Trains4U is one of the largest Model Railway specialists in the east of England

Occupying an enormous 3600 square foot showroom, we offer thousands of products from over 50 manufacturers.

Trains4U was formed in July 2004 in response to the closure of the last Model Railway shop in Peterborough the previous year.

Owned by Father and Son Steve and Gareth Helliwell, the business opened with a small stock of Hornby, Bachmann, Peco, Gaugemaster and Fleischmann products in a 900 sq ft unit in Peterborough's St' David's Square trading estate.

Demand for our products and services was unprecedented and we quickly diversified into N gauge, DCC and slot cars, whilst expanding our range of suppliers to provide more models, scenic materials, tools and paints.

Our initial website solution soon became difficult to manage so we suspended our online service whilst our walk-in business rapidly grew and we soon filled our showroom to bursting point.

Fortnately at this time the 4000 sq ft unit directly opposite became available, so in Summer 2008 we decided to take the plunge and move in. This allowed us scope to expand ou ranges even further and display them in a way that was even more accessible and welcoming for our customers.

The move allowed us to diversify further into platic kits, much larger ranges of slot cars and scenics and provide previously unavailable services and facilities for our customers.

Now, in 2011, our new website has been launched and we are gradually adding a wide selection of our product range, so that it is available for online purchase.

All of our railway rolling stock and our slot cars are displayed in large glass cases for easy browsing.

All of our products are on the ground floor with easy access for disabled customers or customers with mobility problems.

Our Products and customer facilities include:

Model Railways and Accessories from:
Hornby
Bachmann
Heljan
Dapol
Graham Farish
PECO
RealTrack Models
Oxford Diecast
Classix
LGB
Eckon/Berko

Continental products from:
Noch
Preiser
Fleischmann
Roco
Arnold
Lima
Joueff
Faller
Electrotren

Scenic and scratchbuilding materials from:
Woodland Scenics
Javis
Gaugemaster
Wills
Superquick
Evergreen
Albion Alloys
Scenescapes
Knightwing
P+D Marsh
Springside
Metcalfe
DAS

Power and control equipment, including DCC from:
Gaugemaster
Train Control Systems
ESU
Bachmann
Hornby
DCC Concepts
PECO
Bachrus

Tools from:
Expo
Xuron
Swann Morton
Antex

Magazines, Catalogues, publications and DVDs
Model Rail
Railway Modeller
Continental Modeller
Hornby Magazine
British Railway Modelling
Visions International

Paints glues solvents and weathering products from:
Humbrol
Revell
Deluxe Materials
Expo
Railmatch
Tamiya
Modelmasters

Plastic kits from:
Airfix
Revell
Tamiya
Dragon
Italeri
Academy
Zvezda
Trumpeter
Skif
Roden
Huma
AFV Club

Slot cars and accessories from:
Scalexric
Scalextric Micro
Carrera

We typically have over 80 different cars in stock at any time.

Second-hand
A great selection of pre-owned model railway locomotives, rolling stock and buildings in OO and N gauge, plus our rummage boxes full of used accessories and scenic materials.

Other customer facilities include:

Demonstration Layouts
A demonstration railway layout for N and OO
Incorporating Analogue control
Dynamis DCC
and Gaugemaster Prodigy 2 systems

A 10'x4' Digital Scalextric track, witha selection of cars
to allow demonstrations of the Scalextric Digital system

DCC fitting services (Including Sound)

Service and Repair for Model Railways and Scalextric Cars

Customer Toilets

Seating area with a coffee/ hot chocolate machine

Masses of free parking outside our front door

PLUS, we are home to RUNSWICK LEAMSIDE

Macclesfield and District Modeller's 32' x 11' epic layout, permanently housed at Trains4U and available for our use.

Whilst our stock is not as impressive as that of the owners, we are able to demonstrate the layout by request and we hold occasional running sessions for customers to run their own stock.
Please see the layout's page for further details.

CLICK HERE

Last updated Feb 2011