Archive for May, 2011
Hornby Train Track Packs
May 27th, 2011 
dwalton 
What Scalextric Cars Are New For 2010?
Author: Lee Catherine
For the past few years since Scalextric have moved production of their cars to China they have had large releases of new Scalextric cars. The coming year it is no different, with 68 different cars set for release during the year.
There are 4 limited edition box cars, the first is the world championship winning Braun car. There is a James bond twin pack which will appeal to many collectors. The second twin pack contains classic Jaguar and Mercedes cars. The last twin pack we feel is going to be very popular is the Aston Martin Gulf Oils Gulf livery.
This year there are going to be a range of Twin packs of cars some will contain cars that are supplied with the new range of Scalextric live sets. We believe this is a way of stopping the new sets being split down by retailers to offer cheaper track when not contained in the retail display packaging. These twin packs will retail for £39.99 which will make a cheap addition to any Scalextric user even if the cars are not heavily detailed. The remainder of the twin packs will be from current or new sets that are due for release later this year.
With the normal livery change for many cars there are a lot of new models of car that will be available. There is a range of Braun, McLaren and Ferrari F1 cars with the new shape that appeared on last year’s F1 championship due to the regulation changes. Other new cars are the introduction of an Audi R8, Caterham and two classic F1 cars dating back to the Senna and Prost days. The best news of all is that all highly detailed cars have been reduced in price from £45 RRP to £40 making Scalextric a more affordable hobby
There will be a larger range of super resistant cars this year some have Top Gear association. The biggest news is a new choice of two Pro Performance cars that have a full range of spares and motors for the discerning racers. The cars are unfinished so you can decide the finish or livery that you want on your car.
We would expect there is a car for everyone again this year and with the price drop we expect demand for new cars to be as high if not higher than ever. We are expecting the must have LTD edition twin pack to be the Gulf Oils aston Martin cars. So get your pre orders early to avoid disappointment for the great look pack.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/what-scalextric-cars-are-new-for-2010-1812250.html
About the Author
After having a Scalextric set when I was a kid, I guess I never grew up. After starting trading online it was an easy choice to set up a website to sell a full range of Scalextric and slot car products.
American Flyer Train Sets For Sale
May 27th, 2011 dwalton 
Model Trains in the U.S.: The American Flyer
Author: Issac Christian
Although The American Flyer model trains were at their peak of popularity between the 1940s and the 1960s, they actually had a long history before that, and their popularity seems to be on the increase again today. William Hafner, working as a toymaker in Chicago, developed a clockwork motor for use in toy cars in the very early part of the 19th Century and by 1905 was making toy trains using that clockwork motor.
With a friend, William Coleman, and using a small hardware manufacturing business known as the Edmonds-Metzel Hardware Company, Hafner began producing toy clockwork trains during 1906-7. These Edmond-Metzel trains were sold so successfully through some major retailers that the brand name The American Flyer was adopted for marketing purposes and by 1910, the name of the hardware company had been changed to American Flyer Manufacturing Company.
The American Flyer trains proved very popular, in part because they were lower priced than other makes popular at that time, and also because their detailing made them more realistic than other low budget model trains.
Hafner left the partnership in 1913 to start up his own company and Coleman's American Flyer trains did extremely well during the First World War as they had no competition in the US from the German companies. By 1918, the first of the American Flyer electric trains were in production and business boomed during the 1920s but declined sharply during the Great Depression.
In 1938, William Coleman Jr, son of the company's founder, who had taken over the business following his father's death in 1918, sold the American Flyer to the A C Gilbert Company. Gilbert had been manufacturing and selling an extensive range of toys but not toy trains. He moved the company from Chicago to New Haven, Connecticut and immediately began to re-design the trains. He re-developed the American Flyer as S-scale in 1939 , a scale which was a modification of the very popular O gauge model trains then on the market. The S scale, which scales trains to the 1:64 ratio and made them smaller than the O scale trains, had a number of major advantages in terms of the track and track layouts.
In 1946 Gilbert made another major change to the American Flyer. Until that stage model electric trains had run on three rails, with the centre rail carrying the current. Gilbert developed a two rail system for running the American Flyer. This two-rail track, which had seven-eighths inches between the rails, made the track layout, and hence train operation, more realistic as the track now looked like 'real train track'.
With the advent of television - to distract both younger people and older people from their regular hobbies - together with the rise of the discount chain stores which undercut prices and demanded lower wholesale prices, A C Gilbert Company ran into trouble and in 1962 was sold to Wrather Group. The new owners produced lines of toys, including model trains, which were of very poor quality and sales dropped sharply until in 1966 production of the American Flyer ceased. By 1967 the Company was bankrupt.
At this time, Lionel Corporation, which was itself in financial trouble although it had been the leading model train manufacturer for many decades, bought the rights to the American Flyer. However, by 1969 Lionel Corporation itself was bankrupt and sold the rights to the manufacture of its model trains, including the American Flyer, to General Mills.
General Mills began selling some of the original Gilbert designed American Flyer trains by 1979 but in 1984 sold its Lionel Company section to a toy manufacturer, Kenner who on-sold the company to Richard Kughn in 1985.
Kughn was very successful for over 10 years with the Lionel and American Flyer trains but sold in 1996 to Wellspring Partners who set up the company Lionel LLC, which operates today selling a range of model trains, including the S-scale American Flyer. Initially Lionel LLC concentrated on promoting the O and O27 scale model trains of its original lines but since 2002 has been releasing more and more American Flyer models.
The American Flyer then, is now more that 100 years old, and has gone though a number of ownerships and fluctuations in popularity. Dedicated S-scale enthusiasts now believe that this renowned model train is once again making a resurgence.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/model-trains-in-the-us-the-american-flyer-2604388.html
About the Author
Want to find out about purple wedding flowers and low budget wedding? Get tips from the Wedding Facts website.
Posted in Uncategorized 
Tags: activities, american flyer train, american flyer train sets, american flyer train sets for sale, ball, family, fun, games, hobbies, leisure, recreation, sport, sports 
2 Comments »Cheap Train Sets For Sale
May 26th, 2011 dwalton 
Cheap Kettlebells
Author: JAMIE LLOYD
Do you have a shoestring budget and are planning for a home gym? Then, cheap kettlebells are a good option to include in your training regime. There are many ways to get cheap kettlebells but one must not compromise too much on the quality otherwise it will hamper the workout experience and may cause injury.
Kettlebells, already popular in the fitness industry, are a very efficient exercising tool, which can give a full body workout. Kettlebells provide a versatile full body workout, which very few types of equipment can do. Not only do kettlebells improve strength but it has cardio benefits also. An intense kettlebell work out can leave you more exhausted than many sets of cardio exercises in a gym.
For those who are not aware, Kettlebells were developed in Russia and has been gaining popularity in America and even in the UK now.
You do not need to buy expensive equipments for your home gym as kettlebells are available at much lesser cost and they do not even occupy much space. They are easily moveable and can be carried anywhere which allows the users more flexibility. A pair of kettlebells is a must for a fitness enthusiast’s home gym as it has tremendous benefits. The price tag of kettlebells can be sometimes very high, which can be de-motivating for a fitness enthusiast but there are ways to get cheaper kettlebells.
One way to get cheap kettlebells is to buy second hand, used kettlebells at cheap rates at eBay. Since kettlebells are made of cast iron which is very strong and durable, it does not matter much, or rather does not change the outward appearance of kettlebell, even if it is a used one. As to why someone has decided to sell it, the reasons may be many. He may be wishing to move to a heavier set of kettlebells or he may not want to work out with kettlebells any more.
Many online stores too offer cheap kettlebells or reasonable priced ones but one should consider the shipping costs involved there. Many a times, the shipping and handling cost is as much as the kettlebell cost itself. Placing an order for a kettlebell online is also risky since you will not know its quality till it is delivered to you., so please use a respected merchant like Russian Kettlebells UK.
While getting a good bargain is good, care must be taken to check the quality of some cheap kettlebells. Many kettlebells have very rough, inferior casting or have a rough surface which eventually tear up your hands. There should be adequate distance between the handle and the
cannon ball, which allows for finger bones to pass through. A poorly made handle can injure a hand during workouts, which is the last thing you would want while swinging the kettlebell. The thickness of the handle should also be considered while buying kettlebells. Most importantly, check whether kettlebells are one- piece cast or if they have an iron ball fixed with a steel handle.
Cheap kettlebells normally have poor finish and construction. In order to lower the cost, many cheap kettlebells are painted on the surface rather than powder coated at the final stages of manufacturing. Genuine kettlebells are one piece cast iron constructed and are powder coated for the final baked on finish, which is long lasting.
Here at Russian Kettlebells UK, we offer a large variety of kettlebells which are of the highest quality so that your training is not hindered in any way.
Go to:- http://www.russiankettlebellsuk.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/cheap-kettlebells-1334580.html
About the Author
Jamie Lloyd is a Certified Personal Trainer and the owner of Russian Kettlebells UK in London. He One of only a handful of certified Russian Kettlebell coaches in London, and is passionate about coaching kettlebells and even uses them for his own training.
httP://www.russiankettlebellsuk.com
Posted in Uncategorized Tags: cheap train sets for sale, exercising with kettlebells, kettlebell classes, kettlebell dvd, kettlebell exercises, kettlebell training, kettlebell training london, kettlebell workouts, kettlebells, kettlebells in london, kettlebells london, london kettlebells, Train Sets 10 Comments »Lego Train Sets For Sale
May 26th, 2011 dwalton 
BrickTrainShop reviews the Classic Lego 7750 "Steam Engine with Tender"
Author: Cliff Stults BrickMaster #292
No discussion of LEGO steam locomotives would be complete without mention of the 7750 Steam Engine with Tender. Arguably the greatest and most beloved of all steam engines ever made by LEGO, number 7750 is unique as the only steam engine to include large driver wheels. Those wheels give the locomotive its massive, powerful stance and evoke images from the height of the steam era. Today 7750 stands as the largest steam engine set ever produced by LEGO.
Like many LEGO trains from the 12V era, 7750 is based on prototypes from the German railways and wears their traditional black and red livery. The locomotive resembles an actual Deutsche Reichsbahn-Gesellschaft Class 64 locomotive, which is a large German tank engine with a 2-6-2 wheel configuration. The LEGO rendition uses a different wheel arrangement: two trucks, each with a pair of tandem axles. This change is probably due to the difficulty of constructing a realistic three-axle truck that can negotiate tight curves without the use of blind (flange-less) driver wheels. In the modern era, Big Ben Bricks
produces blind wheels for this exact purpose. However, this set from the year 1980 predates BBB wheels by nearly two decades, and LEGO evidently decided to pursue a solution that would not require separate molds for the flanged and blind driver wheels.Locomotive 7750 features another subtle compromise of realism in its design: it includes a tender. On a real tank locomotive, the water and fuel are carried on the engine
itself; hence, a tender is not used.
The LEGO version of the engine utilizes its tender as a means of propulsion; the 12V train motor is located beneath the tender. This arrangement is familiar to LEGO steam fans, who frequently use powered tenders as a straightforward means of powering a locomotive.
The tender also gives 7750 a more impressive look, like that of a mainline passenger locomotive. Consistent with other 12V-powered sets, weights are included to ensure good electrical contact between the rails and the train motor. The weights also help to prevent slippage of the drive wheels.
Set 7750 came with two minifigures: a driver and a fireman. Like other sets from the 12V era, it included a decal sheet that permitted the set to be customized with logos from most major national railways in Europe. No track or additional accessories were included; however, the set did include functional lighting elements. Two lighting bricks illuminate the marker lights at the front of the engine and the red lights at the rear of the tender.
Building a 7750 clone from parts is difficult due to the rarity of several parts found in the set. The large train wheels were featured only in this set and a subsequent service pack. The red train motor shows up only in one other set, the 7730 Goods Train, which features a smaller steam engine of a similar livery to 7750. The black windows used in the cab of the engine are hard to find in quantity, and the steam cylinders and red buffers have always been difficult to find in quantity. Red bogey plates were featured in 7750 exclusively. As a result, clones of 7750 are rare, but builders have designed many excellent replicas of German locomotives that remain more faithful to the original prototypes.
Some view the 7750 steam engine as being simplistic and lacking in authenticity; however, it is worth noting that this set predates the widespread use of SNOT techniques by many years. Despite its compromises in realism, 7750 is a classic among LEGO train sets and a particularly unique LEGO locomotive. As a result, the set fetches handsome amounts on eBay, typically into the hundreds of US dollars for copies in good condition. It is certain to remain a favorite of LEGO train fans, and it holds a place in history as one of the greatest steam locomotives LEGO has ever produced.
Should you decide to build a 7750 of your own you will find all the parts you need in our shop under Lego Train Parts. We also have the actual original set for sale under Lego Train Sets. If our BrickTrainShop does not have the parts you need please check our other stores HalfPriceLegos.com and LegoClearance.com we guarantee all of our parts are genuine Lego Parts not fake fraudulent versions, that have popped up all over the web in deceptive advertisements.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/collecting-articles/bricktrainshop-reviews-the-classic-lego-7750-steam-engine-with-tender-2673047.html
About the Author
Son of 2, Brother of 1, Father of 6, Friend to all, Bother to Many. Born and raised all over the world I now reside in Southern California near my true love LEGOLAND. My wife and I operate a Lego Store in which we sell all things Lego. Stop by our store anytime and drop us a line www.BrickTrainShop.com
Used Train Sets For Sale
May 26th, 2011 dwalton 
Used Vehicle Buyers Tips: Make a More Informed Decision!
Author: Vehicle Gateway Corp.
Buying a previously owned vehicle can be a very uneasy process. A lot of concern and doubt arises as one determines and begins the process of buying a used vehicle. Doubt seeps into your emotions as theirs nothing that sets your mind at ease as this big purchase decision could wind becoming a nightmare. One needs to be content when buying a used vehicle. When making the decision to go ahead and buy a used car, used truck, used boat, used bike, used sled, used 4 wheeler or a collector car, it should be a decision based on an informed decision, which in turn will make buyers confident in their decision.
Enter; www.vehiclegateway.com an online vehicle marketplace dedicated to the provision of information. With vehiclegateway.com whether sellers want to sell a car for free, sell a boat for free, sell a truck for free or sell any other recreational vehicles for free, vehiclegateway.com enable them with an interface designed to breed trust and ultimately supply ads from quality sellers. Vehicle Gateway provides free private ads to all private sellers and provides ads to buyers from qualified dealers and these private sellers. Its interface is designed to allow buyers searching for a used car, used truck, used boat, used snowmobile, used ATV, used motorcycle or collector to not only find these vehicles available for sale nationwide, but also to research each and every vehicle in depth with detailed profile ads. These detailed ads include many of the details that are critical when searching for the right used vehicle. They include;
- Make
- Model
- Year
- Trim Package
- Specs
- Full Description
- Mileage / Hours
- Engine Size
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Combined this information collectively produces the most informative, vehicle specific automotive and vehicle ads found in an online Canadian vehicle marketplace or free classifieds. Vehiclegateway.com guarantees just this and to even further add value to their service they provide sellers with the opportunity to include up to 8 detailed photographs as well a 60 second video of their car for sale, truck for sale, boat for sale, SUV for sale, ATV for Sale, Bikes for sale, Motorcycles for sale, Sleds for sale, Snowmobiles for sale and or collector cars for sale. This surely puts the www.vehiclegateway.com interface leap years above competitors in the sense that prospective buyers can visit Vehicle Gateway for the most informed, interactive and thus valuable ads online. Combined this makes for a more efficient and effective buying process in the sense that users can waste less time traveling to test various vehicles because now they can basically virtually test it online. Furthermore, being more informed will empower the consumer as they can now be confident that they have the information needed to make a more informed and confident decision. Buyers can now even search further distances for the vehicle that’s right for them because the vehiclegateway.com ads provide the right amount of information to leave buyers confident to travel to greater lengths in order to purchase a vehicle found from search for used cars of the vehiclegateway.com interface. www.vehiclegateway.com is the place to buy and used cars in Canada as buyers will feel more at ease as the quality of the inventory can be expected to be high due to the provision of information, in turn sellers can benefit from associating their vehicle with a brand identified for quality. Make sure to visit vehiclegateway.com as it will provide you with the information you need to make a more informed decision about your next used vehicle purchase. As well check out their wide selection of Certified Pre Owned Vehicle and use their Car Fax history reports.
Vehiclegateway.com: Information you need. Vehicles you want.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/used-vehicle-buyers-tips-make-a-more-informed-decision-746426.html
About the Author
http://www.vehiclegateway.com
