ISSUE: 8 NOVEMBER 2004 Hornby gets go-ahead to take-over Lima ‘assests’ HORNBY has been given the go-ahead to takeover ‘certain’ assets, including product moulds, of the Italian model maker Lima, which was forced into liquidation in 2003. A decision by the Court by reducing production of Brescia, Italy, to allow costs by outsourcing the liquidators of Lima production to China S.p.a to accept Hornby’s and concentrating on offer of £5.35 million (8 improving sales and million euros), paves distribution channels to the way for the deal, ensure a recovery in sales expected to be complete of Lima’s key European by the end of the year. markets. Hornby intends Lima’s collapse was to maintain Lima’s current product lines. blamed on the high costs Hornby and Scalextric These include the overhead associated brands. with its European based Rivarossi, Jouef, Arnold manufacturing operations Mr. Frank Martin, (N-gauge) and Pocher and recent cash flow Hornby’s chief executive, model ranges. said the company was problems. Mr Martin added that delighted that the Italian they were excited by The bulk of the Court had recognised the the potential for the company’s assets are merits of its offer. detailed product moulds; Lima brands, which A shepherd herds his flock in this finely initially these will be “Now, subject to our alongside Hornby’s detailed scene from Sowters Lane, the Soar moved to Hornby’s site in due diligence, we hope to recently acquired Spanish Valley Model Railway Club’s 009 narrow Margate before dispatch complete the acquisition operation, Electrotren, before the end of the gauge gem, which is profiled in this issue’s to China. will form the platform year,” he said. for expansion into key Layout of the Month feature. Check out pages Hornby has used this outsourcing strategy The Hornby Board is European markets. 5, 6, and 7 for the full story. successfully with its own confident that it has the Long-term the model skills and experience makers are confident to re-invigorate Lima’s that it will also increase brands. their rate of growth in Trix items wanted by museum This will be achieved the USA. ONE of Britain’s national museums working order is not essential. is targeting model railway collectors If you can offer any Trix plastic locos or who may have ‘spare’ Trix items in rolling stock, please email Steve White Inside this issue ... their collection. ([email protected]) at the Trix Twin The Department of Industry at the Rail Collectors’ Association in the first This month’s 20-page edition of Trains National Museums and Galleries of instance. On-line features seven pages of book and Wales would like to acquire some of the • The TTRCA was formed in 1975 to bring stock reviews and a double-page Prototype later plastic Trix products manufactured together modellers who are interested in Profiles feature on ‘Class 20’ locomotives. in Wrexham. the collection and operation of Trix Twin, Three pages are devoted to this month’s star These will be displayed in their collections Trix Express, Trix 00 and H0 gauge of post-war toys manufactured in Wales. electric model trains manufactured narrow gauge (009) layout, Sowters Lane. In between 1935 and 1973. Gifts are most welcome, but if selling addition, there’s a special feature on running please state price required. The association currently has more model railways to time, plus our usual mix of Items should be in good condition, but than 400 members world wide. Club news and Model news. NEWS IN Collett Hall arriving BRIEF THE Model soon near you... Electronic Railway Group’s, meeting on November Bachmann’s long-expected new model Locomotive line-up looks set to get 20 will be held a major boost in time for the Christmas buying rush. at the Model Railway Club’s The company is h e a d q u a r t e r s , optimistic that some Keen House, of its Hall Class, J39, London. Jinties, K3 and Class It will feature 37/0 locomotives will talks on DCC make it to the shops a p p l i c a t i o n s , before the end of the Faller Roadways year. and loco mounted cameras. Their arrival will, however, depend on shipping and customs. SOAR Valley The all new Class 37/ Model Railway 0 models, items 32-775 This manufacturer’s pre-production photograph shows what an Club held their to 32-778, will have a annual bonfire impresssive model Bachmann’s Collett Hall will be. Deliveries are DCC ready sticker on social event on expected before Christmas, subject to shipping and customs, and will the box, indicating they November 4 near are fitted with a DCC undoubtedly be of great interst to GWR modellers—see main story. their club room. socket. This year’s in Model News, page Puffing Billy starter All have a circle of bonfire was far This will enable the 4), which features the set (30-005), The track and controller. bigger than the locos to be easily Coaler (30-010), which named locomotive Recent locomotive last, creating converted to DCC by the comprises a Pannier itself. arrivals include a brace spectacular fitting of an appropriate tank and three wagons, of Prairie tanks, two displays of flames decoder chip. This will not be sold and the Suburban Crab 2-6-0s and a blue leaping high into as a separate item Passenger (30-015). The company is also and a green example of the air. and, say Bachmann, releasing a range of will only be available as The last mentioned the Class 40 (32-475 F r i e n d s — both traditional and part of the set. includes an 0-6-2 tank BR green with indicator including the digital train sets, engine and two Collett boxes/32-476, blue, Editor—and including a ‘Royal Other sets now in coaches in Crimson with indicator discs). families of the club Scot’ set (see picture the shops include the /Cream livery. members joined in A Rebuilt Scot, 46141 the celebrations The North Staffordshire and the site was Regiment in BR early abuzz with activity Green livery (31-228) all night. and an Anglia Railways two-car Turbostar (32- 453) are expected this THE Stowmarket month. Railway Club is Also due in the UK to hold its Club later this month, are P h o t o g r a p h i c three versions of the 45 competition on ton TTA wagon, and an November 16. LMS cattle wagon and Its Christmas Bachmann’s latest Crab 42942 boasts BR Lined Black E/Emblem and its BR equivalent. dinner is planned iappears to be heavily Weathered (32-179) £75.95. for December 10. IMPRESSED WITH YOUR BALLASTING? MEMBERS of the Gloucestershire However, impressed you are with your finished trackwork it can be done W a r w i c k s h i r e quicker and easier with Tracklay™ underlay—the trains will run quieter as Railway MRC were well. Try it for yourself and see how much time and effort you save. forced to cancel their show planned TRIAL (00 or N) for November 10m 20m 30m 40m 50m £2.95 6, because the PRICESP.&P. INC. 00 £15.60 £30.05 £44.90 £59.35 £63.20 £2 REFUND WITH venue, The Flag 1st ORDER and Thistle, N £11.10 £21.50 £31.40 £41.35 £46.00 Toddington was Debit/credit cards accepted not available. TRACKLAY SALES, 32 THE BANKS BARROW-ON-SOAR, LEICS. LE12 8NL Tel: 01509 620318 Editor’s space... Warley group WELL another month has passed and I am still counting the cost of the crash back in May. The web site is still not functioning properly and some readers have gets ready for continued to have difficulty down loading the magazine. Needless to say, time spent in the past few weeks on rebuilding the web site from scratch has stretched out 2005 show the deadline for the magazine into the THE high spot of the exhibition calendar—the Warley second week of November. National Model Railway Exhibition—steams into The revised site should be up and the NEC, Birmingham on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 running in its entirety shortly. I hope December. readers will find all the effort has This year’s exhibition been worthwhile. will feature the largest Fingers crossed, everything will selection of high quality work smoothly from now on. layouts since it began, in a wide range of gauges, including six from IN CASE you haven’t noticed outside the UK. Christmas is nearly on us again and The event—the 37th many modellers will be thinking staged by the Warley about presents (for themselves and Model Railway Club—will others!). be officially opened by long-time railway enthusiast and club A quick look at some of the bargains patron, Sir William on the web at the moment makes one McAlpine. wish for unlimited resosurces, but I In all, some 76 working dare say few of us can claim to have layouts are booked, that. including exhibits from Ireland, Germany, Asbourne Midland (Linton MRC), one of the However, train sets (no don’t mock Holland and France. many quality 4mm/ft layouts booked to appear the thought) can ease the pain as I Among the static at this year’s NEC exhibition, was featured in discovered recently. One web trader models on display will the first issue of Trains On-line magazine. is currently offering a Bachmann be a number from the ‘train set’ at less than the cost of the Gauge 1 collection of represented.