Valid to UK only - excludes oversized items
Stripping enamel paint from a model can seem like a delicate process, but with the right tools and techniques, it's...
Servicing your model railway locomotive is an essential part of maintaining its performance and longevity. Regular...
Fixing warped plastic parts on a model can be a bit tricky, but it's a manageable task with some patience and the...
The UK railway scale is called 00 gauge (pronounced "double-O") due to its origins as a smaller alternative to the...
For decades, British Rail (BR) was a symbol of national unity in transport, linking cities, towns and villages across...
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The best coarseness of ballast for N Gauge would be the fine or very fine ballast. This gives a better scale representation for the N gauge layout. If you were to use medium or coarse ballast, this would look out of proportion to everything else...
Slow action point motors are exactly what they say, they are designed to give a more realistic look to your points on your layout by delaying the movement of the track points so that it appears like the real thing. This replicates the signalman...
Solenoid point motors are used for throwing the points on your layout. They can also be used for other animations such as semaphore signals. The point motor uses two solenoids to pull a metal rod towards them, when this is connected to the tie...
How you remove ballast would depend on weather you are trying to remove excess ballast after laying and gluing your ballast, or if you are trying to remove an existing section of track for replacement or re-landscaping.If you are just removing the...
You will find knuckle couplings on American model railways and European ones as this is the standard coupling for everywhere except England. The knuckle coupling was invented in the late 1800s and is used all over the world today on the...
A back to back gauge is a tool which when placed between the back plates of the wheels of your wagons, carriages and locomotives will give you an accurate gap measurement allowing you to adjust the wheel spacing. This enables to always have your...
The time old tradition for laying ballast is to lay your ballast under/around your track and add watered down PVA glue mixed with a couple of drops of washing up liquid to ease surface tension. You can also find ready to use ballast glue which is...
One easy way is to get yourself a Peco cleaning kit containing a wire brush, wheel scraper, foam cradle and oil. The foam cradle allows you to turn your loco upside down and give support while cleaning the wheels, or any other form of...
The best way to check the wheels of your locomotives is to use a tool called a back to back gauge. They are available for all scales/gauges. They are made of brass and you simply slide it over the axle and the back of the wheels. If it proves...
The track is connected using rail joiners, also called "fishplates". They are thin metal plates that simply slot into the next piece of track and should be tight fitting to allow for the power to flow seamlessly to the next piece of track. They...
You can buy ready-made roads which are ideal if you do not have the time to create your own. They are available in most scales and with all the features you might need like markings, potholes, etc. Alternatively, you can make your own with road...
In theory, the only limit to the width of your layout is the amount of space you have available. The reality is slightly shorter: bear in mind that if you have a derailment you will need to be able to reach your locomotives, coaches and wagons....