Do Airfix do trains?

[Dawnrider]

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?

[Bubblewrap]

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

[John H-T]

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.

[meurglysIII]

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

[John H-T]

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.

[meurglysIII]

Okay John. Thanks!

[Bernard Dodd]

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

[ROUGH TOR]

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.

[Dawnrider]

Originally Posted by ROUGH TOR

.
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

[DSY011]

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.