Rosebud Kitmaster

Rosebud Kitmaster was the brand name of a short-lived but critically acclaimed range of plastic assembly kits, manufactured in the UK by Rosebud Dolls Ltd of Raunds, Northamptonshire. Introduced from May 1959, the range rapidly expanded to include 34 models of railway locomotives and coaches in OO, HO and TT scales, and eventually, one motorcycle in 1/16 scale. The assets of Rosebud Kitmaster were sold to Airfix Products Ltd in late 1962.[1] Nine locomotives and the motorcycle were later re-issued under the Airfix brand.

The range comprised mainly British railway rolling stock but there were a few kits of other subjects. The range consisted of 34 kits of individual locomotives or carriages, a model of the Ariel Arrow motorcycle, the "Fireball XL5" rocket, parts to motorise the railway kits (using a motorised box wagon supplied pre-built, or a motor bogie) and three railway presentation sets:

  • P1: 100 Years of British Steam - this included kits of Stephenson's Rocket, the Stirling 8' Single locomotive and a Coronation class locomotive in 00 scale.
  • P2: Battle of Britain Set - this contained a Battle of Britain class locomotive and three BR Mark 1 coaches in 00 scale.
  • P3: TT3 Royal Scot Set - this contained a Royal Scot class locomotive and four BR Mark 1 coaches in TT3 (3mm = 1 foot) scale.

All of the moulds for the kits produced by Rosebud Dolls Ltd under the Kitmaster name were sold to Airfix Products Ltd in 1962, and later in 1982 some of them were sold to Dapol Model Railways. However, not all of the kits were passed over and several were destroyed by General Mills / Palitoy at the Glenfield warehouse where they had been stored following the liquidation of Airfix Products Ltd that year. As such, some Kitmaster kits are extremely collectable and can be very valuable to a dedicated collector. Prices of unmade kits for the rarer models, such as the 00 gauge LMS Beyer-Garratt locomotive, can reach as much as £100.

Before its demise, the company announced the introduction of a number of kits that never knowingly entered production, including the LNER Flying Scotsman, Southern Railway Class USA Tank engine and Canadian National U-4A.

Models

The OO/HO gauge models consisted of the following types; all OO scale unless shown as HO:

The TT gauge models were: -

  • Kit No 16 - LMS 4-6-0 locomotive Royal Scot
  • Kit No 17 - BR Standard Mk1 Corridor Brake 2nd Coach (in Maroon or Green)
  • Kit No 18 - BR Standard Mk1 Corridor Composite Coach (in Maroon or Green)
  • Kit No 20 - BR Standard Mk1 Corridor or Open 2nd Coach (in Maroon or Green)
  • Kit No 21 - BR Standard Mk1 Restaurant 1st Coach with interior (in Maroon or Green)

The motorisation units were:

  • KM1 - Motorised BR Mk1 bogie - designed to be fitted inside Kit No.15, the BR Mk1 Brake Second , to push passenger locomotives.
  • KM2 - Motorised Box Van - An RB3 Refrigerated Van which could be marshalled behind freight locomotives in order to push them along.

The final model released by Rosebud Kitmaster Ltd, in their packaging, was the motorcycle:

  • Kit No 60 - Ariel Arrow Super Sports model 1960 in 1/16th scale

A subsequent model, manufactured by the Hermes Supply Company (a subsidiary of Airfix) was marketed as "your Kitmaster model" in 1963:

  • No kit number - Gerry Anderson's Fireball XL5 in 1/100th scale

The Hermes Supply Co also supplied five kits from remaindered Kitmaster stock in plain packaging to fulfil a Nabisco promotion which ran on Shredded Wheat packets during early 1963. These were:

  • Kit No 2 - BR Class 08 diesel shunter locomotive
  • Kit No 10 - English Electric Deltic Prototype diesel locomotive
  • Kit No 15 - BR Standard Mk1 Corridor Brake 2nd Coach (in Maroon or Green)
  • Kit No 22 - BR Standard 2-10-0 9F locomotive Evening Star
  • Kit No 28 - BR Standard Mk1 Restaurant 1st Coach with interior (in Maroon or Green)

Notes
  1. Knight 1999, p. 7.

References
  • Knight, Stephen (1999). Let's Stick Together: An Appreciation of Kitmaster and Airfix Railway Kits. Clophill: Irwell Press. ISBN 1-871608-90-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Knight, Stephen (2012). Let's Stick A Little Bit More: A further Appreciation of vintage plastic kits. Clophill: Irwell Press. ISBN 1-906919-49-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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