C is for Craftline Canal Cruisers

As Hornby struggle to re-finance, threatening three other old brands for the umpteenth time; Airfix, Scalextric and Corgi, it's nice to know that some companies just keep plugging away at what they do best, not going for world domination, not experimenting with new lines, new materials or new production chains, just...plugging away...

...and one such is Craftline Models, makers of fine craft-models (you have to do the bulk of the work) in balsa-wood, primarily for the model railway hobby, their vessel kits and buildings (well, lock-gates and bridges!) are also very useful for 'Operation Sealion' scenarios.

The lower shot is a scan of an old 1IW Toy Fair article, and represents the models carried by Hobbie's Annual in the 2000's, the full range is a little bigger now, and I'll get a listing in the A-Z before the end of the day and post the link here.

They have updated their header-card over the 40-odd years I've been aware of them! Possibly three times? But the enclosed sheet and balsa components have ensured the packaging dimensions have remained the same.

Their core customer base is not even model-railway aficionados, these are for sale at every 'corner' shop, gift shop and general store along the paths of Britains waterways, craft and industrial museums, tourist hot-spots like Iron Bridge and those sorts of places...and it was where I got one, doing the Grand Union Canal back in 1977/8...

...my modelling skills, especially with balsa were not show-stopping back then, and I have since made a much better one which I'd been hoping to show here as well, but the photographs haven't been forthcoming from the recipient! I could 'do' this 'up', but it's a bit of my past, and I intend to build one of the three in the stash at some point...we'll come back to them then!