Main Lines: 18th April 2026
Welcome to this week's Main Lines.
Over the past week, Britain’s railways have seen a mix of disruption, infrastructure progress and ongoing industry debate, with major delays centred around Manchester Piccadilly after overhead wire damage caused widespread cancellations and knock-on disruption. Further incidents, including emergency services dealing with a person on the tracks at Retford, added to delays on the East Coast Main Line, while engineering works and signalling faults in Scotland led to additional service changes and cancellations, underlining continued reliability challenges.
On the industrial front, planned London Underground strike action from April to June is set to impact the capital, while wider structural changes remain in focus as Great British Railways plans continue to develop. Elsewhere, Network Rail is deploying drones to tackle trespass and reduce lineside fires, alongside ongoing progress on station upgrades and major projects such as East West Rail.
In model railway news, we are pleased to announce a number of new products across both the Gaugemaster and Kestrel Designs ranges, as well as new releases from the Gaugemaster Collection. There has been a lot of news from Dapol with their upcoming releases, as well as some exciting new items announced from Deluxe Materials.
We are Relaunching the Gaugemaster Club Hub - And We Need You to Get Involved!
We are pleased to announce that the Gaugemaster Club Hub has just returned to our website. To make the most of this much-loved feature, we need your help!
We want this to become a showcase for all the varied and talented model clubs from around the country that are such an important part of the hobby. They provide spaces where modellers can come and socialise, exchange knowledge and ideas, and generally share the excitement and learn more about these fantastic, practical hobbies, and we are all here for that!
Originally a feature of our old site, this section has been overhauled, and we are pleased to announce its return. If you would like to get your local club or society listed, please contact us through the form on our website or email us at [email protected]
In This Issue:
European Model Railway News
Other News
British Model Railway News
Gaugemaster Collection Class 33s have arrived!
The British Rail Class 33 diesel-electric locomotives, commonly known as the “Crompton” class, were ordered in 1957 and built between 1960 and 1962 by the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company for the Southern Region of British Railways.
Gaugemaster Collection Class 66s Coming Soon!
The Gaugemaster Collection Class 66 range continues to build momentum with a series of exciting releases arriving this June, offering modellers fresh additions across both N and O scales.
New Gaugemaster Stone Walling Detailing Pack In Stock Now
We are pleased to introduce a new addition to the Gaugemaster Structures range: the Stone Walling and Detailing Pack. Designed to enhance and personalise your scenic builds, this versatile set includes a selection of finely moulded plastic stone arches, quoin stones, buttress sections, tiles and a variety of additional detailing components.
Gaugemaster Hedges and Seafoam Return!
After a short absence, a selection of essential scenic materials has now returned to stock, offering modellers the perfect opportunity to enhance their layouts with natural detail. From versatile seafoam trees to ready-to-use hedgerows, these products provide simple yet highly effective ways to create realistic landscapes across both rural and urban settings.
Dapol N Scale Class 33s and 87s In Stock Now!
Dapol’s latest N gauge releases bring a strong mix of diesel and electric traction to the forefront, with new releases covering both the ever-popular Class 33 and the iconic Class 87.
Dapol OO Scale Releases: May to June 2026
Leading the May arrivals are a series of iconic Salt Vans, featuring both Mortons and Cerebos liveries, available in pristine and weathered finishes to suit layouts across a range of eras.
Dapol O Scale Releases: May to June 2026
Dapol’s O Scale releases for May and June are headlined by an impressive new range of Class 66 locomotives, bringing one of Britain’s most recognisable modern freight workhorses to life in stunning detail.
Dapol N Scale Releases: May to June 2026
Dapol’s latest N Scale releases for May and June are firmly led by an eye-catching line-up of Class 66 locomotives, bringing one of the UK’s most recognisable modern freight types to layouts in a wide variety of liveries and identities.
Kato Expands 800 Class with TransPennine Express and Lumo Units in late 2026.
KATO continues to grow its British high-speed portfolio with the introduction of two standout additions from the Hitachi AT300 family, bringing both bi-mode and fully electric operation to the forefront.
Two New Kestrel Designs Walling Packs Announced
Gaugemaster is pleased to expand the Kestrel Designs scenic range with two new walling kits, offering modellers even greater flexibility when detailing N scale layouts. Introducing both Quarry Stone and Field Stone walling options, these new releases make it easy to capture the varied character of real-world boundaries, whether recreating rugged industrial scenes or more traditional countryside settings.
Peco Announce New O Gauge Wooden Platform Halt Kit
Peco have announced a highly versatile new halt platform kit for O scale modellers, ideal for adding character and authenticity to rural layout scenes.
Peco Unveils New TT Scale Fencing Kits
Every layout benefits from the addition of fencing, and these new TT:120 scale releases provide the perfect finishing touch for a wide range of scenes.
European Model Railway News
Eurovision Comes To The Fleischmann Range
Following the previously announced HO Scale Roco models featuring the new Eurovision livery, the models have now been reduced in size and added to the Fleischmann range. Already popular in HO Scale, we expect these N Scale versions to attract as much interest.
Roco Announcements: April 2026
Roco has unveiled its latest announcements for April, with a selection of new models debuting at the Intermodellbau Dortmund. Headlining the range is the much-anticipated Class 477 steam locomotive, affectionately known as the “Parrot”, which stands out as one of the key highlights for 2026.
Other Model News
Deluxe Materials Announce New Products for 2026
Deluxe Materials are pleased to announce a new range of modelling essentials due for release later this year. Covering everything from decal application to adhesives and finishing solutions, these forthcoming products are designed to help modellers achieve cleaner results, finer detail and a more professional overall finish across a wide variety of projects.
Herpa Vehicles Releases: April 2026
Herpa’s April releases deliver a broad and eye-catching mix of modern road vehicles, classic cars and specialist commercial transport, offering something for collectors and layout builders alike.
Check out the new items that have arrived into stock since the last Main Lines update. The list might be a bit long, but it's packed with exciting finds we think you'll love.
End Of The Line
That's the end of the line for this week. We will be back next week with another packed edition of Main Lines.
Until then, Happy Modelling
Before You Go...
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This newsletter will focus on everything plastic kit related, including news from Airfix, Tamiya, and Revell.
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This newsletter will focus on everything slot car related, including news from Scalextric, SCX and Carrera.
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