| Type | Aktieselskab |
|---|---|
| Industry | Model railways |
| Founded | 1957[1] |
| Headquarters | Søndersø, Denmark |
| Key people | Niels Christian Nannestad, Founder Jan Nannestad, Managing director |
| Website | www.heljan.dk |
Heljan A/S is a Danish model railway company based in Søndersø. Originally specialising in decorations and accessories for model railways, it has now also developed a substantial range of rolling stock. It has diversified into modelling the British scene, and since 2002 have released several OO gauge diesel locomotives, and several O gauge models. British Outline now forms the biggist part of the Heljan business and UK operations are run from Denmark through an agent. In line with other model train companys and to keep costs to a minimum models are manufactured in China.
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Its current UK OO gauge diesel loco range consists of British Rail Class 15s, 17s, 26s, 27s, 33s, 35s, 47s, 52s, 53 "Falcon", 57s, 58s and D0260 "Lion" and HS4000 "Kestrel". The British Rail Class 86s are currently the only AC Electric outline models in the range. They have won praise for locomotive models in a wide variety of liveries. Several different models of the British Railways Waggon und Maschinenbau built Railbuses are due for imminent release. They also sell OO gauge Dogfish and Cargowaggon freight stock.
Their UK O gauge range currently consists of British Rail Class 20s, 26s, 33s, 35s, 37s, 47s, and a Class 55 "Deltic". The O gauge range also includes British Railways Mark 1 carrages in a number of liveries. O gauge models are typically supplied un-numbered, allowing the purchaser to finish the model to their own preferance.
In the UK, number of limited edition locomotives have been commissioned by model retailers. Heljan models of the British Rail Class 14 and Class 28 "Co-Bo" diesel cocomotives are available through Hattons of Liverpool. Several different models of the iconic LNER EM1 and EM2 DC Electric locomotives constructed for use on the Woodhead Route are currently being produced for Olivia's Trains of Sheffield (terminus of the Woodhead line). A Midland Pullman is also planned. Several standard heljan models have been produced in special, limited edition, liveries for particular retaillers or UK railway modelling magazines. The standard Falcon, Kestrel and Lion models are all high volume limited editions.
Traditionally, Heljan has produced many Continental prototypes with H0 models such as the Swedish State Railways Class T21 and Danish State Railways class MY, MX, MO and P 4-4-2.
Highly acclaimed, working Turntable, Traverser and Container crane models are available in H0 scale and are also suitable for 00 operation. A number of plastic building kits are also produced in HO/OO, along with working street lighting.
Planned models in OO gauge are a British Rail DP2 and several versions of the Class 128 parcels DMU. In mid-2011, Hattons of liverpool announced that they were collaberating with Heljan to produce an LMS 2-6-0+0-6-2 Beyer Garratt Locomotive which is due for production sometime in 2012. This model will feature a powerful twin motor design and working coal pusher.
In O Gauge a British Rail Class 31 and Class 52 "Western" are planned but production is dependant on enough customers placing advanced orders for them. It is hoped that these will mirror the huge success of the "Deltic" when it was released in 2011. Heljan recently admitted that they had been considering the possobilities of producing a Class 14 "Teddy Bear" in O gauge but this was thought to be not viable due to lack of customer interest, it has been roumoured that a Class 17 was also ruled out on the same grounds.