Make. Paint. Build: Tips and tutorials for model trains, scale modellers and miniature war games.
Projects
Progress reports, track plans, tips and updates from the construction of my model railways. Includes N, OO and 009 gauge layouts. Based on railways in Cornwall and a 1980s Network South East themed railway.
Layout wiring
For a change I decided not to break anything on my exhibition layout. [...]
I didn’t mean to do that
How working on the model river lead to flooding one of my points with masking fluid! [...]
A moving waterwheel
My exhibition layout will feature a mill with turning waterwheel. This article explains the simple electrics behind this. [...]
How to create convincing corners with Plasticard
Plasticard, aka Styrene sheet, is a great material for making buildings but just gluing sheets together can leave you with ugly corners. This article looks at [...]
Building an OO scale mill house
Building a mill house. [...]
Revision, exhibition layout update
With the baseboard construction and track laid down, I've had a chance to plan some of the detail of the layout and typically this highlighted a problem. [...]
Track planning on modular base boards
My exhibition layout has been designed with a track plan finalised but track plans for modular baseboards are slightly different to normal layouts. [...]
Making my first exhibition layout, part 1
It was just another email. [...]
A new loco
I wasn't going to miss this. The limited edition Hornby Merton.
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Hidden Away – the genesis of a quick mini project
Hidden away behind a wall of trees, perched half way up a hillside, on the banks of Tamar in deepest Devon, is a small railway.
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Tri-ang Merton Factory
One of my layouts, the Wandle Valley, will feature the old Tri-ang factory in Merton. Sadly, the building is no longer there which makes modelling it difficult [...]
Rebuild, revise or carry on?
Well that's annoying. [...]
Railway in a box, Hobbit vineyard
A while back I acquired a wine box. I was about to throw it out when I idea struck me. [...]
Cornwall Continued…
As long term readers of MRE will know, I've got a bit of a thing about Cornwall and it's where the first element of my bigger layout is being based on. [...]
£35 Model Railway Update: Building the buildings and cliff face
It's been a while, too long, but here's an update on my £35 model railway challenge project. [...]
The £35 model railway challenge: project history
In the summer of 2017, I set myself a challenge to see if a model railway could be built for £35. [...]
Railways in a box, the £35 project update
More haste, less speed.
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Can it really be done? Project Update
It seemed like a good idea... But then reality came knocking. [...]
The £35 model railway challenge
Can a working model railway be built for £35? I'm going to try and I'll give £100 to charity if I fail. [...]
The Name Game
Looking for a realistic British name for your model railway. Here's 200 to get you started. [...]
