Despite modern appearances, colour light signalling has been around since the 1920s and is just as full of subtle details and variations as 'traditional' semaphore signalling. The inclusion of a working signalling system within a model railway layout is technically challenging but adds realism and 'wow' factor. This new book contains a brief history of the development and deployment of colour light signalling in the UK; a basic explanation of how track design influences signalling design; an overview of the different types of point motor and, finally, descriptions of the different components that make up a signalling system and how these components are used and controlled. It is an extensive guide to developing and adding realistic colour light signalling to a model railway layout.

0 gauge (scale 7mm to the foot) is the 'senior scale' and it has existed for almost as long as the hobby of railway modelling itself. With the advent of high-quality ready-to-run 0 gauge locomotives and rolling stock, it is enjoying a huge surge in popularity. This fascinating book covers the history and the benefits of 0 gauge; discusses the various prototypical gauges that can be successfully modelled in 0 gauge; examines making a start in this gauge and practical layout planning and it also shows the modeller how to successfully create scenery and model buildings.

Comprehensive in its coverage, Modelling the Southern Region - 1948 to the Present presents an historical overview of the post-war Southern Region of British Railways before guiding the reader through a series of detailed modelling projects, illustrating all of the techniques and equipment required, from building freight, locomotives and architecture, to modernization, electrification and the third rail. These projects make use of the best available commercial model-making products and provide an introduction to scratch-building your own lineside items. Each project is supported by a short historical background section and suggestions as to how each project could be further developed. The result will be a set of models that sets the modeller on track for a first-class model of the Southern Region.

Any modeler who wants to paint, decal, or weather locomotives, rolling stock and structures will find plenty of in-depth, how-to techniques in this updated edition New prototype photos, current manufacturers, and the latest products are featured along with several new projects that include making your own decals with an inkjet printer and a multi-color painting project for a locomotive.

The author had spent six years building a 7-1/4" gauge model of an LNER B1 locomotive, 'Bongo', and wanted to paint it to a high standard. This turned out to be easier said than done. The complete process of painting, lining and reassembly of Bongo took two years of frustration, mistakes and wrong directions but, finally, he won a gold medal at the 2004 Model Engineer Exhibition and the Charles Kennion Memorial Trophy for the best finished model in the show. It was this success, together with the lack of published help on the subject, that led to his decision to put pen to paper. This is not an academic treatise on painting, but a practical 'cook book' from someone who did finally achieve a good result, starting from zero knowledge. With 168 pages, 130 colour photographs and 30 diagrams, this book takes the beginner through all the necessary stages and processes in painting a model engineering subject. It includes selection and making of equipment, paint, preparation, spray and hand painting, fixing blemishes, lining, transfers, tips on how to look after the paintwork and a list of suppliers. The many trials, tribulations and disappointments are related, together with the author's solutions to them. It was only when the job was finished and sense of humour restored that people admitted that they had hardly dared to visit any longer because of the endless tales of woe and disaster: Paint running, rough finish, dust, insects, touching the still wet paint, dropping the tender, power failure in the middle of a job, faulty paint, water in the air supply...If the reader avoids just one of these pitfalls then the cost of the book will have been saved, perhaps several times over.

This comprehensive book is aimed at all those railway modellers who wish to create a realistic model of a branch line. First of all it examines the origins, developments and future of branch lines in Britain and then provides useful insights into how to select a suitable branch line to model. It discusses in detail how to create scenic realism and an appropriate setting for the model, with reference to the landscape, the infrastructure, the lineside and the use of authentic colour. Detailed information about a selection of several real, and some fictitious, branch lines are presented in order to inspire the modeller and help him to select a suitable subject to lovingly recreate. Finally, track plans and superb drawings of the whole scene are shown which provides the modeller with a visual intepretation of what the completed model should look like.

This is an ideal book for model railroaders who are just getting started with Digital Command Control (DCC). A how-to guide that covers the basics, the book features an overview of DCC, tackles track wiring, describes cab bus wiring, explains how to convert an existing layout to DCC, and includes other fundamentals. The book is written by Mike Polsgrove, Model Railroader's columnist on DCC.

101 Track Plans has been a classic for model railroaders since its publication five decades ago. Now, a new book follows up where the original leaves off. 101 More Track Plans for Model Railroaders evokes the look and feel of its predecessor, with a simple premise: a multitude of track plans to inspire modelers. Featuring plans from Model Railroader magazine from the '60s, '70s, and early '80s, each track plan has a newly written, informational description of the design. The track plans range in size from simple 4 x 8 foot and smaller layouts to room- and garage-sized showpieces, with the majority focusing on mid-size layouts.

There are more than 400 miniature railways in Britain. Some are hidden away and privately owned, others are parkland attractions, and some - such as the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch - are large commercial enterprises. They come in an array of gauges (from 5 inches up to 15 inches and sometimes beyond), but their most definitive characteristic is that they can carry passengers, whether sitting astride the rolling stock or inside enclosed carriages. In this colourfully illustrated guide, David Henshaw offers a concise history of miniature railways from the nineteenth century to the modern day, including a whistle-stop tour of the most notable examples open to the public - including the Ravenglass & Eskdale and Eastleigh Lakeside railways - exploring their layouts, engineering and rolling stock.

Have you ever dreamed of building a model of a favourite railway station for your layout, whether it be a modest branch line station, or a large town terminus? Have you ever wanted to re-create a beautiful station that you have seen at a railway modelling exhibition, or in a magazine, and felt that you needed a helping hand? If so, this is the book for you. Ian Lamb, a modeller of enormous experience, demonstrates how almost anybody, regardless of their modelling skills, can construct a pleasing and presentable model railway station in even a quite limited amount of space. Six specific UK stations, some real and some fictional, are selected as modelling case studies and the author provides detailed, practical information about different aspects of their construction. Throughout the book the author provides step-by-step guidance and illustrations and emphasizes how - with patience- modelling skills, confidence and ambition can all be improved over time. Moreover, he is ever mindful of how costs should be kept down to reasonable levels and reveals how materials and tools can often be the most simple and inexpensive of everyday household items.

'My Miniature World' discusses the philosophy behind building certain model locomotives, passenger and freight rolling stock with Companies represented from 1880 to 1947. Help is given regarding the necessary research, leading to the drawings and photographs for each model. The reader is pointed in the direction of available items through trade sources, particularly castings, motors and wheels. Readers of this book will discover techniques old and new which, applied to railway modelling, will both enhance enjoyment and keep the pound in your pocket! 'This book is a celebration of a lifetime of railway modelling by the founder of the Railways in Miniature Museum. Eric Rawlins makes clear his astonishing diversity of inspiration and detailed knowledge of railway history, while readily revealing decades of carefully acquired practical information.' PAUL ATTERBURY - Railway author and long-standing member of the BBC's Antiques Roadshow team of experts.

Whether in a rural or urban setting, the addition of railway infrastructure can transform a train set into a railway layout. Modelling Tunnels, Embankments, Walls and Fences for Model Railways demonstrates how to build these essential features and place them into a railway layout. It describes the unique challenges, techniques and materials for each element, and provides plenty of practical advice on how to realistically model these crucial aspects of a landscape. Topics include: incorporating topographical features into a layout, from planning to execution; the importance of baseboard construction and track laying when modelling a landscape; practical considerations and techniques for building tunnels; the use of vegetation, animals and small buildings to bring layouts to life and finally, the use of ready-to-plant items, and kit- and scratch-building techniques.

For nearly thirty years, John Haining (under the pen name 'Countryman's Steam') contributed a vast range of designs and constructional articles to the pages of Model Engineer magazine. These covered all types and sizes of engine:- steam traction engines for the road and field and standing engines, and the way they worked with ploughs, cider mills, elevators and threshing machines. The articles were always popular with those seeking steam experiences away from the railways, and as a result the author built up an authoritative reputation for the extent of his knowledge in this area. As a technical consultant to Model Engineer, the author built up an enviable reputation for the extent of his knowledge and the immense trouble he took to reply fully and clearly to readers' queries and problems. This book was originally written in 1982 to expound on some of the problems encountered by engine owners, both in full size and in small scale. It places particular emphasis on design and construction, and the care of steel boilers, with formulae and data used by the top firms. A new and enlarged edition was extended to cover more fully the design, construction and care of steel boilers in general, with formulae and data used by firms of repute. An extra chapter was included covering the author's designs of three vertical boilers, the Sentinel, the Caradoc and a 3 inch scale version.

This lavishly illustrated book provides guidance on how to transform your model from its bare structure to a realistic finish. This new book provides: a guide for both beginners and the more experienced, covering all scales and gauges; advice on the selection of airbrushes, compressors and essential tools; a simple three-step process to clean and prepare your model for painting; guidance on dealing with faults and paint problems; instruction on the pros and cons of the different ways to produce lines; tips to help you produce consistent fine lines with a bow pen; how to get the best out of transfers and the different types available, and finally, basic weathering techniques using a variety of methods. With over 500 colour photographs it will help even the beginner to produce a realistic life-like model.

Whether you are just starting out in the hobby of scenic railway modelling, or are more experienced and are revamping an existing layout, this invaluable instructional volume will guide you through the art of using basic materials to create wonderful model scenery. Brimming with practical advice and tips, the book shows you how to create realistic cuttings, natural rocky outcrops, grassy hillsides, steep cliff faces, waterfalls, streams and lakes, as well as weeds, plants and foliage. Containing over 300 step-by-step colour photographs, this remarkable volume covers the tools and materials you will need and fully explains the modelling techniques that are required.

Model railway baseboards are like the foundations of a house, and failure to build a rigid baseboard that has no movement will inevitably lead to problems. Accordingly, this invaluable, well-illustrated book is essential reading for all those who wish to be guided through the potential pitfalls of making a baseboard and who require practical information about the different kinds of boards and how to construct them properly. Describes in detail how to build several different types of baseboards from the simple box frame, through the monocoque flat board, the drop board and insulation board, to multi-level boards and the helix. With the less adept modeller in mind, the author also explains how to make a baseboard with only a drill, a screwdriver and glue.

This fascinating, well-illustrated and informative book presents a straightforward guide to points, signals and level crossings and provides all the information that railway modellers need in order to get the trains on their layouts moving effectively. The history of semaphore and colour light signals is outlined and the implications for modellers is clearly explained. A variety of different types of points, signals and level crossings is then illustrated with detailed instructions describing how to make them work. Simple, tried and tested mechanical and electrical methods used by modellers are explained together with modern electronic approaches, which are described in a way that enables them to be easily understood. The reader is taken step-by-step through various projects, and clear diagrams and photographs are provided throughout, including wiring diagrams for frogs, signals and level crossings. Written by an electronic engineer, this book contains invaluable information gained in a lifetime's experience of railway modelling.

This book describes how to make two vertical and two horizontal copper boilers with a capacity of less than three-bar litres. All four boilers are heated with liquid petroleum gas (LPG) contained in small refillable or disposable tanks. With over 285 colour photographs and diagrams, it includes the tools and equipment required, together with important safety considerations; how to work the various materials to make the necessary parts; step-by-step instructions on the technique of silver solder; the testing regime; a review of various sizes and shapes of gas burners and how to connect them; instructions for building replacements for the well-known Verto boiler, a vertical boat boiler, a portable-engine boiler and a Cornish boiler with Galloway tubes. Finally, there is guidance on the efficient operation and essential maintenance of steam boilers and safety calculations and a list of useful contacts.

Although most people have heard of laser-cut and 3-D printed model railway parts and kits, most modellers have little knowledge or experience of them. This fascinating and well-illustrated book describes in non-technical language how these machines work and how railway modellers can use them to produce remarkable models for their layouts. With reference to the different modelling scales, the author discusses in detail the advantages and disadvantages of different types of machines, and the materials they employ. He also shows how beginners can install and use 'Sketchup Make', a free CAD (Computer Aided Design) program from the Internet. With step-by-step instructions and accompanying photographs, the author takes the modeller through the early stages of using this program before providing many examples of how to design model railway related items such as laser-cut roofing tiles, palisade fencing, brickwork, and the detailed elements of station awning. In addition, he demonstrates how to create 3-D printed furniture, barrels, packing crates, guttering and down pipes, rivet heads, and a workman's hut.

A model railway layout is greatly enhanced by a good back scene. If a modeller is prepared to go to great lengths to achieve realism in the locomotives, rolling stock and buildings, this should be carried through to the scenics. This book is a comprehensive guide for both railway and diorama modellers to create convincing back scenes. It covers choosing the right materials; rural and urban back scenes; traditional painted back scenes; producing back scenes with camera and/or computer; the correct use of forced perspective and scale reduction; getting the transition from layout to back scene right and, finally, lighting and presentation.

Locomotive kit building remains the best route to achieving a varied range of motive power in most scales but it also retains a mystique, being associated with expert modellers and expensive tools. However, in this invaluable, richly illustrated volume, George Dent demonstrates how anyone can successfully assemble working kits with only a modicum of inexpensive equipment and experience. All aspects of assembly are covered in detail including working in plastics, resin and metal; the very basics of working and joining materials; installing ready-made power units and performing more complex operations, such as assembling etched metal chassis frames and intricate valve gear.

Determining where and how to store a model railway when it is not in use can be difficult, especially if space is severely limited; a folding railway layout can be the solution to this problem. The author has designed an ingenious folding wooden case that accommodates his truly remarkable N-gauge multi-track layout, and which is also suitable for an oval track layout in 00 gauge. In this fascinating book, the author describes all aspects of how to build the folding case and how to construct the layout within using lightweight materials such as rigid foam. Some of the most remarkable features of the layout are how to construct and install a working cable car, moving road vehicles, a revolving children's roundabout, and a helicopter with motorized rotor blades. There are over 300 excellent step-by-step diagrams and photographs.