Well my Rapido Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 fireless turned up in the post this morning. So what are my first impressions 🙄 ??? Excellent detail 😍✔️ but there are several how evers, unfortunately.........😔 If you run DC then you will be frustrated to the enth degree as she is a poor runner over points; even electro frog due to wheel base length, unless you wish to run it continually at Mallard speeds. Not a concern for me as I run DCC - so I thought. [Thank god I didn't purchase a sound version] More money is needed, doubling the cost of the original loco. I have fitted a Zimo E24 non sound decoder and it still doesn't run very well - especially at slow speed through electro frog and uni frog points. Going to need a Zimo stay alive [as the onboard capacitors are as much use as an ashtray on a motor cycle] Personally I hate the E24 interface as it is fiddley/difficult to install [especially as the Rapido mother board has protrusions in the area and I can't think why Rapido went down the design road as they have done. Further Rapido's instructions are non existent regarding the variation I purchased [Lined Maroon] as there is a small pipe down low of the side of the boiler which goes to the rectangular tank mounted on the running plate that doesn't get a mention. It MUST be released from the boiler side as it is unable to slide forward with the boiler. Likewise the filler valve has to be released from the boiler on the other side also prior to sliding the boiler forward. The loco has a flywheel; well that is what it is meant to be, but is so small and therefore so light it has no effect; unable to overcome the resistance of the gears. Don't get me wrong for I'm pleased to have a well detailed Andrew Barclay Fireless. AND I will get it to run like a Swiss watch; but at a monetary cost to overcome its shortfalls.

Posted by pandk.schofield at 2026-02-10 11:19:02 UTC