Pete Kelly visits the reborn Loughborough firm of Skytrex (2013) Ltd, which produces ever-expanding ranges of O and OO-scale model railway buildings and accessories in both resin and white metal.
Skytrex (2013) Ltd was created from assets purchased from the administrators when the original firm of Skytrex Ltd went into administration in the summer of 2013.
Many of the wargames ranges and some items from the railway ranges were sold off during this period until finally a group, including former employees, was able to make an offer to the administrators for the remaining ranges and, crucially, the manufacturing equipment and the bulk of the railway ranges. This offer was accepted and Skytrex (2013) Ltd was formed in October of that year.
Skytrex (2013) Ltd now operates out of a modern workshop unit, on an industrial estate in Loughborough, Leicestershire.
During a visit to its far bigger than I’d ever imagined premises on Tuesday, January 8, I met David Bailey, who runs the daily operations in the factory.
David showed me around the first floor mezzanine office, packing and storage level, before giving me a thoroughly enjoyable guided tour of the factory floor downstairs.
The current workforce is all former employees of the old company, all re-employed to make best use of their years of experience of the products and manufacturing techniques involved.
Alongside the model railway ranges, Skytrex also still produces many wargames and collectors’ items, as well as offering a contract mould-making and casting service for both resin and white metal.
Within the model railway field, Skytrex is probably best known for its O-gauge range of buildings and accessories.
This grew from an original ready-to-run rolling stock range which was then supplemented with wagon loads and accessories, and this was swiftly followed by lineside buildings, then the purchase and addition of the NMB range of buildings. These non-rolling stock products are now the largest part of the available O-gauge model range.
For the full article, see the February 2019 edition of Modelling – available now!
For a complete list of stockists and how to get your copy, visit: www.railwaymagazinemodelling.co.uk/distributors
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