Category Archives: Hints and tips

Rail Speeders Conquer The Railroads!

Posted on August 15, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Allan sent me this link, from the “Train Fanatics” site.  I’m not sure such a rail tour would work in the UK – imagine the problems on the London commuter lines – and I guess all our lines are just too … Continue reading →

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Almost a model?

Posted on August 5, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

A picture from the BBC website, of derailed engineering trains in Scotland.  This looks remarkably like our ESNG layout on a bad day (and I suspect most modellers will identify with the incident!) According to the article: Two trains carrying ballast … Continue reading →

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Five things you can do to be happier right now

Posted on July 28, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Most people are wrong about the things that will make them happy.  Professor Paul Dolan, speaking at the Hay Festive, said it’s actually quite simple.  I’ve adapted them for model railway use – I think they still work! Listening to a … Continue reading →

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Less is more – two interesting examples

Posted on July 22, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

I used to follow a blog called ‘The Staging Yard’, following a UK based modeller’s trials at building a US layout, until it went quiet in 2014.  Reading RMWeb the other day, I saw that the blog had reappeared and was being continued … Continue reading →

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Coupling springs have sprung

Posted on June 26, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

This very useful tip appeared in the NRMA British Region magazine.  Most useful for those of us with Microtrains couplers, but now Dapol buckeyes are around it may also apply to them.  It was published under the wonderful title of … Continue reading →

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An easier way to ballast your track?

Posted on June 22, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Lance Mindheim  may have come up with a really good idea here…. Effectively applying ballast glue is a challenge at best.  The more powdery soils and small gauge products even more so.  The problem comes with application of the adhesive, … Continue reading →

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Why do layouts fail?

Posted on June 10, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Good words from Lance Mindheim: When I work with a design client, one question I always ask is why previous layouts didn’t get off the ground and gain critical mass.  After almost fifteen years the answers haven’t changed.  The three … Continue reading →

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What would you change?

Posted on June 6, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Mike Cougil contributes another thought provoking post.  He starts with…. If you had a blank slate to begin again in the craft, would you change anything? Would you switch scales, stick with the same theme, explore a different one or, do … Continue reading →

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What do you care about?

Posted on June 2, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Another short, but excellent post by Mike Cougill on the OST blog… What do trains help you to care about? For what it’s worth, here’s my answer: trains help me remember times and events that are meaningful. Memories that I … Continue reading →

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Now ESNG N-mod baseboards?

Posted on May 27, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Having found a picture reminding me of N-mod track, here’s one that reminds me of our baseboards (at least for the corners and fiddle yard).  Thanks to David Bromage on Small Layouts Group for this…. Found this by accident.  A … Continue reading →

Posted in ESNG, Hints and tips, Inspiration, Prototype, Weird and wonderful | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment