Category Archives: Hints and tips

The fear factor

One of my regular blog reads, ‘Motorised Dandruff’, has been very quiet recently.  However, I found I could identify with this recent post: The major problem I have is one of perfectionist block (I think that’s what its called). I … Continue reading

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ESNG N-Mod track?

Here’s a picture I found in an old magazine I was reading, that reminds me of our N-mod track.  It even has the correct 4-track configuration….. In fact, this does look very much like a model railway.  Reading Iain Rice’s … Continue reading

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Book review – “Compact Layout Design – Iain Rice”

One of my favourite reads is an Iain Rice layout design book.  Hidden amongst the slightly bumptious and wordy – but always entertaining – text, there are always inspiring photographs, clever construction techniques, prototype information and neat track plans.  And the … Continue reading

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There could be some truth in this?

Sent to me, so I’m unable to give credit where credit is due.  But I suspect it could be very close to the truth”

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Shunting scrabble

I am always impressed by the realistic operation of US model railroads, compared to what we do in the UK (see my recent post on ‘Time’).  I even recently read a Model Railroad Hobbyist article where the layout had padlocks … Continue reading

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Adventures in time and place #2 – Location, location, location

A number of recent blogs and articles have had me thinking not only about time, but also about place.  There are two aspects to this – can the location of your model railway be identified before a train arrives – … Continue reading

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What colour(s) is track?

I’m getting to the stage when I will need to start painting and ballasting the track on my modules.  Looking at the albums I have in my possession, one can see that it’s not a matter of a spray of … Continue reading

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Adventures in time and place #1

No, this is not a review of the latest episode of ‘Dr Who’.  Rather, there have been some interesting posts recently on how ‘time’ and ‘location’ work when we are building a model railway.  I’m a sucker for these ‘philosophical’ … Continue reading

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Southern Railway Coach formations

With the advent of the excellent Dapol Southern Railway Maunsell coaches, we’ll need to know how to put together a realistic formation.  I came across this useful information on the Worsley Works etched ‘scratch-aid’ and kit site (originally from the … Continue reading

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Ideas matter

This is from another thought provoking post by Mike Cougill on the OST blog… Our craft suffers from a scarcity of ideas. Ideas that change our image of what the hobby could be. When Frank Ellison suggested that a model … Continue reading

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