AR Kits http://arkits.com/blog.php AR Kits Blog en-us Trading Post 12.11.13 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=35 I have just put up some DVD's on the Trading Post. I was to do this a couple of weeks ago, but they are there now.

Buy One Get One Free ..... obviously you pay for the dearer one!

Go for it ...please I need to clear some of these items.

Another Flash Special coming up at the end of the week!


Barbara and Alwyn

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Tue, 12 Nov 2013 02:01:16 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=35
Trading Post Specials 18.10.13 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=34 I have marked some items as 'SALE 20', please check them out.

They will stay at this price for 36 - 48 hours then back to normal.

Barbara

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Thu, 17 Oct 2013 04:42:51 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=34
Trading Post / Newsletter 6.09.2013 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=33 Newsletter was sent out last night...did you get one? Do you want one? Go to the website and click on the thing and fill in the whatsi and you will automatically get the next newsletter.

Trading post items... I have just added another 85 items to the trading post.


Happy looking

Barbara

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Fri, 06 Sep 2013 05:29:47 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=33
Trading Post 26.8.13 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=32 More items added.

Have a heap of brass etch items coming up.

Happy looking.

Barbara

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Mon, 26 Aug 2013 05:20:11 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=32
Trading Post 22.8.13 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=31 Hi there, new items added, mostly books, have a few DVD's and videos ready to go up next week.

Happy looking,

Barbara

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Thu, 22 Aug 2013 05:14:24 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=31
Trading Post / Newcastle http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=30 Alwyn is home from Newcastle, unloading the ute, had a great weekend, more in the newsletter next week.

Trading Post - I have just done a cull of the sold items, makes the list a little shorter to get through.

Hope to put more items up this week, have them photographed just need to do the computer bit!

Barbara and Alwyn

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Mon, 19 Aug 2013 23:24:58 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=30
Newcastle this weekend / Orders http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=29 Newcastle exhibition this weekend, orders received here after COB today will not be processed until next Monday or Tuesday when Alwyn is back and unloaded the stock and eftpos machine.

For those going to the exhibition, call in and see the fellow, keep him busy!


Barbara

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Wed, 14 Aug 2013 05:21:13 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=29
More items on the Trading Post 7.8.13 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=28 There is a little gremlin in my computer in my internet explorer and messages put on the blog via IE have not been 'saving' the content. A job for our IT man! So there have been messages going up when I have added items to the trading post but with no content!

Anyway using Mozilla it all seems to be happy.

So there are more items going up this afternoon, happy looking.

Barbara and Alwyn

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Wed, 07 Aug 2013 06:18:10 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=28
Lost Loco? http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=27 We have a second hand locomotive here that was purchased from another reatiler and left on our stand at the Sydney exhibition 2012. If you think this is yours please respond to this message with details about your loco and we will arrange to have it sent to you, with you picking up the postage of course. Alternatively it can be taken to this years Sydney exhibition for the owner to pick up.

Barbara

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Tue, 06 Aug 2013 00:31:57 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=27
Trading Post 25 July 2013 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=24 I have just added some more items to the Trading Post, have more photographed ready to go up, hope fully in the next couple of days.

Barbara

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Thu, 25 Jul 2013 04:18:18 +0000 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=24
New items listed 17 July 2013 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=23 I have listed more books on the Trading Post. Quite a few are OOP (Out of Print) so have a look and see if there are any you have been looking for.

Barbara

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Wed, 17 Jul 2013 18:05:19 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=23
Newcastle Exhibition http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=22 Alwyn will be at the Newcastle exhibition in August, more info later.

Barbara







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Mon, 15 Jul 2013 00:14:35 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=22
Trading post 14 July 2013 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=21 I have listed a few more tiems on the Trading Post, mostly books and a couple of wagons.

Barbara

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Sun, 14 Jul 2013 18:00:05 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=21
BME-BMX Kits and Gold Coast Exhibition http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=20 I have now added the BME-BMX kits to our online listing, listed under 'Other' (other manufacturers). It is the last tab on the right.

Alwyn will be at the Gold Coast Miniature Train Exhibition this coming weekend, 20th and 21st July 2013. If you wish to order items to be picked up at the exhibition please have your order in by Thursday 18th July.

Barbara and Alwyn


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Sun, 14 Jul 2013 13:30:54 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=20
BME/BMX Wagons http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=18 We have had a few enquiries asking where the BME/BMX Wagons can be found on our website. We are sorry but the new button has not been added yet but we hope to have it done ASAP. Thank you for your enquiries but if all else fails just go to something small and purchase it and then in the comments pages record that you want a BME/BMX Kit and the numbers. As all further processing after you order is received is manual labour so the filling of your order will be easy.

Barbara and Al. 

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Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:58:12 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=18
Epping / Thornleigh http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=17 The ute is loaded and I have processed all the orders ready for pick up at some stage over the weekend.

Just got to get the fellow fed and watered and on the road!

Hope you all enjoy the exhibition.

Barbara and Alwyn .

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Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:55:22 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=17
Orders / Mail http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=16 There will be an mail out tomorrow, 5th June and then nothing until Alwyn gets back from Epping on the Thursday or Friday the following week, 13th or 14th June. After the exhibition he will have a day or two with our Son at Lakesland before heading home.

Our apologies for any inconvenience.

Barbara and Alwyn . . .

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Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:04:12 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=16
Epping / Thornleigh this weekend / Orders http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=15 The show stand has been unloaded and topped up from Toowoomba exhibition last weekend ready for Epping this weekend.

Orders are packed ready for pick up at the show.

New wheelsets to pack, new decals have been packed, I have boxed up ninety odd ready to runs and Alwyn tells me there is another 100 coming through from the factory tomorrow, guess I am folding boxes tonight!!!

We're getting there....

Barbara and Alwyn


 

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Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:59:36 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=15
Newsletter # 3 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=14 Bit slack getting the newsletter up on the blog ..... if you want ot get it quicker go to the website and click on Newsletter and you will automatically go on the list to receive them.

Sorry no pictures again this time, have to check with the IT man on how do do that bit!!!




Hello
again, "and so soon" I hear you say. Do not worry, it is not our intention to bombard you with newsletters every week, but remembered some information I forgot to put in the last newsletter.

Also wanted to show you the latest addition to the property, and no it is NOT a train.

Meet Isobel, mother Millie and father Casaglen Benjamin are the proud parents.











Exhibition
Special ... A special run of our popular Bearing Tool has been done, it is a most versatile tool and is different to any other tool on the market. The cutting axle has two cutting bits at either end, one to
clean and re-seat the bearing surface in bogies, the second for added longevity to your bogies with a cutting tool that will ream out an accurate hole for either plain or top hat bearings. Product code MWA010 Bearing Tool - $45.00.
The tool is on special at all exhibitions this year starting with Toowoomba for the above price with two complimentary packets of bearings. Product code MWA011 Brass Bearings x 20 - $6.00 and Product code MWA029 Brass Bearings - Top Hat x 20 - $6.00, a saving of $12.00 on your purchase.



Wheelsets ... We now have a selection of wheelsets being manufactured by Northyard to our requirements.10.25 disc wheel with four holes ... these were seen in the 70's and 80's and
went out of vogue for some time but are now coming back into use. The idea of the holes was to aid in cooling of the wheels during braking. Product code W1025D 10.25mm 4 Hole Disc Wheel $12.00
10.25 x 9 spoke wheel ... these wheelsets are exclusive to AR Kits. They are made with a shouldered axle similiar to that made by K&M. The benefits are, accurate interferance fit of the wheel on the axle and better gauge performance. As we progress RP25.88 wheelsets will be made
available as well as 23mm axles. Due to the cost of these wheelsets theyare only available direct. Product code W1025SA 9 Spoke Wheel $12.00

Precast Concrete Loads are back on stock. Product code FCDP04 Precast Concrete Load for MLE - $10.00.

New
Line Side Detail Part ... Switch Machine, detail your points with a dummy switch machine casting.These will add that little extra detail around your points and combined with AR Kits Sleeper castings, help make the complete scene. Product code LSDP18 Switch Machine - $5.00 and Product code LSDP04 Sleepers - Loose x 25 $6.00.

 







Also in the line side detail parts are bridge piers, pier sub footing and
abutment. There will be more photos and information on the AR Kits blog
at a later date, (after Epping exhibition).


Product code LSDP19 Bridge Abutment $20.00



Product code LSDP17 Intermediate Pier Sub Footing $15.00



Product code LSDP16 Patterson Bridge Pier $20.00

RN02
NHWF ... As the BBW's aged, they went through a number of paint
transistions starting off with the standard wagon grey, freight wagon
red, then to a yellow with some finishing up in what appears to be a PTC
blue. From my research it would appear that this blue started off as a
Freight Rail blue colour and with oxidisation quickly adopted the PTC
blue hue. You can paint your models with royal blue and add drops of
white until you achieve the blue you want. They are best modelled with
out buffers as they were coded NHWF's. The decals include the code board
, builders plate, wagon plate, opening arrows for the hopper doors as
well as the arrow for the hand brake. For modellers of the Freight Corp
era these are a must for your departmental fleet.


Product code RN02 NHWF Bogie Ballast Wagon $33.00










That's
it for this time, do check the blog every so often it is an esier and
quicker place to do updates on what is happening. If you do not wish to
receive our newsletter please unsubscibe at the bottom and your name is
automatically crossed off.

Barbara and Alwyn











 



 








 



 


 





 

 

 

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Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:52:04 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=14
Orders....Toowoomba.... http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=13 Towwoomba (Darling Downs Model Railway Club) exhibition tomorrow, the ute is three quarters packed, I still have about 50 ready-to-runs to pack, and... and.... we should be there setting up. Luckily Toowoomba is only an hour away. Orders that should have gone out today will go out Monday, sorry for the delay but some days there are just not enough hours in it.

Barbara and Alwyn


 

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Fri, 31 May 2013 15:13:43 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=13
Would you like to receive our newsletter? http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=12 If you would like to receive our newsletter go to the website, and click on the 'Subscribe to Newsletter' and you will automatically go on the mailing list.

If you are getting a newsletter and don't want to anymore or are receiving two copies at two different email addresses and only want one please unsibscribe at the bottom of the newsletter of the email you do not wish them to be sent to and it will automatically cross you off the list. Wow, that was a mouthful!!!

Barbara

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Wed, 29 May 2013 18:36:49 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=12
Newsletter # 2 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=11 A copy of our second newsletter, typos and all, and I stuffed up the greeting bit at the top, not to worry, I will get it right next time, maybe?

Unfortunately the pictures aren't showing, if you had signed up for the newsletter you would have them! I will have to find out how to do that bit.

Hello and welcome to our second newsletter, with a bit of luck you'll get some pictures with this one!
It is a really busy time just now with Toowomba Exhibition this weekend, 1st and 2nd June and Sydney the following long weekend. Many of you have ordered ahead for Sydney, and your orders are packed ready for pick up at the exhibition, if you are planning to place an order for pick up at
Sydney please do so by Tuesday the 4th June to ensure it is packed and waiting for you. We have new kits and decals for Toowoomba and Sydney exhibtions, more detail on that below.
News from the factory... NEW kits. RF04S-FD UME Flat Wagon with Fordson Tractor Load. RF04S-FG UME Flat Wagon with Ferguson Tractor Load. RF04S-LR UME Flat Wagon with Land Rover Load. The MLE and variants was one of the most versatile wagons in the NSW wagon fleet. Not being restricted with roof's and sides it could be combined with other vehicles to carry a variety of goods, and as such it was used to
transport vehicles and farm impliments from major city importers to far flung country areas. Recently some tractors and short wheel base
landrovers appeared on the Australian market and AR Kits has been fortunate enough to obtain limited supplies of these items. UME wagons
are being released in limited numbers with three different codes as listed above and shown below, while there is supply of these vehicles we
will continue these kits in our range. The kits come complete with the UME kit, 2 vehicles, Kadee finehead couplers, 50cm AR Kits Blackened
Chain 48 links per inch (Product code MWA024), 16 urethane wheels chocs, screws, decals and instructions. Cost of the kits are $54.00 each.


RF04S-FG UME Flat Wagon with Ferguson Tractor Load


RF04S-FD UME Flat Wagon with Fordson Tractor Load


RF04S-LR UME Flat Wagon with Land Rover Load

RF05
TME Flat Wagon with Pipe Load. A number of MLE wagons were converted for transport of pipe loads with the addition of two bolsters at each
end. The ever reliable AR Kits MLE has had 2 urethane bolsters added as well as 6 pipes and 50cm of AR Kits Blackened Chain, 48 links per inch
(Product code MWA024) to secure the load. The TME will become a permanent part of the AR Kits roster.


RF05 TME Flat Wagon with Pipe Load. Kit price $35.00.

New
Coal Loads... NHHF Coal Loads to compliment the NHHF Coal Hopper. Three style of coal loads have been produced to match those seen in
photographs, they come painted ready to drop into your NHHF Coal Hopper. They are easily inserted and removed so you can run your coal hopper empty or loaded.Product code FCDP05A, FCDP05B and FCDP05C @ $9.00 each.

Brass Detail Parts... Some brass detail parts are becoming short in supply and will remain that way until a new caster is found with some parts
disappearing altogether and new ones being added.

Motors... In he changing world of manufacture we went from ordering direct from Mashima to going through an agent, to going back to ordering direct from Mashima. Ordering via the agent just did not work!!! An order we placed many months ago we hope to have in the next couple of weeks, consiquently some stocks of motors are quite low.

 








Decals...A decal that has been around for some time is the NCTY Tubemakers Structural decal that can be used with modified Austrains BDY's. A line drawing of  the NCTY decal is shown below. A number of NODY's were recoded for hot slab steel traffic and had a BHP Steel Rod Division plaquard attached to the side of the wagon. Accurate details of the signage has been difficult to obtain but with a lot of persisitance, a final result has been achieved. We do believe that this is the most accurate decal produced so far, which will help modellers complete their steel traffic roster with the NHKY.






New decals in HO are now available for the Austrains FO. there are enough decals in each packet to do over 100 cars. Product code MWD092 HO FO Shaded NUmbers Price $6.00 and the Austrains CCA. Product code MWA093 HO CCA Shaded Numbers. Price $6.00. These are a special run and when stock runs out new numbers will be run with either 10 high or 10 low numbers only. Price will then be $5.00.







If you are trying to contact Alwyn, it is best to send and email (info@arkits.com) with a phone number and a suitable time or times when
you can be contacted. A phone call through the day to see 'where your order is at' only delays the production of yours and others orders.

See you in Toowoomba next weekend and Alwyn will see you in Sydney the long weekend.
Don't forget if you want to order items for pick up in Sydney please do so by Tuesday 4th June.

Barbara and Alwyn.

 

 

 

 

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Wed, 29 May 2013 18:30:01 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=11
HO Etched Brass Ladder Stock http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=10 The packing room table got to be a bit messy, so we had a major clean up. Found all sorts of things that had been covered up and hidden underneath something else, including a small quantity of HO Etched Brass Signal Ladder stock, 2 lengths for $12.00. It will be listed under Main West Accessories ... MWA006.

Happy Modelling

 

Barbara and Alwyn

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Thu, 16 May 2013 17:33:57 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=10
Our first Newsletter http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=9 Well our first newsletter for years, the last one we did many years ago went snail mail, stamps, envelopes and address labels etc. Below is a copy. Hopefully it arrived with a greeting to you personally, any feedback would be appreciated.

As I said I am learning on the job and there are no prizes for picking up typos!

 

Welcome to our first newsletter, we hope to keep you up to date on what is happening here at the factory, new items, sales etc.
Alwyn
has given me the job of the newsletter, so here goes ..... our IT man has set this up for us and I am 'learning on the job'.

Postal Charges ... have increased, and now ALL parcels over the size of a large letter have a tracking label attached. Postal charges are what we are charged at the post office counter, I do try and pack as ecomomically as I can with no air gaps or miles of bubble wrap.
Exhibitions .....Toowoomba is the first exhibiton for us this year on the 1st and 2nd June 2013. 9am to 5 pm on the Saturday and 9am to 4pm on the Sunday. The AR Kits stand will be there along with a couple of our local modellers, Ted, Ray and Nathan. Toowoomba also caters for the ladies in that there is a few craft stands, I will have some craft items and be doing leadlighting during the day.
The following weekend is the Epping 2013 Exhibition, held at the Thornleigh Brick Pit Stadium, 1A Dartford Road,Thornleigh. The AR Kits stand will be there, this is a three day exhibition, for more information check their website, ( I know I can add a link here but can't remember how to do it!).
Blog ..... we now have a blog! Another job I inherited! Go to our website and you will see the arrow going to the blog. This I hope to keep more up to date than it has been and a place for you to check back and see what is happening.

RN02 NHWF Bogie Ballast Wagon ..... upcycling the RN01. In the late 1950s a contract was let to the NSWGR Workshop for a welded version of the Bogie Ballast Wagon, General Arrangement Drawing 26727. Although the wagon looked similar to the riveted version it was 35'9" over the head stocks being 1'8" longer than the riveted counterpart. It was also about 12" higher but they were both 9'4" wide. The bogies are normally seen running in rakes along with either a brake van or a ballast plough. Issued with 2BR bogies these were changed to 2CG bogies post 1977. They have been seen all over New South Wales and have been painted gun metal grey, wagon red, PTC blue and Way of Works yellow. They have operated alongside all bogies ballast wagon variants. This kit in particular deals with the PTC Blue colour scheme and comes with 2CG Bogies.
The above is the blurb from the instruction sheet in the kit, Alwyn has added this extra information.
After viewing numerous photographs of blue wagons, the PTC blue scheme is more a weathered freight rail blue, and as such freight rail blue with a couple of drops of white added will give a good result. The decals allow for the addition of the apinted red chassis rail with the white
brace wheel on/off lettering. this will now complete all the colour schemes for this ballast wagon and a more realistic result can be
acheived with the addition of some rust colour around the joints and a dirty underframe. The 2CG bogies can have the top hanger shortened, but
there are also photos showing the top hanger bars on less the outer brake shoes.
These kits are packed and now available and will be at the Toowoomba and Epping Exhibitions, RN02 NHWF $33.00.

RN01 BBW / NHWF..... the original kit. I have packed about 70 of these in the past week or so, the first 30 or so I packed, I unintentionally added an extra bit. It was in the box of detail parts and although I could not see it on the instruction sheet, because it was in the box it must be in
the kit right? WRONG. So for a bit of fun, the first person to post this 'extra piece' back to me and tell me what it is and what kit it is
from, I will send a RN02 NHWF kit for free. Only one sorry and I will post on the blog when and who was the lucky modeller.

That's it for this newsletter, if you have received double copies it may be I have two email addresses in my 'collected emails' folder, so please
unsubscribe the email address you do not want the newsletter to be sent to or if you do not wish to receive our newsletter you can unsubscribe
at the bottom.

Don't forget to check the blog...
Happy Modelling

Barbara and Alwyn

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Thu, 09 May 2013 13:36:04 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=9
AR Kits at the Warwick Show http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=8 AR Kits is a proud sponsor of all things hobby and craft. As such we are one of the major sponsors for the Needle Craft section at the Warwick Show. In the past we have only had our name displayed as part of the sponsorship deal but this year at the last minute we decided to attend with a display of kits and models built using AR Kits products. AR Kits models were on display in conjunction with some from Bergs and Casula Hobbies. The first with Bogies/Decals and underbody detail parts and the latter with loads and detail parts owned by AR Kits. 

The attached link   

was in the local paper on Saturday morning and we were quite surprised with the number who came through specifically to see the model train display. The result is that next year we will have a small exhibition layout there as well as the display. Some of the display models are getting a little old and in need of repair so that is another major event for this year as well as building enough models of my own to run on the layout.

Thanks to a friend of mine the link was put on Facebook. I am extremely pleased with the feedback received.

Regards

Al

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Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:17:34 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=8
Warwick Show http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=7 The week after Easter from the 2nd April to the 7th April I will be envolved with our local show, [Needlework Steward], so orders placed that week may not get processed until the following week starting the 8th April, after that things should get back to normal.....what's normal?

So if there is something you think you will desperately need this side of Easter order it now.

Barbara and Alwyn


 

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Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:16:27 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=7
Scale Head Couplers http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=5 We are pleased to adivse you that we have now taken the step to include scale head Kadee couplers in all our kits. Please do not be disapointed if you find the good old faithfull #5 Kadee couplers in your kit, because as of now the scale head couplers will be included as kit stocks are replenished. Please do not ask for scale heads specifically as refusal may offend. First product to have the scale heads included was the PRY/NPRY kits, as stocks were exhausted through our Mad March Sale.

The jury is out with regard to the introduction of RP25-88 wheel sets because the majority of modellers still use code 100 track which is not really compatible with RP25-88 wheels.Therefore, to satisfy the needs of the fine scale modeller all you have to do is ask for the wheels to be exchanged.

Al and Barbara

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Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:32:52 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=5
A New Era For AR Kits http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=1      Oh to be 16 again. All these new fangled ideas and things but I guess if I am going to stay in touch I need to bring AR Kits along with me.


     How much work will this entail I do not know yet but I do have some ideas and hopefully the blog site will be more dynamic than my time at the website.


     Only time will tell !!!!!!!!!!!


     Onwards and upwards.


Al Cutmore


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Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:42:49 +1100 http://arkits.com/blog.php?d=1