Is detail/tooling in older class 56 models much worse?

[SRman]

Dapol bought/took over many of the Mainline products when Palitoy folded. When Dapol decided to pass on their businesses, Hornby got the ex-Mainline stuff, as well as Dapol's own items like the mark 2D coaches. Dapol continued under different management and developed new lines of products. Hornby continued to introduce new livery variants on the old Mainline and Dapol products, some of which are still available, although the class 56 seems to have gone from the range, with only the newer super-detailed ones now available.

[JSpencer]

It is a bit more complex than that.

 

Mainline was a brand owned by Palitoy, made in China by Kader. A second brand Airfix (or GMR great model railways) was being made in another factory at the time.

 

First Airfix failed and Palitoy brought the model railway range and placed under the Mainline label. New models were made in that same factory for the Mainline range ( it is possible that the 56 was already under development for Airfix....). The other factory might have been Sanda Kan, certainly the tools were used there in Hornby days.

 

When mainline went to the wall, the tools at Kader and owned by Kader eventually appeared first under Replica and then Bachmann (kaders own brand). The tools at the other factory went to Dapol then later Hornby. And this is how the 56 appeared there and not Bachmann.

[SRman]

Absolutely.

 

I was trying to keep it simple. As you said, though, it is quite possible/probable that Airfix was developing the 56 before their collapse. I didn't want to introduce the Replica Railways connection as that becomes a whole lot more confusing. The mark 2D coaches I mentioned actually started in the Airfix range too.

 

I seem to recall there was a very detailed article in one of the more recent Bachmann Times magazines (from the Collecotrs Club) on the ins and outs of the Airfix/Mainline/Replica/Dapol/Hornby connections and overlaps.

[farren]

Thanks that's cleared the muddy waters Somewhat.

[stovepipe]

Actually Mainline didn't 'go to the wall'. The parent company General Mills, decided to get out of the market place as part of a wider reorganisation.