Category Archives: Hints and tips

Book review – Creating cameo layouts’

Posted on March 18, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

We all get older.  Even Iain Rice gets older.  That young whipper-snapper with radical ideas on P4 modelling and on layout design is now an elder statesman of the hobby.  Fortunately he writes in just the same style as he ever … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Layout design, The trade | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Book review – Model Railroad Planning 2017′

Posted on March 12, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

The new year has come around again and it’s time for this year’s ‘Model Railroad Planning’ from Kalmbach.  I get this annual publication every year, and it is almost always worth a read.  There are usually too many (for me) … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Layout design, The trade | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Minories, Minories everywhere…..

Posted on March 8, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

Once you start looking for ‘Minories’ type layouts, they seem to be everywhere.  I suppose this is hardly surprising, as the layout of crossovers and a point to reach three platforms is a simple, intuitive one.  So here’s another attractive … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Layout design, Out and about | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Another prototypical Minories…..

Posted on February 26, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

Reading the July 2011 Railway Modeller, I came across another ‘almost’ Minories design, and a very attractive one at that.  This is the ex-LSWR station of Windsor and Eton Riverside.  Windsor had an LSWR and a GWR terminus, both angling, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Layout design, Out and about | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Good, bad or ugly?

Posted on February 25, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

A letter from the October 2011 British Railway Modelling…. No room for graffiti One of the many reasons I have for subscribing to BRM is that you not only inspire and inform but give food for thought in an adult, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Prototype, Weird and wonderful | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Easier train tickets?

Posted on February 2, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

I was pleased to see that some of the train operators in the UK have finally been pressured to sell people the cheapest ticket, and not hide the best fare in the small print somewhere.  It looks like you will now … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Out and about, Prototype | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Have you given up on your resolutions yet?

Posted on January 29, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

Every year, the NMRA send me a magazine to tell me about voting and the like.  I don’t subscribe for the other 11 months, as the BRNMRA magazine ‘Roundhouse’ is far better (or perhaps it is just more British?)  However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Out and about | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Hours of fun with maps – and two interesting designs

Posted on January 27, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

I was recently reading an RMWeb on building an ‘O’ gauge layout based on the King’s Cross loco stabling point.  This thread is very interesting itself, with track layouts and some excellent photographs of King’s Cross in the steam and … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Jon's layout ramblings, Prototype | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dawson Station

Posted on January 5, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

Another delightful minimum space layout….. Dawson Station is my portable 1′ x 4′ n-scale model railroad layout and is based on the Hull-Oakes lumber mill located in Dawson, Oregon. Hull-Oakes, one of the last steam-powered sawmills in North America, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Layout design | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Odd modelling ideas #20171

Posted on January 3, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

A couple of interesting modelling challenges from the Daily Telegraph for the New Year…. First, the Crystal Palace Subway. It’s been more than 60 years since a train last pulled up to the forgotten station – but this beautiful underground heritage … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Out and about, Weird and wonderful | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments