It’s the little things …

Many products from LEMISO - WERKE came about in exactly this way: We needed something for one of our own model railways, could not find a suitable solution – and eventually built it ourselves. Individual ideas became products, products grew into entire ranges, and a hobby eventually became a business.

Two model railway enthusiasts need platforms

Model railways have been part of Stephan Lehmann’s life practically since childhood: He received his first railway at the age of three and his first electric H0 model railway at six. Lorenz Kästner has been building model railways since the 1970s. Different experiences and interests eventually led to the same problem: suitable models for our own layouts were simply not available.

Stephan had already received an important inspiration at the Modell Hobby Spiel exhibition in Leipzig in 2005. During his training as an electrician from 1996 to 2000, he had learned how to work with plaster. At the exhibition, he saw the possibilities this material offered for model making in the work of Manfred Luft. Until then, there had been ideas for paper model kits – but plaster opened up completely different possibilities for three-dimensional models.

When suitable platforms were eventually needed for an N scale layout, we created our first models together. Originally intended only for our own use, they convinced us enough to inspire the idea of producing a small range.

LEMISO was founded on 12 December 2006. The name was derived from LEhmanns MIniaturen SOrtiment. Around six months later, our first online shop followed. The platforms gradually developed into a range that included tunnels, walls, rocks and other model-building products.

LEMISO later became LEMISO - WERKE. The name now fits rather well with what grew from those first plaster models: development and design, small-series production, craftsmanship and various modern manufacturing processes, all under one roof.

From product photography to a large exhibition layout

Originally, our own N scale layout was mainly intended to provide a proper setting for product photography. It did not stay that way for long. Over the years, individual modules grew into an exhibition layout measuring more than 23 metres in length.

Many distinctive structures and models were created by Lorenz Kästner – including the large ship lift, harbour, viaducts, a fully operational swing bridge and numerous landscape scenes. Together they turned the layout into a practical testing ground for new ideas and, at the same time, an eye-catching attraction at model railway exhibitions.

The layout received several awards and also attracted the attention of railway journalists and filmmakers, including Hagen von Ortloff. For us, however, it was at least as important to see first-hand at exhibitions how model railway enthusiasts used our products and what solutions they were still looking for.

1:450 – a rather small new world

In 2008 we encountered the then highly unusual T Scale in 1:450 for the first time. The tiny trains, which actually ran, fascinated us immediately. One of our first ideas for this scale was a tunnel made from plaster.

Later, we established contact with Martin Kernl of spur3.de, through whom we distributed T Scale products in Germany. In 2020, the opportunity finally arose to take over this part of the business and continue it ourselves.

Since then, the range has been continuously developed. The V 200.1 joined our range on 6 September 2021, followed by the self-unloading wagons on 1 August 2022, the Silberlinge coaches on 12 August 2023 and the BR 232 “Ludmilla” on 11 July 2024. At the same time, the range of track, scenery and layout-building accessories continues to grow.

New manufacturing methods have made many of these models possible in the first place. We have been working intensively with 3D printing since 2018, and our first own printer arrived in 2019. Today, depending on the product, we combine 3D printing with traditional model-making techniques, painting and hand assembly.

Pontifex Minimus – from a bridge to a system

One example of this development is our modular Pontifex Minimus bridge range for T Scale, created in 2024. Instead of offering only complete bridges, we developed a system consisting of different bridges, viaducts, piers, bridge abutments, walls and arcades.

The individual elements can be combined to create a wide variety of structures for different layout situations. This is precisely the kind of model building we particularly enjoy: a product does not dictate what a layout has to look like, but instead provides building blocks for the modeller’s own ideas.

Developing our own ideas – continuing exceptional ones

Not every good model has to be invented by us. Sometimes the more interesting challenge is to preserve something special and carry it forward.

We met Bernd Hauser at specialist small-series exhibitions. His figures already had a long history: his first 35 mm knight was created in 1979. When the Hauser family withdrew from the business, LEMISO - WERKE took over the figure range in March 2020. This allowed an unusual small-series range to be preserved and kept in production.

At the same time, we expanded into other small scales. In 2020 Lorenz Kästner developed the first products for Nm scale, with the range launching in January 2021. Ne scale followed in 2023.

These small and unusual scales fit particularly well with our understanding of model building. Not everything has to be designed for a huge market. Sometimes a product is interesting precisely because it is made for those who have previously searched for it in vain.

Back to where it all began

The address of LEMISO - WERKE has remained surprisingly faithful to its history. The company was founded in the home of Stephan’s parents. Even after he moved out in 2008, the company address remained there. Since May 2025, the site has gradually been developing once again into the company headquarters, with workshop, production and storage facilities.

In the future, we want it to become more than simply a place where parcels are packed and models are produced. We also want model building to be something visitors can experience directly – through our products, layouts and the history that has accumulated over the years.

2026 – and once again it’s about rocks

In 2026 another special chapter was added. A customer drew our attention to the fact that Andreas Dietrich from Austria was looking for a successor for his Knitterfelsen®. The idea of creating three-dimensional-looking rock landscapes by crumpling high-quality printed special paper immediately appealed to us.

With the takeover, we are carrying this idea forward and rebuilding production at LEMISO - WERKE. At the same time, new designs, formats and possibilities are being developed to combine Knitterfelsen® with the rest of our scenery range.

In a way, this brings the story almost full circle: LEMISO began with plaster, walls and scenery – twenty years later, we are once again working intensively with rocks, this time using a completely different material and process.

And now?

From November 2026, Stephan Lehmann will devote himself full-time to LEMISO - WERKE. This will create more room for development, production, the company headquarters and all those ideas that previously had to find their place between his regular job, the workbench and exhibition dates.

What began as a solution for a few missing platforms now encompasses model railway products in several scales, our own vehicles and track systems, scenery, small-series production and traditional product ranges that we have taken over and continued.