Tag Archives: Hints and tips

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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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Shelf layout design

Posted on December 14, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

An interesting clinic presented at the NMRA MCR “Thoroughbred Limited” Convention May 13-18, 2015 by Philip Gliebe.  It’s interesting as this is an American looking largely at UK branch line layouts for inspiration.  ‘Shelf layouts’ in the USA are often … Continue reading →

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Odd modelling idea #96

Posted on November 10, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

I don’t think I’ve done this one before!  From the Daily Telegraph and CNN (amongst others.) Main road swallowed up as huge sinkhole collapses in centre of Japanese city Residents of a major Japanese city woke up to a main … 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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Playing or creating?

Posted on October 11, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

Model Railroad Hobbyist is a bit of a mixture – I suppose like any periodical – but at least it’s free!  However, issue 80, October 2016 has some good things in it. The editorial has some good words on model … Continue reading →

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Respect the scale

Posted on October 5, 2016 by snitchthebudgie

More on the size question, this time from the OST blog.  It’s aimed more at ‘O’ gauge, but a lot of these thoughts can be factored into any scale. Many of the layout design conventions we take for granted were … Continue reading →

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