Model Railway Features
STAFF PROJECTS: New Junctions for New Junction II
As New Junction II begins to take shape, sleeper spacing, a lack of track pins and a new track formation have added to the workload, as RICHARD WATSON outlines.
RICHARD WATSON
Reality Check: The North British D600 ‘Warships’
Although much is known about the Western Region’s famous ‘Warship’ diesel-hydraulics, British Railways owned another set of locomotives with the same description and mechanical layout - but these were rather unreliable and made an early exit, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
WORKBENCH: Class 20 weathering – Part 2
With Class 20s aplenty on his workbench, TIM SHACKLETON continues in his quest to confer a series of subtle makeovers to his fleet of ‘OO’ English Electric Type 1s.
TIM SHACKLETON
Superdetailing Snowploughs in 'OO' gauge
Network Rail has a fleet of snowploughs on standby for the winter. ANDY WILLSHER shows how to super detail Flangeway’s excellent ZZA model in ’OO’ gauge.
ANDY WILSHER
Class 59 heavy-freight diesel history
More than three decades ago a small fleet of Class 59 diesel locomotives arrived in this country, and immediately proved themselves far superior to anything that we already had on our railways, starting a revolution that would, in time, see hundreds of similar locomotives brought to our shores, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
Making Tracks 3 - January Update
Making Tracks 3 is the most ambitious layout Pete Waterman and the Railnuts group have built yet and there are just six months to go until its debut in Chester Cathedral. CHRIS CLENTON brings the story up to date with a new update from the Making Tracks 3 workshop.
CHRIS CLENTON
Weathering and detailing a Hornby LNER 'Q6' in 'OO' gauge
Operating your layout with only a limited selection of classes is entirely prototypical – but how do you make near-identical engines look different? TIM SHACKLETON shows how you can do it through weathering effects alone.
TIM SHACKLETON
Wheeltapper sound for the Dapol ‘Manor’
The Dapol GWR ‘Manor’ 4-6-0 is designed with sound installation in mind. MIKE WILD explores its simplicity with a new sound profile from the Wheeltapper collection on an ESU V5 chip. Read the full guide and watch our demonstration video here.
MIKE WILD
MAKING A SCENE: Modelling river crossings
A ford crossing a river or stream could make an interesting and unusual setting on a layout. DAN EVASON shows how you can build one and bring it to life.
DAN EVASON
Detailing Lima and Hornby RailRoad Class 31s
With a bit of work and a sharp eye on costs, many older models can be brought into line with more recent productions. TIM SHACKLETON shows how you can transform second-hand bargains into smooth-running, good-looking models you can be proud of.
TIM SHACKLETON
Model railway rolling stock detailing
How do you make the most of today’s stunning ready-to-run models? MIKE WILD offers 20 ways to enhance your models with readily available products and simple steps.
MIKE WILD
STEP BY STEP: Installing Wills point rodding
Wills Models range of point rodding kits are a simple and affordable means of introducing detail at the lineside. In this feature NIGEL BURKIN explains how the kits can be used in conjunction with a ground frame in ‘OO’ gauge.
Nigel Burkin
North Eastern Railway pioneer electrics
While electrification is very much in the news these days, the release of a model of a pioneering North Eastern Railway locomotive reminds us that such schemes have been around for more than 100 years. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES has the story.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
Making buildings from scratch
Creating bespoke buildings for your layout may sound daunting, but as MALCOLM BRIGGS shows in the start of a new series, it is far easier than you might think.
MALCOLM BRIGGS
The final HST wind down
British Rail’s Inter-City 125 is one of the most recognisable and successful trains in railway history but is now reaching the end of its operational days. Some units, however, are enjoying a second life, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
ZIMO Digital sound for the Hornby HST
The scream of turbochargers epitomised the High Speed Trains when they entered service. PAUL CHETTER sets out to recreate the spectacle with digital sound in ‘OO’ gauge using the Hornby 8-pin chassis HST power cars as the basis.
PAUL CHETTER
Railway Realism: The BR High Speed Train story
On October 4 1976, exactly 40 years ago, a train that revolutionised rail travel in the UK first entered public service. Since then the High Speed Train has gone on to be one of the most iconic and well-known ever to run on our rails, as Evan Green-Hughes relates.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
Train formations: Class 43 High Speed Trains
If you think High Speed Trains are all alike, you might be surprised at the variety. MARK CHIVERS presents a series of formations covering their 40-year careers.
MARK CHIVERS
WORKBENCH: Class 20 weathering – Part 1
The Class 20 offers potential for detailed weathering effects. TIM SHACKLETON brushes up on the basics of weathering with a pair of Bachmann Class 20s in 'OO' gauge.
TIM SHACKLETON
Equipment Guide: Track rubbers
Clean track is essential when operating a model railway, and without it comes the frustration of poor operation. MARK CHIVERS surveys a range of readily available track rubbers in our latest Hornby Magazine Equipment Guide and highlights our pick.
MARK CHIVERS
The LNER’s elegant ‘B12’ 4-6-0
At the turn of the 20th century, many British railways developed more powerful passenger locomotives, and amongst the most elegant were the Great Eastern Railway’s long-lived ‘B12’ 4-6-0s, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES describes.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
Railway Realism: Chinley
Once the centre of a busy railway network Chinley, in Derbyshire, is now but a shadow of its former self. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES looks at the rise and fall of this important railway landmark.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
Reality Check: GWR ‘Kings’ - the ultimate 4-6-0
Widely regarded as the ultimate development of the Great Western 4-6-0, ‘Kings’ were locomotives of great beauty and extremely powerful workhorses as well, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES relates.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
EQUIPMENT GUIDE: Wheel cleaners
Keeping model wheels clean is vital but can be tricky. MARK CHIVERS assesses some of the best products on the market in the Hornby Magazine Equipment Guide.
MARK CHIVERS
West Coast Cement goes East
At the Spalding Model Railway Exhibition, the Hornby Magazine team switched the identity of its popular modern day cement works layout to the East Coast Main Line. MIKE WILD explains why and how the change came about.
MIKE WILD
3D printing model railway carriages
As computers, software and peripherals become ever more advanced, increasing numbers of modellers are embracing the technology as a new form of digital scratchbuilding, as STEPHEN GRANT outlines.
STEPHEN GRANT
Reality Check: The ‘Electric Scot’ - BR’s Class 87s
For many years the premier express locomotives on the West Coast Main Line were the Class 87s, but they have now fallen from grace though surprisingly many are enjoying a second but rather less glamorous career, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains.
EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
Modifying the Hornby Grand Suspension bridge
Generations of modellers grew up seeing pictures of the Tri-ang/Hornby suspension bridge - but can this veteran model work in today’s high-fidelity world? DAN EVASON explains how he updated it to provide a signature structure.
DAN EVASON
Upgrading Hornby’s veteran Class 90
Hornby’s ‘OO’ gauge model of the Class 90 AC electric has been around since the early 1990s and shows its age from the box. However, with a few simple upgrades MIKE WILD shows how he went about improving the appearance of uniquely liveried 90128 Vractverbinding in Belgian Railways blue and yellow.
MIKE WILD
How to create a 1930s roadworks scene
Like railways, roads always need maintaining. DAN EVASON shows how to recreate a typical 1930s roadworks scene.
DAN EVASON