BREAKING NEWS: Ixion joins British ‘N’ market

The rapidly growing British ‘N’ Gauge market has received another boost with news of another manufacturer entering the fray. Ixion – a company formed by three railway modelling enthusiasts in Australia and the UK – has unveiled plans to release up to four new models of British-outline locomotives over the next two years.The models will be constructed to 1:148 scale British ‘N’ gauge, and will be of “main line British locos” though so far the exact identity of any of the planned models has not been revealed. Those behind Ixion are noted Australian modellers Phil Badger and Lindsay O’Reilly, and British enthusiast Chris Klein.Mr Klein told Model Rail: “To produce a new model in the way we’re planning to, you need three things: capital, ideas and, frankly, a lot of guts.”He added: “The money for this has been raised by the three of us in our own ways, and we have no connection with any of the established manufacturers. We’ve also got some radical ideas for new features that we don’t think have been tried before in ‘N’ gauge models.”Ixion says it will reveal technical specifications (but not the identity) of the first model at Warley and the models will be “at least on a par” with US or Japanese products manufactured by companies such as Kato.The prototype chosen as Ixion’s first model is a closely guarded secret. Enthusiasts have been told not to read anything into the company’s name (Ixion is the name of a preserved Class 46 diesel) nor into the fact that two of the three men behind the new firm are Australian – the models are said to be of “British prototypes that were not exported.”The company says it will only reveal exact details once CAD drawings have been signed off – probably in January – and is aiming to have the first model on sale at next September’s ‘N’ Gauge Show at Leamington.The planned price is expected to be “in the same area” as existing mass market models, but Ixion will not give an exact figure.Over the longer term, Chris Klein said, “with sufficient sales, we plan to release a new British ‘N’ gauge locomotive model roughly every six months for the first two to three years. “We also have some interesting and radical ideas for other model railway related items, not locomotives, though again such developments are dependent on modellers supporting our programme of releases.” Discover more at: http://ixionmodels.com/