Learn, Build, Relax: Trusted guides and hand-crafted premium model scenes to delight and entertain
Author: Andy Leaning
How to steam up a Mamod steam engine
Most of the posts on this blog are about Hornby style model railways. But, as you may guess from the name, I also occasionally other topics relating to [...]
Remove rail joiners without damaging your rails (or fingers)
How to remove fish plates without damaging your rails, or your fingers. [...]
009 scale model railways – everything you need to know
No, 009 is not the successor to James Bond but the modelling of narrow gauge railways. Here's what you need if you're thinking of starting [...]
Tiny Terrific Track Tweaks : how to make your track work look better
I'm always on the lookout for ways to improve the look of my railways. Just recently I came across these fish plates and wow do they make a difference to track [...]
Model Making 101: Making Your Own Washes
Indispensable, yes. Expensive? No, now. [...]
What glue to use to stick tinfoil: Sunday Scribbles
What's the best glue to stick Aluminium (tin) foil? It makes great corrugated roofing but how to glue it? [...]
Humbrol Clear Gloss – What, How, Why
Humbrol's Gloss Clear is an often overlooked material for model making but it's incredibly useful and is far more than just a clear finish. [...]
Invaluable lessons we can learn from Sir Nigel Gresley
Take some lessons from one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers. Your layout will thank you. [...]
How to make snow
Winter is coming... Fancy adding a seasonal touch to your layout? Here's how to make snow that you can add to a model railway to give it that festive touch. [...]
So the scenery starts: £35 project update, part 5
Since my last update, things have developed with the project; the dock has water; dock side & walls have been made and the track laid. [...]
Trains, Tanks and Trenches: model railways with a difference
"They’re all the same dad” [...]
A Quick, Simple, Action You Can Take Now To Make Your Railway Look More Realistic
Adding that sought after 'authentic' feel to a model railway usually involves slow, intricate and detailed model work. But here's a quick, easy, and often [...]
How to fix your buildings down without fixing them down
If you're still building a layout and continually moving buildings around while working on it, this is for you. [...]
How to Make OO Scale Corrugated Roofing
Corrugated sheeting is a common material on railway buildings, particularly in the late steam era, but how can you make it? [...]
The best head magnifier for model making
It happens to us all. Some sooner, some later. But it happens. [...]
How to join and solder wires for the most reliable connections
How have I missed this? [...]
Legendary railway modeller John H. Ahern’s advice on the best material for landscaping
Looking for the best material for landscape modelling? Here's what one of the legends of model railway building used. [...]
How to make Hornby & Peco OO gauge track look more realistic
Hornby and Peco track is cheap and compatible with a huge number of trains but it has a problem. [...]
Electrics, an update on the £35 Model Railway Project, part 4
The electrics: A gamble that worked but I'm behind schedule. [...]
The cheapest way to make water for your models
What is the cheapest way to make a beautiful river, pond, lake or sea for your models? You might be surprised. [...]