Category:Airfix Railway Construction Kits

Toy Brands and Manufacturers
Airfix Railway Construction Kits
1960 -

1962: BR Railbus kit R201 – the first Airfix Railway Construction Kit that wasn't a wagon or other piece of rolling stock (Airfix Magazine, May 1962) [image info]

1963: Airfix Diesel Shunter D2300 [image info]

Box artwork: Railbus construction kit R201 [image info]

Box artwork: Interfrigo Refrigerator Van construction kit R203 [image info]

Box artwork: Presflo Cement Wagon construction kit R2 / 02662 [image info]

Box artwork: BR Brake Van construction kit R4 / 02658 [image info]

Box artwork: Presflo Cement Wagon construction kit R5 / 02659 [image info]

Box artwork: Railway Couplings, R6 [image info]

Box artwork: Meat Van construction kit R8 / 02661 [image info]

Alternative boxes for the "City of Truro" locomotive kit [image info]

The Airfix Railway Construction Kit range was very well regarded, and allowed model railway owners a comparatively cheap way of building up their layout displays, either for static locos and rolling stock to be parked on sidings, or as rolling rolling-stock to be used as part of actual running trains.

The range launched in 1960 with a couple of simple wagon types, and gradually grew, getting a significant boost in 1962 when Airfix bought the tooling and rights to the Rosebud Kitmaster – this became the basis of further kits and the Airfix Railway System range of ready-built locos and rolling stock, starting with the Airfix version of the Kitmaster Prairie Tank Locomotive model, which appeared in 1963.

The Airfix Trackside range of polybagged kits (1956-) already allowed the construction of trackside buildings and accessories.

1960 launch text

AIRFIX Products Ltd., already Europe's largest manufacturer of scale plastic construction kits, are extending their range to include model railway rolling stock.
The new kits, which will appear from the end of June, conform to 00 and H0 gauges and, despite their low price of 2s., each possess detail and accuracy hard to find in ready made rolling stock many times the price.
Airfix rolling stock kits may be made up either as Display Models or as fully working units of a scale railway layout, and are fitted with a plastic coupling similar to the N.M.R.A. type. Provision has been made to enable all British Commercial Couplings to be fitted to this chassis.
The first two Airfix Series 1 00 and H0 gauge kits to be introduced are of a British Railways Tank Wagon finished in the colours of Esso and a Prestflo Cement Wagon in the livery of the Cement Marketing Company.

— , -, , Airfix Magazine, , July 1960

1962 announcement – Kitmaster

AIRFIX - KITMASTER

Readers have wondered over the past few months what was happening to the popular Kitmaster range, and we are pleased to announce that the plastic moulds and stock of kits have been purchased by Airfix, who will continue to market them at present. We understand that they have plans for development and incorporation into their own series of kits later on.

— , -, , "News Special" page, , Railway Modeller, , December 1962

1976 promotional text:

Airfix Railway Construction Kits are renowned for their quality, attention to detail and outstanding value for money. To the fascination of building a famous steam locomotive or a simple piece of rolling stock there is the added thrill of seeing these models incorporated in a working layout. For a very small outlay long freight trains can be built up of just mineral wagons, or petrol tankers or even cattle trucks. Make more of your Airfix Railway System by building Airfix Railway Construction Kits.
— , Airfix, , Airfix Railway System, , 1976

Listing

series 1:

R1 – BR Tank Wagon, Esso
R2 – Presflo Cement Wagon
R3 – Mineral Wagon 10 Ton
R4 – Brake Van, BR, 20 Ton
R5 – Cattle Wagon
R6 – 24 Standard Couplings
R7 – Drewry Shunter
R8 – Meat Van, 10 Ton
R9– Saddle Tank "Pug" Locomotive
R10 – Preswin Silo Wagon
R11 – Stephenson's Rocket

series 2:

R201 – BR Railbus, Park Road
R202 – Motor Diesel Locomotive Crane
R203 – Interfrigo Refrigerator
R204 – BR Lowmac 14-Ton with JCB Excavator
R205 – J 94 Saddle Tank Locomotive

series 3/4/5:

R301 – Prairie Tank Locomotive
R302 – City of Truro Locomotive

R401 – Evening Star Locomotive
R402 – Schools Class Locomotive
R403 – BR Mogul Locomotive

R501 – Battle of Britain Locomotive
R502 – Evening Star Locomotive – (was 401)

Dapol's partial resurrection of the range

After the demise of the Airfix Group, Dapol managed to acquire some of the moulds and put some of the kits back into production. Not all the kit mouldings had survived in usable condition, and some had already been scrapped due to wear, but a decent selection of the range were rescued and are still available as Dapol versions.

1976 range

Trackside accessory kits

By 1976, the range had also absorbed parts of the earlier and originally-separate Airfix Trackside series, which covered most railway needs other than actual track, locos or rolling stock.