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LinksThese Web links are provided to connect to the main tramway societies and those model tram manufacturers directly linked to BEC-KITS products. This small list is not meant to be comprehensive but should provide sufficient connections to enable you to find other internet resources.
Tramway
Societies
TLRS Tramway and Light Railway Society web site. The TLRS is the main UK society specialising in
modelling trams and tramways in all scales, as well as covering historical and
modern tramways. It has a branch in Germany. The TLRS Web site describes the
various services they offer, including the excellent bi-monthly Tramfare magazine, a tram drawing and photographic archive, contact and membership details.
Tramway Information web site run by John
Prentice. This is a main information source for model trams in the UK (including tram modelling tips), the
home of the Festival of Model Tramways and has a wide range of links to tram
web sites in other countries.
LRTA Light Rail Transit Association promotes the
study and development of modern tramways. They publish the monthly magazine
'Tramways and Urban Transport'. The LRTA
Web Site is the main UK reference on the development of modern light
rail systems and includes a calendar of tram-themed
meetings in the UK.
Seaton Tramway is famous for their open-top trams
and tram driving days. Seaton Tramway operates narrow gauge heritage trams
between small picturesque towns in Devon. This site contains galleries, booking
information and an online shop.
TMS Tramway Museum Society preserves the
tramway heritage of Britain at the Crich Tramway Village, Crich, Near Matlock,
Derbyshire. There is an excellent tram historical and photographic archive at
the NTM library with an operating vintage tram service for most of the
summer.
USA
Trolleyville, run by the Southern California Traction Club, has details
of some US model trolley suppliers, a library and a model trolley school
section with lots of hints and tips.
Several other UK and Overseas tram societies and Email groups are
listed in the links
pages of the Tramway Information web site.
Model tram manufacturers and suppliers
KW
Trams manufactures whitemetal British model tram kits and parts in O,
OO and N scale, plus the old BEC-KITS ranges of motorised tram trucks, bogies
and road vehicle kits.
A major UK model tram supplier and parts manufacturer is East
Lancashire Model Tramway Supplies.
Most other UK
model tram manufacturers are listed among the pages of the Tramway
Information web site, including Alan Kirkman, Alphagraphix, Blackpool
in the Box, Chris Cornell, Corgi, DunRon Products, EFE, KW Trams, Mabex
Transfers, Majestic Trams, Mark Hughes, and many more.
Some UK model tram shops are listed in our list of UK suppliers and some
Overseas model tram shops are listed in our list of Overseas suppliers. Not many of these hold stocks of our products.
History of
BEC-KITS productsBEC-KITS was established by Mr. Frank J. Vescoe in the 1960s at the Tooting Bec Model Railway Shop in London. He produced several ranges of whitemetal model kits. Many of these ranges have now become dispersed amongst several manufacturers. When Frank retired in 1994, Brian Robinson took over the name of BEC-KITS and only his ranges of HO scale Continental tram kits, metro kits and tram decals. Some of the other original BEC-KITS products may be available from the manufacturers listed below:
KW
Trams has taken over the BEC-KITS ranges of motorised tram trucks,
bogies, motorising sets and whitemetal road vehicle kits. He has also taken over the tram model kits of A.B.S Models, including the BEC-KITS British O and OO scale tram models that had passed to Adrian Swain.
3SMR
- 3mm Scale Model Railways
3mm Scale Model Railways manufactures a wide range of British model railway kits and supplies many other useful parts for 3mm TT Scale. They took over the 3mm scale whitemetal model railway engine kit range from BEC-KITS/ESANEL.
Tower Models run a model shop in Blackpool. They used
to manufacture and sell a range of model trams and tramway parts. The Tower
Trams range of plastic tram kits and tram decals are now manufactured
and supplied by BEC-KITS.
Instruction
sheets for old BEC-KITS OO scale tramsSome of the original BEC-KITS instruction and drawing sheets for the range of OO scale whitemetal model tram kits are available as PDF files to download as listed below. The kits were renumbered several times between 1965 and 1990, so the most recent numbering sequence has been used. Please check the description as well as the kit number for older versions of the kits.