Japanese manufacturer Kato isn’t a well known brand in British model railway circles with just one rolling stock product to its name for UK layouts. However, it has a new high-profile release for ‘N’ gauge: the Hitachi Class 800. MIKE WILD takes stock of this exciting new addition.
AS A BRITISH MODELLER, it would be easy to overlook a manufacturer like Kato. Its contribution to UK modelling extends primarily to its simple and reliable Uni-Track system while until now it has only produced one British train – the Class 373 Eurostar.
However, in Japan, Kato is the name to beat. The company was founded in the 1950s and made its first ‘N’ gauge products in 1957 for its home market. Living space is at a premium in Japan, so the smaller scale of ‘N’ gauge has long been a popular choice for model railways.
Over the years Kato has developed an increasing number of ready-to-run models, many of Japanese origin, but it also extended its reach with models of the French TGV, German ICE, the Swiss Re460/Re465 (I once had a Kato Swiss BLS Re465 which ran like a sewing machine) and it has a separate company in America creating ready-to-run models for the US market. Its home-grown Uni-Track system is designed to be rob…
