TOPICALITY is a worthy aim for daily newspapers and radio and TV news bulletins, but it is a rather difficult matter for a monthly magazine like Railway Modeller to achieve “newsworthiness” on any particular subject due to the six to eight weeks gap between writing and publication. Nevertheless, that is no reason for not trying and we are rather proud of the fact that, in this issue, we have succeeded in coinciding two new model railway products with comprehensive articles related to them. We have the description of the new class 50 in News Special, tying up with the excellent article by Peter Marriott and Monty Wells on the prototype 50s and the conversion and detailing possibilities of the model. The new N2 0-6-2 tank is similarly backed up with Ian Beattie’s 4mm scale drawing and description. The Editor would like to put on record his thanks to the above mentioned gentlemen who worked very hard indeed to provide their “copy” on these subjects in time for the September issue deadline. Truly, successful magazine production can be as much a matter for hardworking and worthy contributors as it is for the magazine staff. We hope to provide a similar service of corelated articles and product reports in the future, and indeed we already have Ian Beattie’s drawing of the GWR Dean Goods waiting “on ice” until the release of a certain much awaited model! The very presence of four new locomotives in our News Special section this month is proof of the very active state of the model railway trade even in these difficult times. It is worth noting, however, that out of the four locomotives only one is a sample which was sent to us by the manufacturer upon which for us to base our report. The others we obtained ourselves. We do hope that manufacturers will remember to send in new products. If requested, models will always be returned promptly.

Rivarossi:
After much uncertainty through the Winter of 1981/2 we are pleased to learn that the vacuum created when Messrs. Hales ceased importing the Rivarossi range has now been filled. Mr. P. J. Banks, Senior Partner of the new importing company, has had some years of experience with the range. No doubt his detailed product knowledge and close liaison with the principals in Como will ensure an even better and more competitive supply of the quality models for which Rivarossi are so amous. Details of the new importers are shown in the advertisement on Page 15a of this issue, and our companion magazine Continental Modeller will be reporting on some new models from Rivarossi in a later issue this year.