The British Railways LNER 13-ton steel hopper wagon was based on an LNER design but produced in the early British Railways era between 1949 and 1953. It marked a step forward from earlier wooden-bodied wagons by using an all-steel, welded construction, which offered improved durability and reduced maintenance needs. The design reflected the LNER’s long-standing experience with mineral wagons, but was adapted for post-war production methods in BR workshops such as those at Shildon, Faverdale, and York.

Over 2,600 of these wagons were built, and they became a common sight in the North Eastern Region. This was partly because many goods yards in the area had coal-drop staithes, making the bottom-discharge hopper design especially efficient for unloading bulk materials. While they were primarily intended for transporting coal, the hoppers proved versatile and were later used to carry stone, sand, and other aggregates.

The 13-ton steel hopper was a reliable and workmanlike vehicle that served across the UK for several decades. Its robust construction meant it could withstand heavy use, and it became a mainstay of freight traffic in the post-war period. Although newer wagon designs eventually replaced them, some examples remained in service into the early 1980s, making them one of the longer-lived mineral wagon types of the mid-20th century.

During the 1960s, British semi-detached houses reflected a period of post-war recovery and growing suburban prosperity. As Britain rebuilt from wartime damage and expanded its suburbs, demand for affordable family homes surged. Semi-detached houses became the ideal solution — cost-effective, spacious, and suited to modern lifestyles. Built mainly from brick or concrete with simple geometric designs, they often featured large windows, central heating, and private gardens. Unlike the ornate Victorian or interwar styles, 1960s semis embraced functionalism and minimal ornamentation, echoing modernist influences. Many were constructed as part of large housing estates on city outskirts, supported by improved road networks and rising car ownership. These homes symbolised optimism, mobility, and the shift toward suburban living, forming a lasting part of Britain’s mid-20th-century architectural identity.

• Laser cut wood kits with finely rendered detailing
• Each kit representing a typical 1960s style semi detached block of two houses, front elevation, rear elevation and complete building.
• Can be joined up to create a longer block, terrace.
• Front porch can be fitted as an optional extra
• Scope for further interior decoration (not provided)
• Complement our earlier releasee of Victorian Houses – kits NB306, NB307, NB308, also in N
• Additional upsell products available form the ratio range such as:
  • 300 Guttering and Downpipes
  • 307 Chimneys

During the 1960s, British semi-detached houses reflected a period of post-war recovery and growing suburban prosperity. As Britain rebuilt from wartime damage and expanded its suburbs, demand for affordable family homes surged. Semi-detached houses became the ideal solution — cost-effective, spacious, and suited to modern lifestyles. Built mainly from brick or concrete with simple geometric designs, they often featured large windows, central heating, and private gardens. Unlike the ornate Victorian or interwar styles, 1960s semis embraced functionalism and minimal ornamentation, echoing modernist influences. Many were constructed as part of large housing estates on city outskirts, supported by improved road networks and rising car ownership. These homes symbolised optimism, mobility, and the shift toward suburban living, forming a lasting part of Britain’s mid-20th-century architectural identity.

• Laser cut wood kits with finely rendered detailing
• Each kit representing a typical 1960s style semi detached block of two houses, front elevation, rear elevation and complete building.
• Can be joined up to create a longer block, terrace.
• Front porch can be fitted as an optional extra
• Scope for further interior decoration (not provided)
• Complement our earlier releasee of Victorian Houses – kits NB306, NB307, NB308, also in N
• Additional upsell products available form the ratio range such as:
  • 300 Guttering and Downpipes
  • 307 Chimneys

During the 1960s, British semi-detached houses reflected a period of post-war recovery and growing suburban prosperity. As Britain rebuilt from wartime damage and expanded its suburbs, demand for affordable family homes surged. Semi-detached houses became the ideal solution — cost-effective, spacious, and suited to modern lifestyles. Built mainly from brick or concrete with simple geometric designs, they often featured large windows, central heating, and private gardens. Unlike the ornate Victorian or interwar styles, 1960s semis embraced functionalism and minimal ornamentation, echoing modernist influences. Many were constructed as part of large housing estates on city outskirts, supported by improved road networks and rising car ownership. These homes symbolised optimism, mobility, and the shift toward suburban living, forming a lasting part of Britain’s mid-20th-century architectural identity.

• Laser cut wood kits with finely rendered detailing
• Each kit representing a typical 1960s style semi detached block of two houses, front elevation, rear elevation and complete building.
• Can be joined up to create a longer block, terrace.
• Front porch can be fitted as an optional extra
• Scope for further interior decoration (not provided)
• Complement our earlier releasee of Victorian Houses – kits NB306, NB307, NB308, also in N
• Additional upsell products available form the ratio range such as:
  • 300 Guttering and Downpipes
  • 307 Chimneys

The Ffestiniog Railway, located in North Wales, is the world’s oldest surviving independent railway company, founded in 1832. Originally built to transport slate from the quarries of Blaenau Ffestiniog to the port at Porthmadog, it was engineered with a unique narrow gauge of just 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm), ideal for winding through the rugged Snowdonia landscape. Innovative features included gravity-powered slate trains running downhill and horses hauling the wagons back uphill.

In the 1860s, steam locomotives were introduced, making the Ffestiniog the first narrow-gauge railway in the world to successfully use them. After declining slate demand led to closure in 1946, dedicated volunteers began restoring the line in the 1950s. Today, it runs as a popular heritage railway, linking Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog once again, and is celebrated for its pioneering engineering, scenic beauty, and remarkable preservation story.

These latest PECO train packs celebrate that legacy with attention to authenticity and a passion for detail.

The Ffestiniog Railway, located in North Wales, is the world’s oldest surviving independent railway company, founded in 1832. Originally built to transport slate from the quarries of Blaenau Ffestiniog to the port at Porthmadog, it was engineered with a unique narrow gauge of just 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm), ideal for winding through the rugged Snowdonia landscape. Innovative features included gravity-powered slate trains running downhill and horses hauling the wagons back uphill.

In the 1860s, steam locomotives were introduced, making the Ffestiniog the first narrow-gauge railway in the world to successfully use them. After declining slate demand led to closure in 1946, dedicated volunteers began restoring the line in the 1950s. Today, it runs as a popular heritage railway, linking Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog once again, and is celebrated for its pioneering engineering, scenic beauty, and remarkable preservation story.

These latest PECO train packs celebrate that legacy with attention to authenticity and a passion for detail.

The wonderful creative pastime of model railways is celebrated in the 2026.

 Railway Modeller Special, produced by the publisher of Railway Modeller, the UK’s market-leading model railway title with the highest ABC audited readership., Railway Modeller remains unique in British model railway publishing, as it is part of a company that is long-associated with the industry, namely the world famous PECO model railway brand.

•    Journey along the Somerset & Dorset – from Bath Green Park to Bournemouth West
•    Thurlestone & Bullhouse – a celebration of pre-Grouping steam in OO
•    Railways before 1825 – the story of rail evolution before Locomotion
•    Smoke and mirrors – a model railway diorama for photographic subterfuge
•    Along Alpine lines – riding the Swiss metre-gauge Rhaetian Railway
•    Modelling tips and inspiration; manufacturer profile; and much, much more…