What is a model railway backscene? Find the answer here in the Internet’s biggest model railway glossary.
- A model railway backscene is a painting or photograph of a town scene or landscape and placed at the rear of a layout to create the impression of depth.
Typically they are 9 or 12 inches high, fixed to a board and run the length of the layout.
Backscenes are either hand painted or are available ready-printed, with either painted or photographed images.
See back scene master class for tips on how to make and fit them.
For more common terms and definitions read my model railway glossary
> 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.