LMS Dia. 1666 wagon tooled for 'OO'

Rapido Trains UK has tooled for the LMS Dia. 1666 wagon – another UK-designed product. Models will feature three different types of wheel (disc, spoked, and split-spoked) but only the independent brake version is being tooled (some batches received Morton brakes). Prototypes of the models are under review, with models expected 2023 at an RRP of £32.95, each.

Sales & Marketing Manager Richard Foster said, “We’re delighted to add the Dia. 1666 to our growing range of steam-era wagons. It’s our intention for there to be complementary wagons for our locomotives – and vice versa – and the Dia. 1666 gives something for our forthcoming ‘Jones Goods’ to pull.”

It’s well known that the newly formed London, Midland & Scottish Railway perpetuated many Midland Railway locomotive designs. However, it’s less well known that the LMS also did the same with some of its wagons, too.

The LMS selected the MR’s final open wagon design, a five-plank four-wheel open, as its new standard and between 1923 and 1930 built a staggering 54,450 of them. There were more of what the LMS would call Diagram 1666 than the Southern Railway’s entire wagon fleet. Despite this, only a handful survive.

The wagons are available to order now, either from Rapido Trains UK stockists or its website.

Models announced are as follows:

• 937001: No. 24361, LMS grey
• 937002: No. 247185, LMS grey
• 937003: No. 134946, LMS grey
• 937004: No. 356761, LMS grey
• 937005: No. 268515, LMS grey
• 937006: No. 304008, LMS grey
• 937007: No. 217624, LMS bauxite
• 937008: No. 139905, LMS bauxite
• 937009: No. 304417, LMS bauxite
• 937010: No. M156572, BR grey
• 937011: No. M234421, BR grey
• 937012: No. M133488, BR grey
• 937013: No. M101524, BR grey
• 937014: No. DM29719, BR grey
• 937015: No. 84, Internal User livery