If you’ve been watching the Great Model Railway Challenge on Channel 5 and want to build on your own railway, here’s a roundup of tips and techniques you’ll need to make your own.
Hopefully, you’ve been watching Channel 5s new series, the Great Model Railway Challenge. If not, I really recommend it. It’s fun and enjoyable. The Missenden Modellers, Porthcawl Model Railway Club, and Strangers on a Model Train make some great layouts, although the cheating by The Missenden Modellers in the first episode did annoy me a lot and I felt it was right that they didn’t win.
If it’s encouraged you to have a go at making your own model railway the following tip-filled articles will give tell you what you need to know.
Fundamentals
What are model railways about?
Where’s best to build a model railway?
Track Laying Basics
Scenery
Making Buildings – Free Buildings
Advanced Techniques
General Info
> A final, personal, note: I spend a huge amount of time testing, photographing, writing and researching techniques for these articles and pay for all the running costs of MRE out of my own pocket. If you found this article useful you can support me by making a donation on my fund-raising page. Thanks and happy modelling, Andy.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.