A WORLD-famous model maker has made a special delivery to a south Herefordshire firm.

Trains from Europe, the United States and the Commonwealth will soon depart from OnTracks Ltd in Pontrilas.

But trainspotters will be disappointed – they’re all models owned by the Hornby firm, and they’re heading for foreign markets.

Hornby is moving its UK distribution of its international range to OnTracks’ base at Pontrilas Business Park.

The deal clicked into place last week and covers five major brands, including the Venice Simplon Orient Express range.

Hornby has seen massive growth over the last decade having bought Corgi, Airfix and several European model firms.

They decided to hand over distribution to a specialist – and OnTracks were the model company.

“We know the market very well and we’ve been friendly with Hornby since day one,” said Tim Mulhall, strategy director at OnTracks.

“But it’s a coup for us to get a major brand name like Hornby – this deal covers a region of 2,000 different models from 17 different countries.”

OnTracks was founded in Wales in 1999 as an internet retailer and moved to Pontrilas six years later. The firm has two units and is looking to employ four workers to cope with the expansion.