Exceptional museum quality model locomotives for modellers, enthusiasts and collectors

Update 13 September 2023

SWINDON SHOW
Just a brief note to thank all of you who came to the Swindon Show. We managed to pack everything into our faithful and now not so young BMW Mini Cooper S including five models for delivery to customers. There was a great deal of interest in our Western Diesels, three of which were on display and were much admired, especially by the all the children and younger people who passed our stand.

Ros at Swindon Sept 2023

Coming to Swindon proved to be very interesting in a number of ways. Saturday weather was very hot and sticky and everyone there had get used to the heat (32 degrees C) inside the hall and high humidity. Sunday was also humid but a lot cooler (about 25 degrees C), but in the afternoon it was bit sticky. Star of the show was a superb model of the Hunslet railway works with fully working gantry (overhead) cranes, superb metal pillars and girders and a brass roof structure. There was even electrical cable trunking running up the metal pillars and working sliding entry doors. It really was work of art and science! A superb model missed by many visitors who had little appreciation of how good it was.

King on Traverser Sept 2023

We were placed next to Greenwood Models run by my old friend Mike Green. Mike had some samples of his superb workmanship; he makes crossings (points, slips, diamond crossings etc.) and sleepers for straight and curved track using laser-cut plywood as well as traversers and turntables. Mike was kind enough to put one our locomotives Frankton Grange on display on his turntable and we had a customer’s King and our 47XX on the traverser. If you are building, or plan to build, a high-quality layout or diorama, it would be well worthwhile contacting Mike, as not only does he supply components and kits, but he also can make up crossing to order as ready-to-run trackwork in both O gauge and Scale 7. He is very kindly making up some B8 Scale 7 crossings for me to use on a diorama.

Grange on Turntable 1

28XX/38XX 2-80 Tender Locomotives
Due to exceptional demand since the Stafford Show we have only 1 Black BR 28XX and 2 GWR plain Green 28XXs left. Only one green GWR 38XX is left. All the other 28XX/38XX models are reserved and awaiting delivery.

Collett Halls and Modified Halls
We have very few engines left, all BR livery, mainly BR Green. If you want a choice in Halls, please contact us soon if you want any choice of engine.

Panniers
We still have a good availablity of GWR and BR 57XX early cab and 8750 late cab engines. We can provide a choice in emblems (GWR: GREAT WESTERN, Shirtbutton or G W R; BR: BRITISH RAILWAYS, Lion over Wheel or Totem. You can choose from our number list or have another plate provided it is made by Severn Mill Nameplates. The latter is available at a modest extra cost £50.

Update 7 September 2023

Pre-owned locomotives
We can now offer a range of pristine Duchesses in BR Green BR Blue, LMS Crimson Lake, Streamlined Blue and Streamlined Maroon. Most of the models are unused, left in their original boxes or in some cases have been parked in display cases. So, in general they are in as-new condition.

When my webmaster completes his well-deserved and delayed holidays, we will get them photographed and put on the website. We will prepare lists and some pictures on a separate web page so that you could all see that is available. The O gauge models comprise some Masterpiece Models engines as well as other makes. Period covered includes the Big 4 (LMS, LNER and GWR, sadly few Southern) as well as BR. We still have a number of Dapol and Heljan BR diesels and a few steam locomotives both weathered and pristine some of which are fitted with DCC/Sound.

So, if you are interested in high quality Brass 7mm scale models, Heljan and Dapol 7mm steam or diesels, or just Hornby or Bachmann 4mm scale models or other 4mm models (perhaps for your children or grandchildren), please contact us to see if we can help out.

Trade Shows/Exhibitions
GUILDEX – STAFFORD 2nd/3rd September
A big thank you to all who attended the Stafford show that kept us busy for two days.

STEAM - SWINDON 9th/10th September
We will be at STEAM on Saturday and Sunday.

Scale 7 Meeting - Mark Village Hall (TA9 4NY) 7th October
If you can’t make STEAM Swindon this weekend, come to Mark to see us there.

We offer by far the largest choice of new Brass 7mm scale O gauge and Scale 7 ready-to-run engines:
• Duchesses, Castles, Halls, Modified Halls,
• Granges, 47XX and 28XX 2-8-0s,
• 45XX Prairies, 57XX and 8750 Panniers,
• Class 52 Western Diesels
• plus Weloe premium quality rolling roads.
You can now purchase all of these items now from stock.

Our collection plus the Rolling Roads is now too big to transport everything to shows.

LMS Engines: Jubilees

5552 Silver Jubilee


We have received a request from a number of customers to make 5552 Silver Jubilee in black livery with chrome finishes. We can now offer this to any customer who would like one at a modest premium to cover the cost of chrome plating.
If you fancy something special and this locomotive appeals to you, please send in a reservation.

Update 21 August 2023

Pre-owned models
We have been asked by several families of deceased customers to sell extensive model collections 7mm scale (O gauge) and also some 4mm (OO) scale trains. Most of the models are unused left in their original boxes or in some cases have been parked in display cases. So, in general they are in as new condition. Had my health been normal over the last few months, we would have organised lists and some pictures on a separate web page so that you could all see what was available. The O gauge models comprise some Masterpiece Models engines as well as other makes. Periods covered include the Big Four (LMS, LNER and GWR, sadly few SR) as well as BR. We also have a number of Dapol and Heljan BR diesels and a few steam locomotives, both weathered and pristine, some of which are fitted with DCC/Sound.

So, if you are interested in high quality Brass 7mm scale models, Heljan and Dapol 7mm steam or diesels, or just Hornby or Bachmann 4mm scale models or other 4mm models (perhaps for your children or grandchildren), please contact us to see if we can help out. 

Trade Shows/Exhibitions

We will attend all 3 of these shows:

GUILDEX – STAFFORD 2nd/3rd September

STEAM - SWINDON   9th 10th September

Scale 7 Meeting - Mark Village Hall (TA9 4NY) 7th October

We offer by far the largest choice of new Brass 7mm scale O gauge and Scale 7 ready-to-run engines: 

  • Duchesses, Castles, Kings, Halls, Modified Halls, 
  • Granges, 47XX and 28XX 2-8-0s, 
  • 45XX Prairies, 57XX and 8750 Panniers, 
  • Class 52 Western Diesels 
  • plus Weloe premium quality rolling roads. 

You can now purchase all of these items now from stock.

Our collection plus the Rolling Roads is now too big to transport everything to shows. In the past I have transported multiples of our engines to shows for collection only to transport them back home again. So, from now on if you have ordered a locomotive and want it brought to a show for collection, please contact me beforehand with several days’ notice giving me enough time to get everything ready. For Stafford deliveries please contact me by Tuesday 29 August.

Other Matters
Due to post COVID issues and my cold still present, I am still running behind with deliveries and modifications. As soon as I recover business deliveries will revert to normal.

LMS/BR Stanier/Ivatt Engines – and now original JUBILEES too!

We have been working hard on the LMS/BR 7P programme and also on the Ivatt/Stanier Duchesses. Due to demand, and in order to avoid disappointment for any customers, we have made a further five Duchesses available – now a maximum quantity of 40 6256/46256 Sir William A Stanier FRS. If they are not all taken up, we will reduce the production volume to only those engines that have been reserved.

Original Jubilees

45562 

Over the years we have been approached with a number of requests for the LMS 5XP/BR 6P original taper boiler Jubilees. Having reflected on this we are now considering adding a limited run of these locomotives to the existing Rebuilt Jubilee programme as many of the components are common to both types. If we were not building Rebuilt Jubilees this extension would not be possible.

There are some limits on what we could offer. We will not offer variations in driving wheel patterns or tenders. The locomotives would come with the Stanier 9 ton/4,000 gallon/7ft 6in + 7ft 6in wheelbase tenders with the original lower front floor platform on the front of the tender, and with the tender sides and back in either riveted or welded form. There would be a choice of boiler fireboxes (sloping or straight throatplates as well as long and short fireboxes), AWS, chimneys (single or double) and variation in top feed/domes. O gauge finescale and Scale 7 versions would be made available to choice. The tender coal bunkers would be empty with working opening latched front doors.

To make it viable to add these original Jubilees to the existing build programme we would need orders for a minimum of 50 engines (perhaps 25 sloping and 25 straight firebox types, or another mix). We have a certain amount of flexibility to vary the mix to accommodate customer preferences. Liveries would be LMS Crimson Lake (maroon), BR lined Black, and BR lined Green. We would like to invite expressions of interest for these locomotives in order to decide whether to proceed with this extension project. If you are interested in one of the original taper boiler Jubilees please email me, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. stating which locomotive-livery-firebox combination you would like, together with your preference for a riveted or welded tender. If we receive a sufficient expression of interest we will then contact you to see if you wish to place an order.

68XX Grange - 6880 Betton Grange

6880 1

Our 68XX Granges are among the most attractive engines that we have made in recent years. Interest in the new locomotive, No. 6880 Betton Grange, currently under construction at Tyseley is growing as it nears completion and Diane Carney has very kindly made up a four sets of name and number plates for No. 6880, as well as the 84E shed plate. We have two sets of these plates still available, so if you would like a model of No. 6880 in BR lined green either with a Collett 3,500 gallon tender or a Collett 4,000 gallon tender, please let me know.

Other Matters
Due to post COVID issues and an exceptionally bad cold still present, I am running behind with deliveries and modifications. As soon as I recover business deliveries will revert to normal.

John Borkowski
4 August 2023

Update 17 April 2023

Western Diesel
Following our award from Model Rail we have updated the list of Westerns that are available. Please note that some of the names and liveries have changed mainly as a result of a number of changes in selection by customers for different name, liveries or gauge. Adrian has done a great job in colouring the backgrounds that you can now see at a glance what the livery is of each model. If the engine you want is shown in S7 or O Gauge, we can probably change the gauge at least at this stage of the stock level. There is one desert sand engine that has become available.

28XX/38XX
We are virtually out of stock of GWR plain green 28XX engines. Only pre-orders are left. There are only three unreserved BR 28XXs left. There are a large number of pre-orders still to be delivered.

We have only one GWR 38XX and one BR 38XX. Other remaining 38XXs are reserved awaiting delivery. 

Modified HallsOnly Parwick Hall in BR lined green late livery is left. All other stock is reserved awaiting delivery to customers.

Collett Halls
There are still a substantial number of Collett Halls due to be delivered. At present the availability is limited to BR Halls as the last GWR engine, Charfield Hall, has now been sold. Please enquire if you would like a Hall.

Panniers
We still have a healthy stock of engines available including a few London Transport red locomotives. There are not many GWR 57XX early cab models left and generally we have more BR engines available. We have now sold out of BR lined black, but more 8750s in both GWR (green and black) and BR black are in stock. Because the models are configured to a wide variation and are numbered to customer choice, please call us if you would like a pannier. We are still able to offer some variation but the models need to be configured to meet individual needs.

45Xx Prairie
Occasionally we have engines returned for resale and we have two BR 45XX currently available including 4507 in S7 late BR configuration unused. Please enquire if you are interested.

Second hand Locomotives
We recently received a stock of second hand locomotives. We have an LMS red single chimney Duchess, a GWR King, two Stars and a Saint available. Please enquire if any of these engines are of interest. All are in O gauge. 

John Borkowski 17 April 2023