The Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works is proud to be an agent for the fine range of MDC name plates, number plates and works plates. MDC etch their plates onto brass sheet 0.9mm thick, so they have a chunky look and feel to them - just like the real thing!
Nickel silver plates are also available at extra cost.

The addition of these splendid plates will will provide the finishing touch and give each of your locomotives its own identity. They are supplied to order and are available with a choice of background colour (red or black as standard, although any colour can be applied) and letter styles. The text displayed is entirely up to you to decide. The length of the name (within reason) does not affect the cost, so BEE costs the same as WOLF OF BADENOCH.

All MDC plates are supplied ready to fix to your model. They are supplied as separate plates (not as a single etch) and require no cutting or filing. The thickness of the material means that MDC plates do not bend and are supplied perfectly flat.

The standard range of plates is shown below. Customised plates for scales other than 16mm/foot and G-scale and incorporating different fonts, background colours and shapes can be produced, as well as "Fairlie-style" plates with sunken lettering on a raised brass foreground. For non-standard plates, all MDC need is a good description or a sketch (preferred) of the plate layout together with the required dimensions. MDC will then produce the required artwork. Anything is possible!

Some examples of non-standard plates are shown at the bottom of this page.

Click here for information on 16mm/foot scale Hunslet-style plates.

The following standard styles of loco plates are available. For clarity, only black plates are shown:

Approximate sizes:
LP200, LP204, LP208A, LP208B, LP214A, LP214B: 8mm vertical height
LP202, LP206, LP210A, LP210B, LP212A, LP212B: 6mm vertical height
LP220A, LP220B: 15mm wide x 10.5mm high
LP222A, LP222B: 25mm wide x 16.5mm high

Prices (excluding P&P):
Name plates LP200, LP202, LP204, LP206 : £22.00 per pair
Number plates LP208A, LP208B, LP210A, LP210B : £16.00 per pair
Number plates LP212A, LP212B, LP214A, LP214B : £21.50 per pair
Works plates LP220A, LP220B, LP222A, LP222B : £28.00 per pair

Ordering

Please email with your requirements including the following information:
 - Your name
 - Your postal address
 - Plate type (LPxxx or 16mm scale Hunslet or 7/8ths-scale Hunslet)
 - Background colour (red or black)
 - Exact text to be shown (UPPER CASE TEXT only)
 - If possible, for works plates a layout sketch including any text in the outer ring on LP220B and LP222B

Your order will be acknowledged on receipt of your email. It is not usually possible to cancel an order once it has been acknowledged and accepted as work may have started on receipt of the order.

As soon as the plates have been made. MDC plates will inform you and send an invoice for payment, including a picture of your plates and details of how to send your payment (cheque, bank transfer or PayPal) direct to MDC. Once the payment has been received MDC will send the plates to the you. There is nothing to pay until you have received the invoice and the picture of the plates. Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works cannot accept payment for these items.

NOTE: MDC produce their plates in batches and aim to deliver all plates within six weeks from date of order. We are currently experiencing a high volume of custom plate orders, and therefore delivery may take longer. Every effort is made to deliver your plates in the shortest possible time. Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works is only an agent for MDC and is not involved with plate production or despatch. RHLW cannot take responsibility for late delivery of your order, although assistance will be given to expedite where possible.

Samples of some of the non-standard plate styles that can be produced by MDC are shown below. Please note that these images are not to scale.



16mm/foot scale plates for Hunslet locomotives

MDC produce sets of name and works plates made specifically for 16mm/foot scale Hunslet locomotives. An example set for BLANCHE (Hunslet 589 of 1893) is shown below. The name plates have a vertical height of 9.3mm (Linda, Blanche, Lilla only) or 6.7mm (all others) and cost £24 per pair, and the works plates are sized to match and cost £28 per pair (both prices do not include postage and packing). Any name (factual or fictional), works number and year can be ordered. Please see above for ordering details and ensure that you specify "16mm scale Hunslet" or similar as the Plate Type in your order.

These plates can also be supplied in ⅞-ths scale.

Fitting instructions for MDC plates

There is nothing worse than seeing a beautifully presented model locomotive spoilt by carrying etched plates that are crooked and/or have glue oozing out from behind them. In addition, expensive damage to paintwork will occur should glued plates ever need to be removed. To avoid these problems Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works recommends that glue is NEVER used for fixing plates. Instead, clear silicone is recommended, as used for sealing around sanitary ware or as a leak stopper. It is available in small tubes from good plumbing suppliers. The following instructions can then be followed for fitting MDC plates to your model:

1.

Lay the model on its side.

2.

Apply a small amount of clear silicone to the back of plate to be attached.

3.

Position plate as required. The silicone does not set immediately so there will be adequate time to do this accurately.

4.

Press plate firmly on to paintwork, again checking that it is positioned correctly.

5.

DO NOT worry about or attempt to remove any silicone that oozes out from under the plate.

6.

Repeat steps 2 to 5 for any other plates to be applied to this side of the model.

7.

Leave the model on its side for at least 6 hours.

8.

Using a new wooden cocktail stick, run the point around the edge of the plate. This will cut any excess silicone without damaging the paintwork and allow it to be removed.

9.

Measure vertical and horizontal plate positions from the body edges then use these measurements when you...

10.

Repeat steps 1 to 8 for other side.

NOTE: These instructions are published here for guidance only and may not be applicable to the thinner plates supplied by other manufacturers. Rhos Helyg Locomotive Works will not be held liable or take any responsibility for any damage however caused while following these instructions.

This page was last updated on 17th December 2023