This article is for non-railway builders looking for the perfect gift idea for the model train enthusiasts in their lives.
No matter what you may think of your friend, partner or colleagues hobby there’s no doubting the enjoyment they get from it. So what better gift to get them for Christmas, birthday or just a surprise than a model train related present that they’ll enjoy and appreciate.
This list of 10 ideas spans everything from budget extras to luxury top end gifts any model railway fan will love to receive. I’ve also picked items that can be used on any railway, you needn’t worry if these will work with their train scale and size.
If you’re a hobbyist reading this and think of an item you’d like to receive that’s not on this list, drop a comment below. And, if there’s something you’d like on this list, you could always ‘accidentally’ share it with your friends and family, just click on the share buttons above.
In approximate price order.
Glue
Model railway builders get through a lot of glue, an awful LOT. And one of the most used glue’s is PVA, known as Elmer’s to use one particular brand. It has a million and one uses around a model railway and is sure to be used.
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Track Cleaning Rubber
Dirty railway track is the endless pain for model train fans and this track cleaning block is just the ticket to keeping their track clean.
| Amazon UK | Click Now To Buy |
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Archimedes Drill
This is a great general gift for anyone making a model railway. It’s handy for a multitude of jobs around their track and trains, looks good and doesn’t cost much.
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Scatter, Tree & Hedgerow Foliage Starter Kit
This is the stuff that covers the ground on a model railway to create the impression of small plants, soil, etc and model railway enthusiasts use a lot of it.
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Modelling Railway Scenery
This is one of my favourite books and hugely popular amongst the ModelRailwayEngineer community. Every layout will have some scenery and this comprehensive book shows how to make the main types.
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Head Magnifier
If you’ve seen the model trains of your friend, partner, etc you’ll know how small they are. And that’s just the trains and locomotive. Everything else is tiny too so most modellers will need something to help them see the detail and this head magnifier is easily the best I’ve used.
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Dremel Rotary Tool
An excellent all-round handy tool for model railways and all manner of house-hold DIY jobs. Any modeller will be delighted to find this on their birthday morning or under the tree at Christmas.
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Static Grass Applicator
If the model railway fanatic in your life has any grass area on their layout, his is sure to delight. This will spread the grass they use while passing an charge through it so it stands up when applied, giving grass a lifelike look. This particular model is one of the best available and looks the part to.
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Rotating loco cradle
Serving locomotives is something common task but holding the delicate models upside down or at angle to service them isn’t easy. This unique rotating cradle solves the problem.
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3D Printer
Railway modellers by their very nature make a lot of models and increasingly these can be printed on a 3D printer – along with all manner of other objects.
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And that’s it.
Hopefully, you’ll find something that you can give as a present or it’s given you inspiration for something else.
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.