1. NEW MODELS IN STOCK
Here is an update on the current stock post-Guildex at Stafford last weekend.

28XX/38XX: One GWR plain green GREAT WESTERN 28XX 2881 in S7 left in stock available for sale. All the other remaining engines have been sold.

6959 Modified Hall: One BR Lined Green Totem O gauge model 6985 Parwick Hall left.

49XX/59XX/69XX Collett Hall: We have 1 GWR locomotive (5987 Brocket Hall) and 2 BR locomotives left (6926 Holkham Hall in S7 and 4948 Northwick Hall in O gauge). All others have been sold.

47XX 2-8-0: Only one BR lined green in S7 (4703), choice of GWR plain green (4700/4703/4707) in O gauge. One O gauge model of Replica 4709 available in plain GWR green. One 4702 and one 4703 both in GWR plain green also in S7.

57XX/8750 0-6-0 Pannier Tank: Few GWR mainly black, some BR, not many Top Feed engines left. Some LT pristine and weathered (L90, L91 and L98).

68XX Grange: Good choice of BR lined green and BR plain Black. One BR lined green model of 6880 Betton Grange is available. No GWR engines left.

70XX Castle: Few last engines (7), all BR single chimney.
Late configuration BR Totem: 4082 Windsor Castle, 7005 Sir Edward Elgar,
Early configuration Lion-over-Wheel: 7013 Bristol Castle, 7014 Caerhays Castle, 7032 Denbigh Castle.
Early configuration BRTISH RAILWAYS: 7000 Viscount Portal, 7015 Carn Brea Castle.
Sadly, no double chimney or forward mechanical lubricator engines left.

Class 52 Western Diesel: Few green, but still a good choice of maroon and blue engines.

2. SECOND-HAND

40XX Star: GWR Cleeve Abbey still available.

45XX: One 45XX 5526 in BR lined green Large Totem livery.

14XX: One in GWR plain green.

3. ROLLING ROADS:
New stock arriving (O gauge and S7). OO/HO 16.5mm, EM 18.2mm and P4 (18.83 mm) as well as Gauge 1 also available in stock.

4. TRADE SHOWS
Guildex O Gauge Guild Stafford Show: Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September 2025

A big thank you to everyone who came to our stand at Guildex. We were very busy on both days, so much so, that I did not have any time to visit any other traders’ stands or look at the layouts. This was a bit disappointing, but you all come first! Thank you very much to all those who purchased locomotives or collected their locomotives from our stand.

Mark Show: The Village Hall, Vole Road, Mark, Somerset TA9 4NY
Saturday 11 October 2025
Sadly, this is the last show that we expect to attend in 2025 as the Swindon Show was cancelled and we are away and unable to attend the Wigan show. Mark is a Scale 7 show but well worth attending if you would like to see high quality locomotives running on a track. IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT COMING PLEASE CHECK THE M4/M5 AND M32 FOR CLOSURES THAT WEEKEND.

'ATLANTIC' PROJECT
It is taking the builder much longer than expected to complete the production of the models as we have asked for some additional changes to be made pre-painting. Generally speaking, we are very pleased by the quality and detail of the build in brass, but there are some minor improvements that we have asked to be incorporated. We very much regret that this will mean a further delay in the completion date.

The complexity of the build has increased significantly as a number of you have asked for models representing significant variations in the planned build. Some of the variations are not covered by works or other drawings and have to be assessed from photographs that are few in number and do not always show images with convenient angles and adequate coverage of the differences. These detail differences go back to the beginning of the 20th century and other is often challenging to source photographs showing the details.

We also have increased the number of liveries to offer more options on the Brighton Atlantics,both for reserved and unsold models. We will try to have the models completed by the end of the year, but they may slip into the first quarter of 2026.

If you want a Scale 7 Atlantic and have not made a reservation, please contact us now as we are not planning to offer the possibility of changing gauges as we have on previous models. Also, on the current programme we have very few S7 models left, so if you want an S7 model and do not have a reservation, please contact us now so that we can incorporate your model in the programme.

LMS/BR 4-6-0S AND THE IVATT ‘DUCHESSES’
The builder has spent a very long time developing the drawings and CAD for these locomotives as accurate sources of information for British Legion, the rebuilt ‘Jubilees’ and the rebuilt ‘Patriots’ are incomplete and are believed no longer to exist. The detailed differences in the locomotives are considerably more complicated than expected, but our designer – who is passionate on fidelity to the prototype – has done an amazing job of bringing all the available information together, especially on the chassis features.

The CAD work and parts analysis and pattern drawings on the rebuilt 4-6-0s are now largely completed and effort is now being concentrated on the Ivatt ‘Duchesses’. Based on the builders’ work we have seen so far, the quality and details of the models will be a substantial step-up compared to all previous production. We expect the models to be a further major advance in fidelity to the prototypes (especially true of the Scale7 versions).

We have asked for sample models to be made for checking.

NEW MODELS IN STOCK

28XX/38XX: We have one GWR plain green GREAT WESTERN 28XX in S7 left in stock available for sale. All the remaining engines have been sold.

6959 Modified Hall: We have one BR Totem O gauge model Parwick Hall left.

49XX/59XX/69XX Collett Hall: We have two GWR locomotives and two BR locomotives left. All others have been sold.

47XX 2-8-0: Very few BR, but reasonable choice of GWR.

57XX/8750 0-6-0 Pannier Tank: Few GWR mainly black, some BR, not many ‘top feed’ engines left. Some LT pristine and weathered are available.

68XX Grange: Good choice of BR lined green and BR plain Black. No GWR left.

70XX Castle: Last few engines, all BR, mainly in early configuration: BRTISH RAILWAYS and Lion-over-wheel. No double-chimney or forward mechanical lubricator engines left.

Class 52 Western Diesel: Few green, but still a good choice of maroon and blue engines.

SECOND-HAND

40xx ‘Stars’: We have Morning Star and Cleeve Abbey available. Both kept displayed with very occasional running on a rolling road.

45XX: One 45XX 5526 in BR lined green Large Totem livery.

14XX: One in GWR plain green.

ROLLING ROADS
Few available O gauge and S7 going to Stafford. Awaiting delivery of more from Germany.

TRADE SHOWS

Guildex O Gauge Guild Stafford Show
Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 September 2026.
We will be attending the Stafford Show on Saturday and Sunday. Due to shortage of space in the car we will bring a more restricted range of demonstration models for display on the stand.

Mark Show
The Village Hall, Vole Road, Mark, Somerset TA9 4NY
Saturday 11 October 2025.
This is the last show that we expect to attend in 2025 as the Swindon Show has been cancelled.

Good News...

Just occasionally at times of difficulty and generally bad news, some good news comes along as a nice surprise. Today I have some good news for ScaleSeven modellers and anyone who is considering the merits and otherwise of S7. The ScaleSeven Group is introducing the availability of ready-to-run flexi-track to 33mm gauge to ease and speed up the production of S7 layouts. The track will be available for purchase in 2-bolt and 3-bolt bullhead form in plastic sleepers suitable for both indoor and outdoor use in 500mm and 1 metre lengths at competitive prices. On tests the track has been satisfactorily curved down to 5 feet radius with no additional gauge widening. This track is only available to ScaleSeven Group members and is available exclusively through the ScaleSeven Stores. So, if you want to purchase it, you will need to become an S7 member (cost £25 per year). 

 We will have samples of the new track on display on the Masterpiece Models stand at KETTERING on Saturday. You can also see samples on the ScaleSeven Group Stand.

 This development will hopefully encourage model railway enthusiasts to look more seriously at the merits of S7 standards which are a small further step towards the goal of perfection. I have been actively involved in this project, and after many years of hard work, it is good to see its fruition. The track bases are currently in production and we hope to have them available in the Stores by May 2025.

 John Borkowski

1. Kettering O Gauge Show

We will attend the Kettering O Gauge Show next Saturday 1st March. Due to changing our car to a smaller vehicle we will now bring fewer models to the show. So, for those who have already contacted us we will bring your models. If you want a particular model to be brought to the show and you have not made a request, please let me know by Thursday 27th February at the latest.

LBSCR Atlantic sample, now converted to DCC, will be on show.

2. Second-Hand Models

We have an interesting set of second-hand models currently available including:

• 60XX King 6015 King Richard III lettered GREAT WESTERN livery, electronic chuffing.
• 50XX Castle 5005 Tregenna Castle lettered GREAT WESTERN livery Vauxhall inside cylinders cover unique 1-off locomotive, only example ever made by Masterpiece Models.
• 48XX 4869 0-4-2 tank locomotive, plain green, lettered G W R.
• 4575 sloping tanks 2-6-2T GWR plain green 5505 lettered GREAT WESTERN.
• 40XX Star 4004 'Morning Star' GREAT WESTERN livery early configuration.
• 40XX Star 4071 'Cleeve Abbey' GREAT WESTERN livery later configuration.
• Britannia 70031 'Byron' BR Great Eastern Lion-over-Wheel early emblem.

All O Gauge Finescale. If you are interested, please contact me soon as we plan to take these models to the Kettering O Gauge Show on Saturday March 1st.

3. Last O Gauge (S7) Models:

• 47XX BR lined green 4703 later Totem emblem, otherwise only GWR now left.
• 28XX GWR plain green 2804 lettered GREAT WESTERN.
• 6959 BR Modified Hall 7902 E'aton Mascot Hall.'

All O Gauge Finescale
• 28XX GWR plain green 2882 GWR Shirtbutton in Scale 7.

All other 28XX/38XX are now sold awaiting delivery.

4. Other Locomotives:

• 70XX Castles: 8 locomotives left all BR single chimney. Good choice of names still possible.
• 68XX Grange: no GWR but good choice of BR green and some plain black.
• 49XX/59XX/69XX: very few engines left including some S7.
• 47XX: after 4703 in BR, only GWR engines now left.
• 45XX: only 1 second hand 4575 left.
• 57XX/8750 Panniers: some LT engines now available. GWR now limited especially 57XX. 8750 better availability. Very few S7 left.
• Western Diesel: Good choice of Maroon and Blue, limited numbers of Green still left.

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday at Kettering.

John Borkowski