Main Lines: 20th June 2026
Welcome to this week's Main Lines.
The past seven days on the UK railways have continued to be dominated by the transition towards public ownership under the forthcoming Great British Railways banner, with further discussion around the renationalisation of major operators, including Govia Thameslink Railway and future plans for Great Western Railway’s transfer later this year. Southern’s new GBR-branded Class 387 units have continued to attract attention across the south coast, while ministers have been highlighting early improvements under public control on operators such as South Western Railway.
Elsewhere, the delayed opening of Cambridge South station later this month remains a major infrastructure milestone, becoming the first fully branded Great British Railways station, and debate continues around the spiralling costs and delayed delivery schedule for HS2 following the government’s latest project reset. East West Rail also remains firmly in the spotlight as construction and route planning continue between Oxford, Bedford and Cambridge.
In model news, the week has been a bit of a quiet one, with only a few announcements from Peco, Walthers and Viessmann. The biggest news is that we have launched our Heljan Sale with large final clearance reductions.
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Peco Announce New Tools and Lube
PECO has expanded its popular PECO Tools range with the introduction of the new PT64 Power-Lube Plus, replacing the discontinued PL64 Pecolectrics "Power Lube". Designed to make routine locomotive maintenance even easier, the new lubricant is supplied in a handy pen-style dispenser with a fine metal applicator nozzle, allowing precise application to hard-to-reach parts of a model's mechanism. It also offers a greater volume of oil than its predecessor, providing even better value for regular servicing.
Peco Announce a new range of N Scale Wagons
PECO are pleased to announce the arrival of a selection of brand-new N scale wagons, with newly tooled models of the distinctive British Railways Pig Iron Wagon and the versatile 4-wheel Bolster Wagon joining the range.
Walthers Cornerstone Announcements
Walthers has expanded its line of scenic structure kits this June with two new additions designed to bring extra realism to model railways in both HO and N scales. For HO modellers, the new Pedestrian Bridge provides an attractive and practical way to connect platforms; meanwhile, N gauge enthusiasts can enhance their industrial scenes with the Oil Loading Platform.
A new announcement and upcoming releases
Fresh arrivals and exciting new technology are coming soon from Viessmann, with the latest announcements bringing even more life and realism to model railway layouts and road scenes. Leading the way is the new CarMotion functional vehicle release, featuring a highly detailed HO scale Mercedes-Benz ACTROS GleisBau box-body truck complete with working functions, adding realistic movement and operation to modern construction and maintenance scenes.
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...
If you are interested in other areas of the hobby, or looking for a new past time, then why not check out one of our other publications. Published thougout the month at different intervals, these publications complament the breaking news behind these subjects, and bring you the latest news in one convienient place.
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MAIN LINES
This weekly newsletter is published every Saturday of the Month.
Focused on Model Railways, this newsletter rounds up news from the biggest names in the model railway industry, such as Hornby, Märklin, Bachmann, Dapol, Noch, Piko and many more.
PIT STOP
This monthly newsletter is published on the second Sunday of the month.
Everything Slot Car Collecting and Racing can be found in our Monthly Slot Car Newsletter. Focusing on many of the leading brands of slot cars, ideal for those who love the thrill of the racetrack and taking the chequered flag.
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This monthly newsletter is published on the first Friday of the Month.
Kit building can, for many, be an interesting and enjoyable pastime, and this publication takes a look at all brands of kits from the traditional Airfix and Revell to the brick-built kits compatible with other building block systems.
THE CABINET
This monthly newsletter is published on the third Thursday of the Month.
Model collectables are no longer just limited to cars and vehicles. This publication looks at all the collectables brands we stock, which also include ranges of iconic Film and TV merchandise, aircraft, agricultural vehicles, and, of course, collectable cars.