Model Railways

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Featuring Hornby Magazine 

Read the full Hornby Magazine issue in PDF format or dip into our reformatted online features for KeyModelWorld at your leisure. 

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Latest news and features from model railway on Key Model World

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RailRoad Class 101 returns

Hornby’s enduring Class 101 DMU is back, offering an important train for BR era modellers. BEN CHURCH sees if it stands up to present-day scrutiny.

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Railways Remembered: North East England

First in a new series called ‘Railways Remembered’, this new publication from Crecy is a well-produced and high-quality look back at the railways in North East England from the 1950s to 1970s. The book covers steam, diesel and electric traction on main lines and the region’s many industrial railways.

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Class 68s in Profile

Another recent addition from Key Publishing is this in-depth look at Direct Rail Services’ (DRS) Class 68s. The company ordered an initial 15 in 2012 to complete the replacement of its elderly Class 20s, but the Stadler-built locomotives have proved far more versatile.

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GWR five-plank opens roll in

EXPANSION of Rapido Trains UK’s ‘OO’ gauge range continues with the arrival of its newly-tooled versatile five-plank open wagon. 

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Peco Expands ‘O’ Track Range

Peco has added ‘O’ gauge code 143 flat bottom rail concrete sleeper flexible track to its range.

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Class 59 Revolution

The General Motors Class 59 Co-Co diesels were a revolution in freight haulage on the British railway network on arrival, but can Revolution Trains do the same for ‘N’ gauge with its all-new model of the design? MIKE WILD finds out.

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Railways around York: Four decades of change

York has always been a nexus for the railways, and the imposing station built by the North Eastern Railway was at the time of its construction the largest in the world.

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‘N15’ completes ‘Big Four’ Centenary collection

The final component of Hornby’s ‘Big Four’ collection, celebrating 100 years since the 1923 Grouping, arrived in early April with the release of its ‘OO’ gauge Southern Railway (SR) ‘N15’ 4-6-0 741 Joyous Gard (Cat No. R30273). 

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Latest model railway videos

Class 50 sound installation guide. Feature Premium

Nifty 50s: Install Locoman Sounds in Hornby's Class 50

Locoman Sounds has introduced a new sound profile for the Class 50 ‘Hoovers’. MIKE WILD installs a pair of Doehler & Haass chips into the Hornby GBRf pairing of 50049 and 50007 with some nifty adjustments to the lighting functions.

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Hawkswood Junction - Nottinghamshire in the 1980s in 'OO'

Nottinghamshire during the 1980s is the setting for railwayman STEVE BRAMMER’S ‘OO’ gauge home-based layout, capturing the scene of the times delightfully.

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Hornby’s ‘TT:120’ Gresley ‘A4’ and rolling stock

In our first review of Hornby’s new ‘TT:120’ collection, MIKE WILD inspects the Gresley ‘A4’ 4-6-2, BR Mk 1 coaches and Pullman carriages which are available now for this new scale.

VIDEO: Dapol and Rails of Sheffield launch 'OO' GW Inspection Saloon

Dapol and Rails of Sheffield have unveiled plans for a newly-tooled ‘OO’ gauge Great Western Railway (GW) designed Diagram Q13 Inspection Saloon for the Dapol Black Label range. Watch the launch video here.

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Bakewell - the Peak District in 'OO' gauge

The Midland Railway's stunning route through the Peak District is the subject of ROB BROOKS’ ‘OO’ gauge layout, which keeps this much missed railway alive in model form.

Ellis Clark Trains shows running 'Black Five' sample

Ellis Clark Trains has received new decorated and running samples of its LMS 'Black Five' 4-6-0 for 'O' gauge. Jonathan Newton joined Ellis Clark to find out more and capture the sample in action.

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Little Loco Company Class 15 for 'O' gauge

The Little Loco Company launched its 'O' gauge Class 15 in January 2017 and now it is set for a new lease of life with EFE Rail. MIKE WILD gives this impressive model of the BTH Type 1 the once over.

Hornby Triplex Sound installation guide Feature Premium

How to install Hornby Triplex sound in the Class 56

A new breed of Bluetooth sound chip is here with the arrival of Hornby’s Triplex Sound decoders. MIKE WILD installs the 8-pin variant in a Hornby Class 56 and explains the set up process step by step.

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Latest model railway reviews

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London Rail Atlas

London is Britain‘s pre-eminent railway hub and recent developments such as the Elizabeth Line have altered the map. Crecy’s latest edition of the London Railway Atlas details many of the changes in London’s railways since their inception.

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Trains4U Jackal 2 Military Vehicles

Trains4U of Peterborough’s range of 3D-printed military vehicles includes this 1:76 scale Jackal 2.

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Model Detailing

New from Key Publishing is this informative bookazine aimed at railway modellers wishing to detail their layouts and create realistic scenes.

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BR Diesel Depots

Key Publishing has added to its expanding list of modelling titles with this guide to developing classic and contemporary diesel depots in model form.

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Bluetooth TXS for Hornby ‘9F’

Hornby’s recently retooled ‘OO’ gauge BR Standard ‘9F’ 2-10-0 (HM185) gains a new outing finished as 92002 in BR black with early crests – and the addition of the manufacturer’s new Bluetooth Triplex Sound (TXS).

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‘BIG FOUR’ COLLECTION: GWR ‘Castle’ 4074 Caldicot Castle

To celebrate the centenary of the 1923 Grouping, Hornby is producing four limited edition models, the first of which arrived in late November. The Great Western’s representative in this collection is ‘Castle’ 4-6-0 4074 Caldicot Castle.

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Peco ‘TT:120’ seven-plank open wagons

Peco’s latest releases for ‘TT:120’ scale include these all-new seven-plank open wagons in eight different liveries covering Cadbury’s, Huntley and Palmers, Colman’s and British Railways colour schemes, together with one for each of the ‘Big Four’ railways.

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‘OO9’ Gloucester bogie coach arrives

Bachmann’s eagerly-awaited newly-tooled ‘OO9’ Ashover Light Railway Gloucester bogie coach arrived in the Hornby Magazine office during December.

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