Model Railway Features
Last knockings of the Class 101s
Although it is now 20 years since the last Class 101 DMUs were withdrawn, these units outlived many of their counterparts by a handsome margin. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES looks back at these successful trains and relates the story of their extended final years.
Bespoke Barn Build
What do you do when there are no suitable buildings available as kits or ‘ready to plant’? DAN EVASON shows that making your own structure can be simple and provide a unique aspect to a layout.
Diesel Days at Westbury
A railway crossroads, Westbury has long been an important rail hub and remains a major centre for a varied selection of passenger and aggregate traffic, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES describes.
Staff Projects - Track gang
It’s all about track on the rebuild of Topley Dale with a combination of lifting old rails, relaying and new track installation, as MIKE WILD explains.
THE HIGHLAND MAIN LINE
Stretching across 118 spectacular miles, the Highland Main Line is a vital artery linking the Far North for more than 150 years, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains.
Quarry Hunslet Digital Sound
Fitting DCC sound in Bachmann’s tiny ‘OO9’ gauge model is difficult – but as John Gay explains, is possible, bringing it to life beautifully.
Class 104 conversion – Part 2
Having already rebuilt the underframes as part of his Class 104 conversion, TIM SHACKLETON turns his attention to the bodywork. 3D-printed components come to his aid, as he explains.
Modelling a West Coast Railtour
Railtours are a superb way of bringing variety to a layout. In the first of two step-by-step guides, RICHARD HALL shows how to recreate the railtour carriages – which can be very different.
Painting a GNR Signalbox
One of 2024’s additions to the PJM Models collection of laser-cut kits available from the Key Model World Shop is this Great Northern Railway signalbox. MIKE WILD explains how he painted the structure.
Woodland on a Budget
Model trees are readily available, but DAN EVASON reckons you can make them yourself for pennies – as he demonstrates in this latest ‘OO’ gauge scene.
SERIES 8: Digital Sound - installing ESU LokSound chips
The fourth part of our new Digital Sound video series is here focusing on ESU LokSound decoders. In this part we had sound to a Bachmann 'OO9' Mainline Hunslet, a Dapol Class 68 and a Bachmann BR '5MT' 4-6-0. Discover how we completed the installations here.
Locoman Sounds for the Hornby BR ‘2MT’ 2-6-0
The recently released Hornby BR ‘2MT’ 2-6-0 is an attractive locomotive, but challenging for sound installation. MIKE WILD explains how he fitted a powerful speaker into the tender with an ESU chip from Locoman Sounds.
Customising limited edition Class 40 40145
The Key Publishing limited edition model of 40145 in large logo blue prompted DAVID DOLMAN to take an already good model and make it even better.
Class 104 Conversion
In a classic piece of hands-on modelling, TIM SHACKLETON takes a brutal-looking selection of saws, files and knives to an elderly Hornby model. In the first part, he tackles the chassis.
GWR Steam Railmotor
Railways have always faced the problem of how to work their most lightly used routes cheaply. One solution that found much favour in Victorian times was the steam railmotor, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains.
Creating a Waterfall
For a very different feature on a layout, DAN EVASON shows how to create a stunning waterfall scene in this detailed step by step modelling guide.
The Dawlish Sea Wall
Few railway locations are as recognisable as the famous sea wall at Dawlish in Devon, where for a hundred years trains have done battle with the elements, sometimes in spectacular style. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains why this railway was built and what the future may hold for it.
Upgrading Newton Grove
With some structures having been damaged in the long journey from ‘Oz’, JONATHAN NEWTON reveals how he is building a new engine shed and road bridge for his ‘O’ gauge layout.
The short and winding road
A veritable spider’s web of country lanes links villages and farms in the countryside. DAN EVASON shows how to model one in 4mm scale.
LESS IS MORE
TIM SHACKLETON takes a scaled-down approach to giving ‘N’ gauge models a life-like finish.
REALITY CHECK: Southern Railway CC1 ‘Booster’
To power goods trains on its electric network, the Southern Railway built one of the most innovative and unusual locomotive designs ever to appear on our railways. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES looks into the history of the Class 70, otherwise known as the ‘Booster’.
What Next? LNER
Continuing his survey of the ‘Big Four’ railways, Trevor Jones picks out some ‘missing links’ of the LNER and constituents that could be modelled in ‘OO’ gauge.
Building a GNR tunnel portal
In the fourth and final feature following construction of our new ‘TT:120’ scale layout Twelvemill Bridge, MIKE WILD explains the techniques used to build our exclusive GNR tunnel portal kits.
Speaker upgrade for the Accurascale ‘Manor’
Accurascale’s GWR ‘Manor’ 4-6-0 is a superb model, but it left room for improvement in the speaker setup. MIKE WILD shows how he fitted Locoman Sounds’ latest profile for these two-cylinder locomotives together with a speaker upgrade.
Staff Projects: Reviving Topley Dale
It’s approaching two years since Topley Dale was dismantled and put into storage, but now the layout is being rebuilt in a much bigger, extended form. MIKE WILD explains the first steps and the vision for the future.
Speedlink freight operations
The 1960s are usually best remembered for Beeching’s railway closures but this period also saw a number of innovations, not least the rapid Speedlink freights with their distinctive long-wheelbase wagons, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES remembers.
Class 57s
While remanufacture of existing locomotives is common practice in other countries it is quite rare in the UK. The Class 57, however, is an exception, having been rebuilt from the Class 47 two decades ago. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES takes a look at this successful conversion and its subsequent service history.
MAKING A SCENE: Submerged Spitfire scene
DAN EVASON was inspired by a story to create this stunning scene in 4mm scale - which, with adaptation, could be set in any era from the dawn of flight to the present day.
Creating the cover for model for Hornby Magazine 200
Marking the 200th issue of Hornby Magazine called for a special cover shot. RICHARD HALL reworked a Bachmann class 40 to mark the occasion in style with a unique headboard.