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Layout Construction
Tips, techniques and guides to model railway construction, including baseboards, track planning, backscenes and track work.
How high should a model railway be?
While working on the construction of one of my layouts, I happened to think about the correct height for maximum convenience. [...]
Skip the pain of reaching across your layout with this inspired home built aid
How's this for a nifty idea. [...]
What are modular model railway baseboards
Looking for the easiest, quickest, way to start building model railways and operating your trains? Pre-made modular model railway baseboards are the ideal [...]
A quick easy way to make curved corners for your backscene
If you want your backscene to have curved corners you may be struggling with how to create the curved wood onto which the paper is glued. I did and then I had [...]
Signalling – Basics: Semaphore Signals
If you want your model railway to look the part, you'll need signals and in the case of steam era railways this means semaphore signals. Here's a back to [...]
The best recipe for ballast glue
What is the best glue for model railway ballast? Find the answer here. [...]
The Best Thickness For Plywood Model Railway Baseboards
What thickness of plywood is best for a model railway baseboard? [...]
How many inches in height do I need for my incline
Confused about inclines and how many inches you need to raise your track to go over other track? Here's what you need to know. [...]
DIY point control with Meccano – Frank Hornby’s creations meet
Take two of the UK's greatest toy inventor's best products; add a sprinkle of ingenuity and you have DIY point control that Frank Hornby himself would be proud [...]
Tips from an inspirational model railway
There are realistic model railways and then there are realistic model railways. Anyone who’s seen Ben Alder's Far North Line layout knows what I mean. [...]
Tips from an exhibition layout: Oak Road by Mike Buick
Mike Buick will be familiar to many modellers as the creator of the Oak Road layout. It's a beautiful layout exhibition with astonishingly lifelike modelling. [...]
Sunday Scribbles: Madcapped idea for track cleaning
A daft idea that may make track cleaning easier. Has anyone tried it? [...]
How a Blue Peter favourite can help with your layout construction
They've been around for years and are a mainstay of crafters but Velcro and double-sided sticky tape are a godsend for model railways too. [...]
Big Country, Big Sky, Big Backscene
One of the basic rules of model railway construction is to lay the track into the landscape as opposed to building the landscape around the track.
Railways [...]
The City on the Edge of Forever
No, this isn't about a StarTrek themed model railway — how cool would that be! — but a quick tip on how to stop views into a different time and space from [...]
How I got 5 locos to run smoothly over my points with just 10 minutes work
Most of the time, our locos run smoothly over points. But occasionally there are problems. Here's how I quickly solved a problem that was causing 5 of my locos [...]
Six inspiring ideas and track plans to use for small spaces
Here are my favourite track plans for small spaces. It includes plans for N, OO, HO and 009 scales with designs that will fit into small spaces around a [...]
Trains stalling on Electrofrog points?
Trains stalling on Electrofrog points? Here’s the one solution I’ve found. I hope it works for you too.
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How to fill gaps between your rails
If you've ever laid track and found you have an unsightly gap between two sections here's an easy little trick to conceal it and help your trains run easier. [...]
Model railway incline, what is it
What is an incline on a model railway? Why are they needed? Read the answer here in the largest glossary of model railway terminology. [...]