Do Airfix do trains?
 

Just a thought. I used to have planes on me ceiling as a kid but I wonder if there are models of trains available,and would they include The Flying Scotsman?

Airfix used to produce some plastic kits of locos & other railway items some years ago.
There was also a company called Kitmaster who produced loco kits including Royal Scot, L&YR Pug & a Garrett(LMS)
I don't think Airfix produce railway items any more & Kitmaster went out of production many years ago.
But look around you can some times acquire some of these kits at car boot sales model shops etc
http://www.kitmaster.org.uk/
http://www.tri-ang.co.uk/Airfix/
If you want an A3 Kit try here (a tad expensive)
http://www.djhmodelloco.co.uk/oo-gauge-list.asp

Airfix's history in model railways is quite complex and interesting. They produced lineside kits, then some wagon kits. They acquired the Kitmaster Range and rebranded some of them in their own packaging (not many). Dapol now have these and still produce some of the kits.

After buying Meccano Ltd. in 1971 they started to produce ready to run products in 00 in the mid 70's. Sadly production was short lived and Airfix folded in 1980.

Palitoy acquired the tools and developed the range as Mainline. These tools were later acquired by Dapol and then in 1996 by Hornby!

Several of the Airfix models are still produced by Hornby or have been until very recently: The GWR Auto tank, large Praire and Dean Goods plus the LNER N2 Tank. Most of the Hornby GWR Coaches are ex Airfix and quite a few wagons, so Airfix influence lives on.

It is ironic that Airfix kits are now part of the Hornby empire having arrived there by a different route.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Don't Dapol now distribute some of the old airfix plastic kits? I'm thinking of the oil tankers, 9F, footbridge etc...

Hi MeurglysIII,

I think we managed to post at the same time.

Dapol still produce a mixture of the original Airfix kits and some of the Kitmaster kits. They make quite good models and the lineside kits are good value.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

Okay John. Thanks! :)

I remember near 50 years ago putting together an Airfix Bullied Pacific, many modellers at the time used the kits on Triang or Hornby because they were far superior to other mdels available.
Seem to remember a factory in Kingston-upon-Hull closing not too long ago [last year] was something to do with Airfix, it had a jet fighter on a plinth outside which was being vandalised after the factory closure.
Bernard

Yes it was the Airfix warehouse at Marfleet.
It had a Hawker Hunter outside on a plinth which was getting destroyed bit by bit by the local yobs, it has now been purchased and moved elsewhere.
As an afterthought, there is an internet model firm called modelsforsale I think it is that does most of the Dapol releases of the old Airfix railway kits.

Indeed there is:
http://www.modelsforsale.com/

Couldn't see any locos on there but haven't had a good look yet

The photo on my gallery site is a RTR Airfix Fowler 4F 0-6-0 No.44454.
See http://www.railwayforum.net/gallery/...500&ppuser=100
They can still be found in some model shops. The one I found was only £20 and had never been run.

I have one of those too, nice little model.
Especially so given the age of it.

Thats very nice Syd,impressive for an Airfix-it runs on a layout too?

Its about time Hornby did a new run of the 4F's, There were a large number of then on the railways. Put a motor into the loco and make it DCC ready, no coal in the tender so that we can put our own in. I'm sure that this will sell as well as many of the other locos they do. When I was looking for one, a number of shops said that they get a lot of requests for 4F's. I could do with 3 or 4 more.

What does the F in 4F mean?

Freight. Four is the power classification. They're very nice engines, we used to have one on the East Lancs, I did a footplate experience course with it. I'd certainly buy a model of 44422 if it was made!

Ah thanks pavarossi!

Talking about Kitmaster, I remember one of my first attempts at making a plastic kit was "City of Truro", I think that was a Kitmaster one. I got that much glue on the coupling rods it would have needed dynamite to move them. At the same time I made a Lysander aircraft kit, Airfix I think. That had all finger prints on the wings where I had handled it with glue on my fingers.
I have improved a "tad" since then. I must have been about 12, so that is 50 years ago, shows how long those kits have been going.
Paul.

My Dad has a few of these kits in painted and finished condition in a shoe box in his loft which have been there at least 30 years- I can remember City of Trueo and a GWR Prairae tank to name a couple, maybe a 9F as well

These are the ones I remember,
Pug
City Of Truro
BR Mogul ( STD 4 2-6-0)
Schools Class (Harrow)
Prairie Tank
Evening Star
Deltic Prototype, ( don,t think Airfix released this one but Dapol currently have it in their range)
Drewrey Diesel

I had forgotten about "Evening Star". You can imagine the mess I made of those connecting rods.
I think I had improved a bit by then though, the wheels may even have gone round.
Am I right in thinking they were about 10/6d in proper money, or am I well off the mark.
Paul.

Try this link www.rosebud-kitmaster.co.uk
This is for the collectors club and all the information is on there.
Evening Star was 10/6d. My memory is better than I thought.
Paul.