Main Lines: 21st February 2026
Welcome to this week's Main Lines.
This week, the UK government confirmed a major long-term rail investment in Wales, including seven new stations and infrastructure upgrades, while legislation has been laid to lower the minimum age for train drivers from 20 to 18 to help recruit younger talent. Disruption continued on Devon lines after storm damage, and planned engineering works will affect services in Scotland over the weekend. In Manchester, Piccadilly has undergone a significant track and signalling overhaul, and ScotRail fares were frozen for the next year to ease travel costs.
In model news, we have had a range of announcements, with news for modellers of UK, EU, and American outline railways. We have seen Peco make a change to their Code 60 rail, Dapol announce new tankers and JNA-Y wagons, and Hobbytrain announce their 2026 range. We also have new announcements from Wiking and miNis, allowing for a more diverse range of vehicles to choose from.
In This Issue:
British Model Railway News
N Scale Announcements
This month sees the introduction of six new milk tankers. These tankers were developed to enable the safe, efficient, and fast transportation of large quantities of milk from the country to towns and cities.
OO Scale Announcements
This month, we see two announcements from Dapol of new wagons coming to their range. This includes a selection of JNA-Y Wagons and two 6-wheel tank wagons in pristine and weathered finishes.
N Scale Releases
Dapol’s March and April releases deliver a substantial wave of modern image diesel and electric traction, giving N Scale modellers a wide spread of eras from late BR through to the present day.
OO Scale Releases
Dapol has revealed that the next couple of months' worth of releases feature a characterful mix of rolling stock and classic steam for OO gauge modellers.
O Scale Releases
Dapol’s latest O gauge additions bring together modern freight interest and classic Great Western infrastructure, offering modellers a broad selection of stock for both contemporary and heritage layouts.
OO Scale Releases
Check out the next batch of items coming soon from Hornby, including the Railroad Class 66 301 'Drax Power Station 50' in celebratory gold GBRf livery.
TT Scale Releases
A new range of building are due to be released in the coming weeks. Combined, they make for an ideal rural station scene.
Updates to Code 60 Rail
Peco are updating their code 60 rail, including the Individulay third-rail for OO Scale modellers.
American Model Railway News
Walthers Announce New Cornerstone Station
Based on the modern Amtrak station in Rensselaer, Indiana, the Cornerstone Amtrak Rural Station & Accessory Kit is ideal for contemporary passenger operations on any HO Scale train layout.
European Model Railway News
2026 Range Announced
Hobbytrain’s 2026 announcements place the spotlight firmly on modern European traction and infrastructure support. In N scale, the versatile DE18 diesel locomotive headlines the range, appearing in SBB Cargo/Nexrail, CFL Cargo, DB Cargo/Nexrail and Leonhard Weiss liveries, with both standard and factory DCC-sound versions available to suit contemporary era VI layouts.
Roco Announce New Eurovision Taurus
Austria – and the whole world – have been bitten by the Song Contest bug! Before Vienna transforms into the hotspot of the world's largest music competition. Roco is on board and is producing a unique model of the elaborately decorated machine. Delivery will take place just in time for the contest in May.
Other Model News
Lemke Minis 2026 Range Announced
The Lemke Minis 2026 range delivers a substantial expansion of European road vehicles, ideal for bringing layouts and dioramas to life from the post-war period through to the modern era. The announcement includes classic utility and industrial transport, such as Mercedes-Benz L322 coal lorries in railway and industry liveries, alongside detailed Liebherr A922 road/rail excavators for infrastructure scenes in BLS and DB Bahnbau markings.
February New Items Announced
Wiking’s February announcements offer a nostalgic tour through classic European road transport, with a strong emphasis on mid-20th-century vehicles perfect for period street scenes. The HO range spans everything from everyday motoring to commercial workhorses, including a VW Caddy, early Mazda MX-5 and a characterful VW T1 ambulance with trailer, alongside classic lorries from Mercedes-Benz, Henschel and Magirus in authentic operator liveries. Beyond HO, agricultural modellers receive a larger-scale Fendt 832 Vario tractor in 1:32 scale.
Our Regular Features
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.
The London Festival of Railway Modelling
21st - 22nd March, 2026
For a quarter of a century, The London Festival of Railway Modelling has been the ultimate destination for enthusiasts, families, and collectors alike. Hosted in the iconic Alexandra Palace, this two-day event is a must for anyone passionate about railways, miniature engineering, and creative craftsmanship
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
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