a selection of detailing variants, including different chimneys, domes, safety valves, smoke boxes, doors, and darts. The model will also include a smooth-running mechanism, three factory-installed speakers, NEM coupler pockets, an ESU 21-pin decoder socket, tender pickups, and firebox flicker with a dynamic fire draw effect.
