Why’s this a throwback? Well, standing on this beach took me back to 1991 and Iain Rice’s Light Railway Layout Designs book.
These two books, a year apart, really caught my imagination. I love the way they draw you in to each subject matter, with Iain’s unique style they immediately light a fire for me.
Over the past few years we’ve spent a lot of time in North Wales, and grown to really love the location. Light Railway Layout Designs has always had a natural appeal for me, much of it off the beaten track, (remember that one Geoff?) and that influence is almost certainly extant through Albion Yard, and the Shelfie layouts.
Standing on the beach here my mind went back to the book, we’d just dropped in here by chance en route for dolphin watching, but this was the first time I’d really placed myself into the ‘landscape’ of one of the plans. The thing that has always drawn me to this plan, and the pennies only just dropped, is it’s a system. Whilst only a small light railway it always struck me as three layouts/locations that could be joined and operated together. The system concept has always sat in the back of my mind, amongst loads of other junk!, and having seen and operated Geoff Taylor’s Cambrian system, this scratch is itching more and more.
Red Wharf Bay Branch, (Bartholomews Map)
Despite Albion Yard being full of Panniers as a rebellious yoof I always liked the LMS and in particular the LNWR. Not the plum and spilt milk mainline stock obviously, but the small branch lines, Holywell Town for example, there’s another shelfie layout screaming, make me! make me! regularly at me. So far I’ve resisted but it’s been a close run thing in the past.
Red Wharf Bay Anglesey
We watched the tide come in looking across at Red Wharf and up towards Benllech, just out of sight around the headland. With so few people there it was so engaging, one of those layout thought moments, what if?….
Recently I visited the York model railway exhibition, it’s usually a good one and one or two layouts really catch my eye. This year I was immediately taken back to early days of the blog and those Yahoo groups before forums and Facebook took off. Above is an overview of the bare Albion Yard baseboards, which had developed out of a desire to build an Iain Rice plan, ‘Cornfield Street’. As such the track plan is immediately familiar to me when I see it.
Swan Street Goods EM Gauge
Well at York I was immediately taken back to reading MORRIL, Iain’s article and plan and my attempt to get the plan working. This was because I was standing in front of Swan Street Goods (above), an EM rendition of the plan that is an almost exact replication of Iain’s concept.
Albion Yard, The Start
With best intentions I’d started the same way to replicate Iain’s plan as far as possible with Peco Code 75 track, the 3-way point that had recently been introduced being the fire starter to get the project going.
Swan Street EM
I’d kept as close as possible to the plan, but this is where using ready to lay track can be a disadvantage. Whilst I was able to replicate the plan, the ‘flow’ wasn’t there as the points whilst excellent quality have the restrictions of them being either left or right handed. I’d also used 9mm MDF for the track bed. That’s not a problem as such, it forms the track base for all my layouts so far. The issue was the thickness, and while I wanted to keep to Iain’s plan with two layers, the depth and point motor position wouldn’t allow that.
Swan Street EM
I’d also mirrored the plan, and that too had lost something in translation, I’d done that to accommodate it in its home of the time. The depth of the constructed boards and the track base thickness precluded me from having the lower level in place, so the overall impact of the original design was lost early on. This was particularly apparent in the section above, for me there was literally no clearance for the road vehicles that worked, so that went too! Ultimately I had something that wasn’t really like what it was supposed to be or I’d hoped it to be! There was one side benefit though, with this transformation I was no longer constrained by the original project concept, hence Albion Yard became a photo set, with different buildings and careful management of sightlines, I was able to disguise its origin and the fact that it had a pretty small footprint, the scenic section only being 8ft x 2ft.
Shelfie 3 WIP, Lower Mill Street
Above, is another return to try and scratch that urban itch. True to form though, it’s nothing like the original concept…..
Below is a Facebook post from the Hobby Industry Coalition, a group of North American hobby companies whom in the main supply ‘US’ outline products for their market.
The US Tariffs are recognised above, as a potential threat to the North American model railroad hobby the longer the Chinese Import tariffs remain in place.
This is from Craig Fuller CEO at Freightwaves
The beloved hobby of model railroading, a cornerstone of American culture for generations, faces an existential threat. As the toy and hobby industry grapples with potential new tariffs, small and mid-sized businesses find themselves on the brink of collapse. The proposed up to 145% tariff increase could spell doom for an entire sector, reducing it from a vibrant niche to a relic of the past.
At the heart of this crisis lies the unique economic structure of the model train industry. Unlike mass-market products, model trains operate on razor-thin margins, typically 15-20%. The industry relies heavily on pre-selling, with 95% of products sold months before arrival. This leaves no room for sudden price adjustments when shipments arrive, making the proposed tariff increase catastrophic.
The nature of model train production further compounds the problem. These are not mass-produced items but highly specialized, low-volume products. The costs of tooling and engineering are spread across small production runs, meaning there’s no economy of scale to offset the tariff’s impact. Whether a company produces 2,000 or 10,000 units, the fixed costs remain high, making any significant tariff increase devastating to the pricing structure.
Some might suggest moving production domestically, but this solution is neither economically viable nor logistically feasible. Labor and compliance costs in the U.S. are 5-10 times higher than in Asia. More critically, the specialized infrastructure required for model train production—including tooling, mold-making, and specialty die-casting—no longer exists in the United States. Decades of outsourcing have left the country without the plants, parts, or trained labor to match the precision and efficiency of Asian manufacturers.
It’s crucial to understand that these tariffs miss their intended target. Model trains and similar hobby products are not subject to dumping or unfair subsidies, nor do they pose a threat to national security. These legacy products, deeply embedded in American culture, were previously distinguished by the Section 301 exclusion process, but its removal now lumps them with mass-market imports that operate on much larger volumes and margins.
The consequences of this tariff threat are already unfolding. Inventory is frozen, orders for future seasons are being canceled, and production lines have ground to a halt. Small importers find themselves unable to clear containers or finance future shipments. Retailers are not receiving pre-ordered stock, and entire product lines are being shelved indefinitely.
If this tariff increase stands, it won’t just lead to temporary price hikes. It threatens to eradicate a uniquely American subculture, leading to permanent closures and the disappearance of generational brands that have been fixtures in the hobby for decades.
The modelrailroad industry isn’t seeking a bailout or special treatment. Rather, it’s calling for the reinstatement of the Section 301 exclusion process—a targeted tool that recognizes the economic scale, cultural significance, and trade harmlessness of this industry. Without such recognition and action, a cherished piece of American life may soon vanish, taking with it not just businesses and jobs, but a rich tradition of creativity, craftsmanship, and community.
As one industry insider poignantly stated, “If this stands, it’s not a temporary price hike—it’s the end of a uniquely American subculture.” The clock is ticking, and without intervention, the model railroad industry may indeed face its final stop.
The US RTR industry is very similar to ours, whilst we consider the brands we see on the shelves as manufacturers, for the most part they are comissioners, and no disrespect is given to them for that business practice. For us in the UK we need to go back to the 1980’s where we saw the first examples, Mainline and Airfix with Hong Kong produced models that we welcomed with open arms. The quality of their products compared to old Triang tooling releases, or even the contemporary Hornby releases of the time was significant.
Well, in parallel across the pond a similar revolution was taking place. The US hobby was familiar with high quality products from the far east, the expensive pinnacle of their RTR were Japanese and Korean brass models, which are still well regarded today. However like the UK, at street level the importing and production of mass produced models at attractive prices had a similar impact, and you’d see latest releases at knock down prices.
Simply put the Chinese factories were able to produce better, more affordable RTR models than the home industries, and production for our and North American ‘manufacturers’, moved offshore. Over the past years there have been comments to bring it home from voices who appear to have no commercial sense. And cutting to the chase can’t understand that even at UK national adult minimum wages of £12.25/hr (2025), assembly of highly detailed and intricate models will be unviable. Thats without all the backup of a factory, premises, machines for tooling and injection moulding, and paying the toolmakers and designers whose skillset would demand higher wages for their efforts.
So where does US tariffs potentially affect us? Well short term if the American market stagnates with companies holding off new production, then those slots will possible be available for the UK market manufacturers. This could mean faster deliveries of announced products, and also completely new products. Selfishly for the UK modellers this may be super news, but only if ‘we’ continue to buy new releases. Is our hobbies commercial appetite sufficient to sustain a flood of new products? Going back to the bring it home mouth breathers, whom already cry that our toy trains are too expensive, its safe to say that they aren’t going to support either an increase of new, expensive, Chinese manufactured imports, let alone more expensive UK made models flying the Union Jack.
Retailers on both sides of the pond will have their challenges too, regardless of if they’re a one man band or superstore. In the US there may be a dearth of products on the shelves, no product to sell no income, or if its doubled in price, a much smaller customer base. Here, if we aren’t going to buy this windfall of new products, then the retailers will have bulging shelves and no stock going out of the door in sufficient volume…
The above thoughts are just my own musings, there is no connection with any of my friends who work within it. The images chosen are at random, varying in scale and manufacturer, they all however are Chinese manufactured, and taken on exhibition trade stands.
One thing is for sure, the hobby isn’t going to die, but it will adapt to a new world.
After sensibly deciding not to duplicate a Class 31 at the introduction of the TT120 scale a couple of years ago, and sit and watch if ‘we’ bought into it, Heljan have now definitely entered the scale! The Deltic, an iconic east coast racehorse matches Hornby’s A3 and A4 for the collectors and modellers making east coast based projects. It was always a favourite class with the enthusiasts, and with them being no less popular in preservation they are still seen and heard today, giving that crossover to the contemporary era. The 122, well thats bread and butter wide ranging suburban or branch line passenger traffic. The 122 is on my list already! Both are provided with a good range of era specific liveries covering the longevity of the class, and hopefully these will tempt more modellers and manufacturers into the scale!
HELJAN’s first British TT 1:120 models will depict two British Railways classics – the ever-popular Gloucester RCWClass 122 diesel railcar and the legendary Class 55 ‘Deltic’. First to arrive will be the Class 122 ‘Bubble Car’ in Q1 2026, followed quickly by the ‘Deltic’ in Q2 2026.
The first running samples of the Class 122 and Class 55 make their debut at Key Model World Live on April 26/27, where they will be running on Chris Hobbs’ ‘Camelot’ layout as part of the HELJAN display. Better known as YouTube’s ‘Peachy TT120’, Chris will be on hand over the weekend to discuss all matters TT!
HELJAN UK Representative, Ben Jones, said: “We’re very excited to be moving into TT 1:120 scale, which we believe has huge potential. Our first two models have been chosen to complement products that are already available from other suppliers, helping to build a broad and cohesive range of models that will attract even more new modellers to this superb scale.”
Six Class 122 liveries and four classic Class 55 liveries will be available via HELJAN stockists on release (see below). All items are available to pre-order now.
Even better news is that we are also working with Rails of Sheffield to deliver no fewer than SIX limited edition TT 1:120 ‘Deltics’ celebrating all of the surviving Class 55s in various post-BR guises (see below) – a stunning collection that will appeal to ‘Deltic’ fanatics and TT layout builders alike. They will be joined by an exclusive BR Green Class 122 in early condition, ideal for use with BR steam locomotives and early diesels.
High Level Specification
While the Class 55 will be an ideal companion for Mk1/Mk2d coaches, Pullman Cars, Gresley A3/A4 ‘Pacifics’ and HSTs already available, the Class 122 is designed to offer something new in this scale – a perfect starting point for TT newcomers. It’s a complete train in a single vehicle, suitable for everything from branch line micro-layouts to busy main line stations. Featuring outstanding detail and all the working functions you’d expect from a new ‘OO’ model, the Class 122 opens up enormous opportunities for British ‘TT’ modelling.
Starting with a blank canvas in a new scale allows us set a high level of standard specification across all products, which includes high-quality mechanisms with small but powerful motors, new generation E24 compact DCC decoder interface, allowing up to 32 digital functions (dependent on decoder), factory fitted speakers, authentic lighting functions and superb attention to detail throughout. In addition, the Class 55 will be the first HELJAN TT 1:120 model to feature two ‘Power Pack’ capacitors to ensure smooth and uninterrupted performance when you need it. ‘Power Packs’ will be a standard feature on future TT 1:120 releases.
Other standard features include…
Detachable TT standard couplings
Factory Fitted Speakers
Authentic Lighting Functions
Separately Switchable Headcode Panel and Tail Lights (Class 55)
Authentic Detail Variations According to Period/Livery
The Class 55s will be offered with a wide range of authentic detail variations already seen on the latest HELJAN O gauge models. These will include cast or fabricated bogies, glazed or plated headcode panels and cab quarterlights, vacuum brake/steam heat and dual brake/dual heat versions, single or twin wipers and more. All models will be offered DCC Ready with an easy-to-access E24 decoder interface. Decoration will be the icing on the cake for these outstanding models, featuring a wealth of authentic detail across a wide range of attractive and popular liveries.
HELJAN TT 1:120 CLASS 122 – BATCH 1GENERAL RELEASE
#1261 BR Green Class 122 M55005 (Small Yellow Panels) DCC READY
Destinations: Wolverhampton/Birmingham
#1262 BR Green Class 122 W55003 (Small Yellow Panels) DCC READY
Destinations: Liskeard/Looe
#1263 BR Blue Class 122 W55008 (Small Yellow Panels) DCC READY
Destinations: Stourbridge Junction/ Stourbridge Town
#1264 BR Blue Class 122 Sc55011 (Full Yellow Ends) DCC READY
Destinations: Inverness/Aberdeen
#1265 BR Blue/Grey Class 122 M55009 DCC READY
Destinations: Longbridge/Leamington Spa
#1266 Regional Railways Class 122 55012 DCC READY
Destinations: Newquay/Par
HELJAN TT 1:120 CLASS 55 ‘DELTIC’ – BATCH 1 GENERAL RELEASE
(Livery Artwork is not final and included as a basic reference)
#5552 BR Blue Class 55 55012 Crepello (White Cab Windows) DCC READY
RAILS OF SHEFFIELD EXCLUSIVE TT MODELS
#1260 BR Green Class 122 W55000 (Speed Whiskers) DCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
Destinations: Leamington Spa/Stratford-on-Avon
#5544 BR Green D9009 Alycidon (Small Yellow Panels) DCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
#5553 BR Green 55002 Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Full Yellow Ends) DCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
#5554 BR Blue 55022/D9000 Royal Scots Grey (Silver Grilles/Fuel Tanks) DCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
#5557 BR Green D9015 Tulyar (2025 Condition) DCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
#5558 BR Green D9016 Gordon Highlander (Full Yellow Ends) DCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
#5559 BR Blue 55019 Royal Highland FusilierDCC READY – EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS OF SHEFFIELD
Suggested Retail Price (SRP) for all Class 122s and Class 55s is £189.99 each for advance orders placed before December 1st 2025, after which the SRP will rise to £199.99. Delivery of these exciting additions to our range is expected in Q1/Q2 2026.
Heljan have a good record of producing interesting OO gauge diesel shunters and the 02 production sample seen here seamlessly fits into that range. The 02’s were made by the Yorkshire Engine Company of Sheffield as a batch of twenty for British Rail between1960 and 1961 based on an existing design, around another fifty or so were built specifically for industrial use. The BR locomotives were allocated to Midland Region and spent most of their lives in the industrial Northwest in the Liverpool and Manchester area.
Heljan Class 02
The model in for review is Catalogue number 2841 DCC ready, OO gauge. The basic specification include Next18 decoder interface, and interior and external lighting. The model weighs in at 122 grammes which is excellent of such a compact model. There is provision for DCC sound included too, with a speaker already fitted. Note that this being a pre-production model within the handbook there is a speaker mounting location identified on the underside of the cab roof. The packaging is the familiar sturdy carton, and internal foam surround with the model held inside a vacuum form ‘ice cube’ type cradle. No components had come loose in transit. Also included is a detail pack which includes etched maker name plate, 3 link couplings, and buffer beam blanking plates. Cab lighting in DC is switchable using a magnetic wand (also included). The instruction handbook is the familiar Heljan leaflet style showing how to remove the body, a parts diagram and historical outline of the class. as mentioned above the instructions suggest fitting an Iphone type speaker in the cab roof, however the speaker is fitted within the chassis, and only requires an appropriate sound chip. In an interesting move Heljan are simultaneously making this prototype in O gauge too which I feel will do well in that market too, both these types will be well suited to the small layout genre.
Heljan OO gauge BR Class 02
First impression often counts for me, and the Heljan 02 hits the mark immediately and doesn’t disappoint. It immediately looks in proportion, edges are well defined and thin, particularly the cab roof edges and the color is a good opaque satin finish. Detail fittings are all correctly fitted and square and no evidence of excess glue around them. There are no paint blemishes and the detail printing is legible and clear. The wheel tyre faces are painted black giving the wheels a pleasing uniformity, the brass crankpins do stand out a little but a touch of red paint will easily resolve that small inconsistency. The prototype over its many years of service remained pretty much unchanged. For the livery as supplied it appears that Heljan have all the variations correct on this model and cross checking my available drawing (OPC Pictorial Record of the Diesel Shunter), the dimensions are correct too. Barrow Hill Roundhouse assisted Heljan with their 02 for data collation and research.
Heljan OO gauge BR Class 02
The weight of the model is immediately apparent, dropping it on the scale it records a healthy 122 grammes. The running plate and chassis are primarily metal castings with the bonnet and cab plastic. The body has some handrails and door openers moulded in place, but the main bonnet top and rear cab and platform handrails are separate components. The gentle slope of the bonnet profile is well captured. Window glazing is particularly good with individual panes rather than the often seen prismatic mouldings, or as Heljan have done in the past a transparent overpainted cab. Blackened very fine etched windscreen wipers are fitted giving a very effective appearance to the cab. Interior details are visible and individually painted, removing the body will allow access to fit a crew if so desired.
Heljan OO gauge BR Class 02 cab detail
For me the cab glazing is excellent overall but on this sample the frames of the cab side windows had some clear sections. However this is really nit picking and a fine brush with paint will easily resolve that, and far better than it being painted too heavily. At the cab end of the locomotive there are handrails fitted to the rear platform. The model will need a some careful handling around these delicate but distinctive railings. The packaging is designed to give adequate clearance for them. Individual handrails and lamp irons are fitted too with illuminated lamps on the top of the running plate. Individual filler hatches are separate components as are the buffer beam lifting rings.
Heljan OO gauge BR Class 02
Bufferbeam detail is good with vacuum pipes fitted and non sprung buffers, included in the detail pack are three link couplings. I’d like to have seen sprung buffers however the practicality of fitting them with the prototypes buffer beam and step configuration makes that impractical. One of the buffers on the rear platform of this sample is slightly misaligned, but is liveable with.
Body Removal
Heljan OO gauge BR Class 02
Body removal is straightforward with just three screws required to remove the body for chip fitting or any maintenance. There are two screw underneath the fuel tanks accessed from underneath. The top bonnet lamp hides the third fixing. This is an interference fit that presses into a moulded recess hiding a screw underneath. It’s a component that will need careful handling as it is a very small component.
Bonnet fixing screw locationStandard Next 18 DCC fitting
Cab lighting is controlled by either the supplied magnetic wand or by DCC functions. The DCC fitting is a Next18 configuration. For testing I used a Dapol Imperium 2 six function decoder. This was an easy fix and gave good plug and play results with no fine tuning of functions required, the controller used was an NCE powercab.
The lighting functions are straightforward, cab and/or shunting lights can be selected in DCC. In DC mode just the cab is illuminated, and this can be switched off with the magnetic wand.
Chassis
The split of the body and the chassis is a logical and straightforward one. The body clips onto the running plate and there are no gaps. If fitting a stay alive there may be some challenges fitting one under the bonnet, due to the lack of space. The cab area is open so that may provide an easy option to fit any stay alive required.
So having made good impression straight out of the box the first thing I do is try it on a test track or rollers using a Gaugemaster Combi controller. The chassis runs very quietly and smoothly, and is of rigid construction. The motor is a coreless type with a fitted flywheel driving onto the rear axle. The drive mechanism is hidden and doesn’t intrude into the cab area, another example of the discrete small motor mechanisms we see in today’s models.
The metal chassis block is of split chassis construction with pickup collection through phosphor bronze axle bearings. There is some lateral movement on the axles and the brake shoes are in line with the wheel treads. I’ve not disassembled the chassis to assess EM/P4 capability, but there appears to be sufficient clearance behind the chassis air tanks, brake shoes will require adjusting. The gear train is only fitted to the rear driving axle. For me this is a sound decision as there’s no binding or cogging with this chassis on the gradients with or without loads. The phosphor bronze pickup collars are very effective for this split chassis design. The test track used has a good deal of uneven track and poor joints which usually find any weak spot with a traditional pick up strip bearing on wheel treads or tyres, this model was not troubled by any of the track it was tested on.
Weighing in at 122 grammes there’s good weight for reasonable length trains for such a compact model. I test any RTR releases by using a simple 3 degree slope using Woodland Scenics preformed inclines under my test track, which uses Peco Code 75 Bullhead track. This isn’t fixed down so effectively represents ‘poorly’ laid track. The model under test pulled and pushed from standing starts 325 grammes, using my test wagon and car weights. However, putting four Bachmann MK1 BG’s together weighing 500grammes it started those with some slipping, so there’s a very creditable performance for such a diminutive locomotive. Its good performance has been consistent on five different track types. With Peco Cd75 Streamline in both flat bottom and Bullhead types, and Peco set track there were no issues apart from occasionally stopping on the Bullhead large radius V crossing. Using it on Kato uni track points and Micro engineering points the locomotive does stop on the V crossings. I must emphasis that this isn’t a problem with Heljan’s 02, this is due to the length of the ‘dead’ sections of these V crossings on this type of track, combined with the short wheelbase. Both types of track are uncommon in UK hobby use. The wheelbase vs ‘dead frog’ crossings compare to Pecket/Sentinel/Hawthorn Leslie models from other manufacturers, they all experience similar ‘problems’. The solution to this is primarily to have electrically live point crossings and good track laying, especially if using such short wheelbase locomotives. If using DCC a ‘stay alive’ will minimise any stalling too.
DCC speaker fitting Heljan 02
As mentioned in the introduction the model tested is a final engineering sample. The instructions make mention of the user fitting a sound speaker into the cab roof. However there is a fitted speaker included, the instruction pamphlet predating this final production modification. It’s an Iphone type speaker and is very ingeniously fitted behind the drivers console as shown above, so you don’t need to buy one with the locomotive if sound is your thing. Being the follow on shunter release after the Model Rail limited edition Class 11, the 02 keeps the same standards and possibly with the sublime running qualities for a rigid chassis 0-4-0, exceeds them. The opportunities for D&E based micro layouts abound with this release particularly with its longevity in industrial use, and I think it’s likely to be popular in both scales.
Heljan LHS, Craftsman RHS
Overall then, a very competent and pleasing representation of the 02, to a high standard of finish and detail. The price at £170 in spring 2025 I feel is reasonable for a model of this quality, if you were to locate either of the DJH or Craftsman kits the cost is unlikely to be significantly cheaper, for a product thats not as good, obviously bearing in mind both kits are of early 1980’s vintage. Having built the Craftsman kit, (on the right, above) I much prefer the Heljan version. You often see comments that having ‘made’ something, a kit for example, that the kit build outranks the RTR product because someone has made it. For me that isn’t a factor, this Heljan model is well worth the outlay, and if you want a shunter that packs a punch as well as looks good, this model is well worth considering.
Albion Yard 
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