Rapido Trains UK 935002 - Dynamometer Car No. 902502 LNER Livery 1946-1949 Condition

Rapido Trains UK have now released another run of the award-winning LNER Dynamometer Car No. 23591. 

Best known as the vehicle that recorded the 126mph run of LNER ‘A4’ No. 4468 Mallard  on July 3 1938, the North Best known as the vehicle that recorded the 126mph run of LNER ‘A4’ No. 4468 Mallard  on July 3 1938, the North Eastern Railway’s test car, built at Darlington Works in 1906, is now on display at the National Railway Museum, where it has been reunited with Mallard.

A Dynamometer Car scientifically measures the performance of locomotives in order to effect improvements. Inside, instruments measure the speed, power and other statistics of locomotive performance, many of which were applied to a paper trace operated mechanically from the movement of the vehicle. The NER’s vehicle was also equipped with a drop-down bed hanging in the ceiling for operators to sleep in. It was also fitted with equipment to allow operators to speak to the driver. speak to the driver. 

No. 23591 passed into LNER ownership after the Grouping of 1923 where Chief Mechanical Engineer Sir Nigel Gresley used it extensively to test his new designs and modifications against established locomotives. It was even used behind the UK’s only steam-diesel hybrid locomotive! 

The Dynamometer car and its paper trace recorded Mallard’s top speed of 126mph on Stoke Bank in 1938. The vehicle eventually passed into British Railway ownership and continued to be used for scientific testing including the famous 1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials. The Dynamometer Car is now preserved as part of the National Collection at the NRM in York. 

Two versions have been produced, depicting No. 23591 in July 1938 LNER teak condition, as it was during Mallard’s Based on detailed research of the prototype, archive photographs and official drawings, this model featured exceptional interior and underframe detail, including depictions of the recording equipment and the additional speed recording wheel between the bogies. No wonder it was voted by the readers of Model Rail magazine as ‘Coach of the Decade’ in its Model of the Decade awards! 

We’re producing three new versions, two of which have never been produced before:

No. 23591, LNER teak finish with lining. This covers the glory days of LNER high speed running from 1928 to 1938. Optional duckets will be supplied to allow for modifications made prior to Mallard’s record breaking run.

No. 902502, post-1946 LNER teak with lining carrying its later number – No. 902502 – as seen during the famous 1948 Locomotive Interchange trials. 

No. E902502 in British Railways faux teak finish with BR Gill Sans lettering. This livery was applied in 1949 and can be seen when the Dynamometer Car was used on trials with Bulleid’s famous ‘Leader’ locomotive.

Whilst the original model may have been award-winning Rapido are always striving to improve our models and this batch will feature improved decoration including adding the correct lining, amended roof colours, improved lettering and a whole new livery where appropriate.