As a model railway collector simply purchasing a pre-assembled product can be a real thrill, however nothing quite compares to being able to put a model together yourself.
Model kits have for years brought families together and given collectors a long term project to work on. Over the decades, the UK has been blessed with numerous companies providing model kits which people can put together themselves. The likes of Meccano, Airfix and even Lego have been producing models of this ilk for generations allowing collectors or fathers and sons to look back on a train, boat or truck and say "I made that".
Mamod is no different and along with its range of pre-assembled models it has a number of kit products. They include favourite items such as the 1405 Fire Engine, 1406C Steam Roadster and the steam roller. A kit product offers much more than just the standard model as it can give that sense of satisfaction to the collector once it is finally completed.
Here is the lowdown on Mamod's kit collection.
Why the models chosen?
Mamod currently only has six kits on offer which come in a variety of colours. When choosing a model to put into kit form there are a number of considerations that Mamod needs to be aware of. Designers will assess the ease of assembly, the extra tooling required and the overall popularity of the the model. Once these have been determined then work can get underway.
The company revealed that it wants to look into creating a stationary engine in kit form. If developed it would need a large boiler, slide valve and gas burner which takes fuel tablets. However, officials noted that demand would dictate whether this would ever see the light of day.
One model which will be converted into kit form is the Brunel which is expected to be the next product on the market.
Assembly and tools
Mamod has tried to make the assembly of its products as simple as possible meaning anyone from the novice all the way up to the seasoned collector can put the model together with relative ease.
Over the years, Mamod's traction engine kit has become its most popular item due to the iconic nature of the model and the fact that it is relatively easy to put together. This is in contrast to the fire engine kit which is deemed as the most complicated kit within Mamod's range.
Every Mamod kit comes with an instructions page giving people a step-by-step guide on how to put the model together. All the nuts and bolts are provided and since Mamod uses a specific selection of suppliers, the parts will not be able to be sourced from a DIY shop or other retailer The instructions are in a series of languages for its global customers.
When it comes to equipment, Mamod explains that all a person will need is a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. It states that the kits have been manufactured in a way which means that everyone will be able to have a go at building them.