Category Archives: The trade

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 →

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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 →

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Shopping list 2017

Posted on January 13, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

Bachmann announced their 2017 (and probably well beyond) release at the weekend, and also the unfortunately much smaller number of Farish N gauge releases.  I have put a few pre-orders in, for if and when they arrive.  I just hope … Continue reading →

Posted in Jon's layout ramblings, The trade | Tagged , | 2 Comments

It’s 2017 – Happy New Year

Posted on January 1, 2017 by snitchthebudgie

A Happy New Year to all our readers! What will 2017 bring?  I hope that I will get more modelling done, and have a number of projects lined up, having purchased a range of bits and pieces.  I can’t see … Continue reading →

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Another N-gauge coupler development – this time from Europe

Posted on October 19, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

I  came across this blog , UK based but describing a French fine scale ‘N’ layout.  And it had a very interesting post on ‘N’ gauge couplers. N-tram are the doyen of European brass models, in N-m and N.  They are … Continue reading →

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An interesting N-gauge coupler development

Posted on October 15, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

A very interesting development from MicroTrains – the ‘True-Scale’ N-gauge coupler.  The pictures below shows how good these look (photos MTL.)  They also have the advantage over using ‘Z’ gauge couplers in ‘N’ that they have no springs and ‘slinky’ … Continue reading →

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Model cost increases

Posted on May 24, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

There has been a lot of discussion recently on the price increases for ‘N’ gauge stock imposed by Graham Farish and others.  There are some good thoughts in this month’s Railway Modeller from Ben Ando (of NGS and Revolution Trains … Continue reading →

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Baseboard joints

Posted on May 8, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

I recently came across this interesting product.  I’ve been using copper-clad strip at my baseboard edges to keep alignment, but the strips I’ve used are a bit wide and I can’t hide them all under level crossings or board crossings.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Jon's layout ramblings, The trade | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

2B or not 2B?

Posted on May 6, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

Keeping track clean, and by association keeping wheels clean, is a perennial problem.  How often do you see a loco stall at an exhibition, followed by a lot of work with a Peco track cleaner?  I came across this tip in … Continue reading →

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What’s at the ESNG show?

Posted on April 4, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

Show update: Overflow parking is in the Doynings sports centre overflow car park ( RH1 1DP), just 5 minutes walk from the school. Take the entrance and bear right to the upper car park. There’s 4 free hours parking there. … Continue reading →

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