Memories of Great Western Railway (GWR) ‘Small Prairie’ 45xx Class 2-6-2 tank engines trundling along West Country branch lines will be revived with the news that Rapido Trains is releasing a range of OO Gauge versions of the locomotives.

Twelve models are being released, with each one in a different livery. Some of the models represent locomotives that have survived into preservation. The planned range includes:

• 2171 in GWR lined green (pre-1906).
• 2173 in Great Western lined green with garter crest (pre-WW1).
• 4505 in Great Western green.
• 4507 in BR lined green with a late crest, which was the final Wolverhampton-built locomotive in service when withdrawn in October 1963, and at the time was the oldest GWR locomotive in traffic.
• 4510 in BR plain black with an early small crest.
• 4512 in GWR Wartime green.
• 4555 in Great Western green as preserved in 1960s condition.
• 4560 in Great Western green with a shirt button roundel.
• 4561 in Great Western green as preserved in 1960s condition.
• 4562 in BR lined green with an early crest.
• 4566 in BR plain black with a large crest as preserved.
• 4571 in BR plain green with Egyptian font.

Nos. 2171, 2173 and 4505 all have running boards of the original length, representing them as they were running from about 1909 onwards, until the bunkers were extended backwards after World War I.

4555 will appear as it ran from 1965 to 1969, when, although it was preserved, it was still operating BR services.

This locomotive is memorable for being bought directly from British Railways by Pat Whitehouse and Pat Garland for £750, including a van full of spares and a spare boiler.

It was overhauled by BR, repainted into GWR livery, and continued working for BR for a period. In 1965, 4555 moved to the Dart Valley Railway at Buckfastleigh, and hauled the railway’s official opening train in 1969, before moving to the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway in 1973, where it was named Warrior.

Each model will be supplied with a painted plate appropriate to the relevant version for those modellers who prefer etched brass number plates.

The new models are currently at the tooling stage and available for pre-order at £172.95 for DCC Ready versions and £284.95 with DCC Sound Fitted.

Recent announcements from Rapido trains include an OO Gauge range of pre-grouping wagons, as used on the Great Central Railway, and a service to customise a Rapido RCH 1907 PO Wagon with a personalised livery.