History
Darstaed was founded in 1966 in Zug, Switzerland. Swiss locomotives and wagons in O Gauge 2-Rail fine scale were produced besides replicas of the Marklin 40 cm tinplate coaches and a wide range of their derivates. In 1993 the brand name and tooling was purchased by Dutch national, Mr. Andries Grabowsky, manufacturer of award winning HO models of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Mr. Grabowsky continued the manufacturing of 3-Rail O Gauge coarse scale tinplate. Hitherto about 3300 A4 locomotives were produced in 3-Rail coarse scale, both under the Darstaed name as well as under a well known brand name that is jointly owned.
Since 2016 Darstaed is mainly producing 2-Rail fine scale in close cooperation with its exclusive distributor for the UK Ms Ellis Clark Trains. Until now only coaches were produced, the MK1s, both Mainline and Suburban, Utility stock, Thompsons and the steel Pullman coaches. Since the issue of the first MK1 coaches we have been awarded seven major awards for our outstanding productions. Three years ago it has been decided to produce the A4 Gresley locomotive in museum quality fine scale made in brass.
The founder Mr. Darphin once said : “The tin-plate production is based on newest technologies in the European tool manufacturing, the industrial production and optical arrangements. Tin-plate is therefore not just a matter of simple replicas of old models but is a continuation and perfection of the tradition of the 30ies.
Miniature railways were always uncomplicated and carefree and represented a compromise between true scale and fidelity to the model. At the same time it offered a maximum of safety and an easy operation.
With these features in mind, Darstaed took over the reproduction and thus enabled enlargement of tin-plate collections.
Darstaed’s range of coachss makes handling and playing real easy. This represents a beautiful contrast to our hectic world, which requires us to be serious about things most of the time – even in model railwaying.”
