One of the reasons I enjoy your channel IS your amazing attention to detail and quiet, gentle commentary, So to hear your rant was such a joy, well done, these company's need to be called out, especially with the eye watering amount of money they charge. When someone as genital and considerate as yourself, has to resort to Anglo Saxon (very appropriately in my view) you know something is very wrong. Keep up the good work.

Julian, a truly honest review of this 15XX. Thanks for warning others about it. Best of luck in retrieving a refund.😊

I feel your frustration. They should honour the warranty. They are at fault. They made you so upset, it’s not right. Love your channel, keeep going.

Every company occasionally produces a Turkey, in Rapido's case it's the 15XX. Every other model I've had from them is excellent so I'm not prepared to throw them under the bus for one turd. I'm not excusing it but I tend to judge the whole range over one black mark.

Hi Julian. I've always wanted to be fluent in French (LOL)! No, really. I fully understand your frustration. Rapido should just hold their hands up.

It's about time someone said what they actually thought of a model you pay so much money for these things you expect it to be perfect I'm with you you put that so well thank you

You were doing well til you said about accurascale, theyve had their fair share of problems too. Thankfully both companies with newer releases seem to be doing better

Good to see an honest opinion, rather than trying to skirt round issues by concentrating on the good points. The key thing for an model railway locomotive or rolling stock is does it run on something other than the manufacturer's test track. Just seems to be too much emphasis by manufacturers these days on silly little added extras that only serve to bump up the price.

Hi Julian, I have this model from Rapido with more or less the same problems, it just will not depend an incline smoothly. I sent mine back and they replaced the chassis as claimed in the accompanying letter. Unfortunately this didn’t really fix the issues completely. It still won’t depend an incline smoothly and still wobbles side to side, I don’t mind the slight wobble and now don’t run it up or down the incline. I decided to keep it because it looks great but it sits on my layout mostly as an ornament. I have a few quite old Hornby models which I converted to dcc which run perfectly. This for me throws into question whether the motors are really up to the job..? One thing for sure, I won’t be in a hurry to buy anything from Rapido in the near future. If ever again. But, and a big but, they are not the only maker that charge far too much money for what I term as junk. Another honest KZfaqr does give honest opinion and reviews new models. Sams Trains. Always worth a view to get an idea about the models he has also spent good money on which turn out to be expensive junk. Love your Chanel and attention to detail Julian. Good luck with your loco. I’m hoping they will replace it for you with a perfectly good model.

And my 65 year old Tri-ang locomotives just keep on rolling problem free. This is the problem with the hobby these days. Over-engineered yet poorly designed mechanisms. Yes the detail levels on current models are impressive, but I am more than happy to have less detail and simpler motors that are easy to service and much more reliable.

Hi Julian, I feel for you. I'm in total agreement with you in the urge to want this model. It is a fantastic looking locomotive. But you don't just want to look at it. You want to see it run. If you wanted a static model, I'm sure there would be someone who makes it for far less of your hard earned monies. Unfortunately, or perhaps now, fortunately, I don't run DCC, I have a lot of old locos, and I'm trying to build kit ones, which means that the chassis is a return path for the voltage, or is that current?, I'm useless at electrics!, plus an expense to convert them all. A great concept which I wish was thought about many, many years ago. Perhaps, as I've mentioned before, plunger pickups have the disadvantage of having to remove the wheels to adjust them correctly, a very sore point in your case. It really is a great shame about this, and it will make me think long and hard about getting one. In a few years time if Rapido doesn't fix this issue, there will be loads for peanuts on a well-known auction site, perhaps that will be the only positive outcome!! I just hope that someone from Rapido watches your exceptional channel, fixes the issues, and has the decency to send you a fully fitted and working locomotive with maybe some form of additional compensation. Good luck, Lawrence

Haha. Believe me when I say that I''m truly sorry to hear of your issues with your 15XX and Rapido Trains UK. For someone who seems so collect and perhaps a tad reserved, it is a bit amusing to see you so enraged. Go Julian go and let off that steam!! Seriously though, thank for sharing and the warning to others. I was looking forward to getting a forthcoming model from Rapido Trains UK but after seeing yours and other people's issues, then I'm not prepared to even put down a pre-order deposit until I've actually seen a good review of the model I want. If that means I don't get one in the main run then so be it. I'll either wait for a re-run or wait for something to appear on the second hand market. £200+ for the rubbish that you've shared with us, is simply not on for the average modeller. I hope Rapido take note and change their ways, otherwise, I do not rate their future prosperity.

Hello Julian, sorry to hear about your experience with this model,I wonder, are manufacturers over-complicating things to an unnecessary degree these days?, when you think about it, the thing that made the old Tri-ang and Hornby-Dublo locos successful was simplicity, I wonder how many of the super-detailed being made today will still be going strong in 60 years time,who knows?, anyway I hope you have more luck with the Hunslet, just going to like and sub, take care, all the best from, Scotland, Stephen.

Well done. Triang had plunger pick-ups in the late 50s

Ouch ! I've bought two of them... As far as it goes, both runs correctly, shall I consider myself as lucky ? Anyway, such quality problems are unacceptable. Your unit should not had left the factory anytime... Well, if mines goes awry, at least, I know where the problem would be ! As you said, in model trains, good designs are not convoluted. Thanks for your video.

Agh, mate that's a shame as, it's a beautiful looking thing - but you can't ignore issues like this... I hope you get something sorted mate 😢 Though, Rapido may refuse as you've taken it apart ...

And that's why I cancelled my E1 orders

good vid trains keep up the good vids you do thanks lee

If it's not broke why fix it... those plunger pickups when kit building there's a choice plunger pickups which I don't like or the wiper pickups ... I don't understand why they move to this system when the wiper pickups work just fine. Romford plunger pickups weren't great either.

It maybe that you voided the warranty by taking it apart etc. However they are required to provide a product that is of merchantable quality and fit for purpose which they have not. Your cheque should be in the post!

Nice rant, I completely feel your frustration Julian. Rapido should really have created a better design. Funny hearing you swear too hehe😊 Rgds from Holland, Joachim

Good on you. Haha Julian 😅 Don't hold back... Why don't you tell it how it is?! 😅 Fantastic review! Up front and honest, exactly how it should be! Hope the other one is a whole lot better. 🤞 Good luck. Stay safe and happy modelling Mon

Nice honestly Julian, it’s a shame Rapido gave this project to a designer when the wheel was invented once before. Thank god they haven’t released an N gauge version that I’m aware of. What’s wrong with tried and tested wipers .? Keep up the good and very neat work

I feel for you chum, sadly some companies push out crap on unsuspecting buyers, without fully testing and checking the designs and the processes that mean that it will function correctly for the end user. This is a prime example of profits over we don't really give a ****. There is a trading law that products have to be fit for purpose in the UK, your loco although now modified was reported on the issue before it was so changed. There is a paper trail attesting to this fact. Rapeedo should be concerned with helping clients not pushing them away, and they, I feel are duty-bound to refund you, forgetting all the lost time and therefore money in trying to sort out their crap. cheers Paul

Wow! That thing's a lemon. I hope you get a refund.

My local model shop had a problem with these locos had send some back.

Sorry to hear that Julian. It's very disappointing that the Class 15 is proving to be a lemon... There are others on KZfaq that have had problems too. Very, very sad.

I was looking to buy one of these

All I can say is thank you.

Blimey … it’s not like you to swear Julian … I’ve got one, but I’m scared to run it … I’ll give it a go … but … in the end I’ll keep it as a static model. I’m sorry to hear of your frustrations, it is a beautiful looking locomotive.

Your quite right to vent your frustration, You`ve been through the mill with this one, if they don`t refunde you I`d do a Credit card chargeback if you can, It`s not fit for purpose.

Mine kept failing because of the fucked up esu lok sound 5 decoder

Think I will try to keep clear of Rapido.

Wow Julian, that was some rant. Sounded totally justified Sounds like a job to send for 00 Bill, to have a look at, not rapido.

What sometimes looks amazing on a computer screen isn't always the same in the real world, especially if the designer never had to assemble it themselves. Sams Trains gave this five stars for the mechanism ...........but then he never had to dismantle it.

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍Bore it up'em Kiwi.

Well said mate 👍

Do you have a swear jar in your house 😂 of so looks like you will have a good holiday from that video 😂

nothing wrong with having a rant, good for you for telling it as it is, but surely they would know you have to disect the whole thing to install the plungers and if they know that, then it cant affect your warranty, if it does then smash it into little bits with a big hammer with a note saying...now you fix the bloody thing

One thing I've noticed on all modern locos is a trend to make them almost impossible to self maintain, so that you actually void the warranty. It's nice to see someone not bashing Hornby for once 😂 They are all in my view crooks. They are essentially toys made of mass produced parts and plastic, and somehow get folks to pay near eye watering £££ for them!!

I live in Canada and I have bought one Rapido engine. I will not buy another.

Whilst I feel your pain, in a strange way it was quite revealing watching and hear you loose the plot in a calm and considered way! What I don’t understand is how a relatively new manufacturer can produce such a troubled model? Surely they have to be better than best to fight off the big boys like Hornby and Bachmann so can’t need this sort of bad press? Comparisons with Accurascale who seem to produce differently seem fair. Please review the Hunslet as you want this to be an isolated case. I have a Rapido Met E class on pre-order and am now going to search KZfaq for Rapido loco reviews. I really want to see generally good stuff but am also ready to cancel the order…

These days, I like *watching* steam locos run round the layout, but I much prefer *owning* diesels. This is a stinker of a design, but it's not alone.

And people complain about Hornby.

I sent 2 duds back then gave up and had a refund

I nearly got one of these locos . But at the last minute I changed my mind and then started watching people reviews on said bit of junk. What a waste of time and money.

Sad that this poorly designed loco is causing such frustration. Detail, in the visible places, is what we as modellers, desire. But complicated designs on the inside lead to problems and difficult to maintain models. Keep it simple. Very justified rant IMO.

Shocking design. They should do a recall like they do with cars and sort it once and for all. Given your normal, calm demeanor it’s obvious that this sorry episode has cost you a lot of money and time as well as frustration.

I have several Rapido locomotives and after the last two purchases, the 15XX, I will never purchase another Rapido model as I cannot trust the engineering that has gone into the model. The plunger power pickup arrangement is too fine to handle the amperage that may occur with a short circuit, fusing the plunger in its casing. My Rapido models stay cocooned in their factory packaging, never to be used. Such a disappointment. Do not get me started on the EFE-Rail CC1 "booster", a poorly engineered and assembled model.

Oh dear. In all the years being subscribed, I think this is angriest you've been, and rightfully so. Unfortunately returning items to the UK is a faff, and mechanical design should be robust. Take care.

You obviously have the talent and experience to reassemble the model but at the end of the day why bother as you are delaying the inevitable. The model needs re-engineering with finger style pickups.

Wow. Shocking product. Hope Rapido refunds you.

Dontcare how frustrated you are with the loco, I dont expect to hear such profanities on a model railway channel. Unsubscribed.