Valid to UK only - excludes oversized items
Using a back-to-back gauge for your model railway ensures that the wheels on your rolling stock are spaced correctly...
A poly-cap is a type of plastic cap often used in model-making kits, especially for assembling figurines or model...
Graham Farish is a name you’re likely to come across if you're interested in British model railways, especially in...
Semaphore signals, those distinctive mechanical arms that once graced railway lines across the UK, were largely...
Kato track is a popular choice in the world of model railways, known for its quality, ease of use and versatility. If...
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I use both, separately and together. Static grass comes in various sizes from 0.5mm to 12mm while scatter is flatter. For covering large areas at the back of a layout, scatter will look good and produce a realistic look. By adding static grass...
There are many products on the market for filling holes: There are plastic putties straight out of the tube, there are two-part putties that you mix together by squeezing between your fingers until they change to one uniform colour and even...
It is not essential to have a cutting mat, but it is a good idea. It saves getting in trouble with your significant other for cutting into the kitchen table. Cutting mats are self-healing which means that when you cut in to them it doesn't leave...
The short answer is carefully. The best way is with a sprue and plastic cutter but always be mindful of exactly where you are cutting as it is all too easy to cut in to the model components if you are not familiar with the parts that make up the...
Most modellers have an extensive tool kit, a tool for every eventuality. But when first starting a scalpel or a decent craft knife will suffice. And a selection of different size paint brushes. Paint brushes go from the larger size 7 down to...
As an Airfix kit is made of plastic, the best glue to use is a polystyrene cement, although some experienced modellers will use superglue. Be aware that polystyrene cement actually melts the plastic to create a bond as it is a solvent and not...
There are lots of manufacturers making OO gauge engines. The most common ones are Hornby, Bachmann but there are also a plethora of smaller actors such as Heljan or Dapol. You can also find engines sold exclusively by certain shops under their...
There are figures on the market designed purely for populating coaches. The ones that spring to mind are the Noch passenger figures which are all seated minus their lower legs which helps them to sit nicely on any coach seat. You could obviously...
Ready to run kits are good if your modelling skills are limited, simply buy and add to your layout. You also know the finish will be good and they will be square and run correctly. But many railway modellers prefer to build them and add their own...
This is quite straight forward as there are no real instructions on fitting 6-pin decoder. If you find that your loco won't run, try inserting the other way up, this should do the trick. Usually there is a small dot identifying pin number one on...
Whether your DCC engine can run on an analogue layout depends on the decoder fitted to the engine. If the decoder is "analogue compatible" and the relevant CV (function) is activated, then yes, the engine will work with an analogue controller....
Surely more is always better, so a 21 pin decoder is bound to be better than an 8 pin decoder? Actually, the answer is not that straightforward. With more pins, a 21 pin DCC decoder will be able to manage more functions than an 8 pin decoder....