Layout features

Featuring
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Welcome to our collection of model railway layout features. Here you will find beautifully detailed model railways in 'OO' gauge, 'N' gauge, 'O' gauge, 'OO9' narrow gauge and more offering a huge variety of build designs and inspirational techniques. Plus our growing collection covers a broad spectrum of different periods in railway history as well as all four corners of the British railway network while many feature exclusive KeyModelWorld only video tours. Indulge and enjoy!

Explore the amazing model railways built by talented individuals and clubs which feature in the pages of Hornby Magazine. This section covers 'OO', 'EM', 'P4', 'N', and 'O' gauge model railways and more in all eras. Plus many now feature exclusive online video content which you can only find here on Key Model World.

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Dentdale - the Settle and Carlisle in 'N' gauge

Wayne Webb, Tony Frazer and Bob Taylor

‘N’ gauge offers the potential for a really expansive layout, and Wayne Webb, Tony Frazer and Bob Taylor have exploited its potential to brilliant effect in their impressive Settle and Carlisle railway layout.

Wayne Webb, Tony Frazer and Bob Taylor
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Devon Junction - a Western Region through station in OO

LES PARRY

Glorious Devon has inspired generations of modellers and LES PARRY is no exception. However, he chose to emulate Exeter St David’s in the basement of his Spanish home.

LES PARRY
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Wickham Bishops

ALAN PUMFREY

A long-gone sleepy byway in Essex is the subject of ALAN PUMFREY’S ‘OO’ gauge exhibition layout. He recalls his inspiration and reveals how he recreated it in model form.

ALAN PUMFREY
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Norton Saint Somers - the Somerset and Dorset in 'O' gauge

STEPHEN FAY

The famous Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway is deservedly popular. STEPHEN FAY explains how he and his father created a distinctive slice of the route in 7mm finescale in a single 6ft long scene.

STEPHEN FAY
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Scarlington - the North of England in 'N' gauge

KEITH SMITH

The distinctive atmosphere of North East England in the 1970s and 80s is the setting for the North of England Line Group’s ‘N’ gauge layout. KEITH SMITH explains how it was built and how it runs.

KEITH SMITH
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Parsons Vale - modelling OO gauge carriage sidings

DAVID JONES

As a self-confessed ‘dabbler’, DAVID JONES gave an old ‘OO’ gauge layout set around Bristol a new home and revitalised it to show the final years of the Class 50s in homage to these popular machines. Photography, Richard Watson

DAVID JONES
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Rumbling Bridge – a Scottish through station

NICK SKELTON

NICK SKELTON has long been fascinated by Scotland’s railway byways and chose one of the lesser known locations on the network as the subject of his fascinating ‘OO’ gauge model.

NICK SKELTON
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Coverdale - pre-grouping steam in 'O' gauge

JOHN BUCK

A fascinating never-built railway is the subject of Keighley Model Railway Club’s pre-grouping ‘O’ gauge layout. JOHN BUCK explains how history was altered to bring this route to life.Photography, Jonathan Newton

JOHN BUCK
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Horseblock Lane - the modern railway in 'N' gauge

NEAL COOPER

NEAL COOPER drew inspiration at an exhibition and created this small but perfectly formed contemporary ‘N’ gauge layout afterwards with Callum, his son.

NEAL COOPER
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Misselthwaite - the Yorkshire Dales in OO gauge

LEWIS BUCKNELL

To make the most of an inaccessible space in his new home, LEWIS BUCKNELL built a ‘OO’ gauge layout set in the BR steam era in Yorkshire - to evocative effect. Read our full feature here with exclusive Key Model World only video.

LEWIS BUCKNELL
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Horsley - a Southern Railway branch line in OO gauge

COLIN CHISEM

Sometimes a new model can prompt a new wave of interest, and for COLIN CHISEM, Bachmann’s ‘N’ 2-6-0 saw him switch to the Southern Railway from his lifelong passion for all things Great Western.

COLIN CHISEM
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Clarendon - LNWR steam in 4mm scale

JOHN GOWERS

'P4' is the most uncompromising of scales yet some fine compromises helped create this unique layout set back in 1908. In this feature JOHN GOWERS of Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Club explains all.

JOHN GOWERS
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Toton TMD modelling in O gauge

PAUL WARDEN

This famous Traction Maintenance Depot was started as a simple photographic diorama by PAUL WARDEN – but as he explains, this superb example of ‘O’ gauge modelling is becoming rather bigger than originally planned.

PAUL WARDEN
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Burntisland 1883 - Victorian steam in Scotland

EAST OF SCOTLAND 4MM GROUP

Modelling the Victorian railway is not for the faint-hearted, but EAST OF SCOTLAND 4MM GROUP has done just that with this stunning layout based in Fife just before the Forth Bridge opened.Photography, Mike Bisset

EAST OF SCOTLAND 4MM GROUP
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Astonbury Junction - a steam era junction layout in OO gauge

WILLIAM THOMAS

The sleepy railway byways of Buckinghamshire  are the subject of Three Counties Model Railway Society’s atmospheric ‘OO’ gauge layout. WILLIAM THOMAS explains how it was built and operates.Photography, Trevor Jones

WILLIAM THOMAS