Latest news and features from model railway on Key Model World
Enhancing a Hornby Class 56 with weathering
The Hornby Class 56 made its debut in early 2009 and weathering gives this heavy freight workhorse the realistic appearance it really needs. MIKE WILD shows how in this Key Model World exclusive step by step guide.
VIDEO: THIS IS FLYING SCOTSMAN – PART ONE
NEW SERIES! Join us for the first of a new four-part series featuring the National Collection’s legendary Gresley ‘A3’ 4-6-2 Flying Scotsman – a cinematic journey from Keighley to Oxenhope.
Twelve Trees Junction
Hornby Magazine’s popular Southern Region ‘OO’ gauge layout has been out of the limelight for some time, but it is far from forgotten. We look back at its first full feature from the Archive. Photography, Mike Wild.
HM|DCC App goes Android
Hornby has launched the Android version of its new HM|DCC Bluetooth model railway control app, which is now available from the Google Play Store.
Accurascale reveals Network Rail Class 31 plans
Accurascale has added a pair of ‘OO’ gauge Network Rail Class 31 A1A-A1A diesels to the release schedule for its forthcoming all-new ready-to-run models.
Digital sound for the ‘08’
Introducing custom digital sound to small locomotives can make for a rewarding challenge. Paul Chetter puts the Bachmann and Hornby Class 08 diesel shunters head to head and explains how to introduce a high value DCC sound decoder and ‘stay alive’ technology.
The evolution of the railway carriage
From an open truck fitted with hard seats to a 140mph air-conditioned vehicle the British Railway carriage has come a long way in less than two centuries, yet it is surprising how long many features from those early years actually survived, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES relates.
Orista Harbour - a multi-level narrow gauge layout
Wanting respite from cold winter operation of his ‘O’ gauge railway, CHRIS SPRING opted for narrow gauge to sustain his interest. This fascinating three-level layout is the result - read the full feature and watch our exclusive Key Model World only layout tour video.
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Latest model railway videos
VIDEO: Dapol semaphore signals
In this brief video we highlight the operation of Dapol's new GWR lower quadrant signals for 'O' gauge - the same mechanism is used in its new design of GWR bracket signals for 'OO' gauge.
VIDEO: Oxford Rail 'N7' 0-6-2T with Zimo sound
In the HM151 we showed how to install digital sound in Oxford Rail's 'OO' gauge 'N7' 0-6-2T using a Zimo MX648R decoder and a sugar cube speaker. Watch the finished model in action here.
VIDEO: KR Models GT3 first sample
KR Models has received the first engineering sample of its 'OO' gauge model of unique English Electric gas turbine prototype GT3. Watch it on our test track here.
VIDEO: Bachmann 45ton steam crane for 'OO' gauge
Bachmann's all-new 'OO' gauge Ransome & Rapier 45ton steam crane is reviewed in full in the January 2020 issue of Hornby Magazine. Watch our video with Editor Mike Wild here.
VIDEO: Cavalex Models PGA wagons on Topley Dale
Cavalex Models loaned Hornby Magazine a rake of its latest batch of 'OO' gauge PGA stone hoppers to run on Topley Dale. We put them behind Hornby Class 60 60062 for a running session.
VIDEO: Brinklow layout feature video
Join us as we show this fabulous West Coast Main Line 'N' gauge layout in action and meet one of the builders to explain its story. Read the full feature in HM151.
VIDEO: Hornby Ruston 48DS for 'OO' gauge
Hornby's delightful and tiny Ruston 48DS diesel shunter is reviewed in full in HM150. Watch it in action on our test track here in this video feature.
VIDEO: Hornby Magazine previews Hatton's 'O' gauge Class 50s
Hatton's is due to take delivery of two exclusive versions of Heljan's new 'O' gauge model of the Class 50 in December. Modelling 50008 Thunderer in Laira blue and 50015 Valiant in 'Dutch' grey and yellow, Richard Watson caught them in action during the recent Modern Image O Gauge event (MIOG) in November and put them through their paces.
Click here to watch our full collection of model railway videos.
Latest model railway reviews
LNER 4-6-0 locomotives
This recently released weighty tome from Pen and Sword references all 4-6-0 locomotives that operated over the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) routes between 1923 and 1947, as well as those LNER engines that continued in BR service from 1948 until the late 1960s, when steam operation ceased.
HSTs: The Western Region
Interest in British Rail’s InterCity 125 High Speed Trains (HSTs) is at an all-time high thanks in part to some recent high profile retirements from service, so this timely new picture book from Key Publishing is sure to prove popular.
Locomotives of the Isle of Wight Railways
Considering its size, the Isle of Wight once enjoyed an extensive network of railway lines and this latest volume from Crecy sets out to detail these operations from the beginning to the present day.
Modelling BR Engineers’ Wagons: Part two
Following on from the first volume (HM164), this latest bookazine from Key Publishing continues the story of British Rail's (BR) departmental wagon fleet and this time attention focuses on the evolving air-braked engineers’ wagon fleet into the mid-1990s
Railways around Brighton in the 1970s and 1980s
New from Amberley Publishing is this latest picture volume from Andy Gibbs. As the title suggests, the book is primarily focused in and around BR Southern Region third-rail territory and, as you might expect, a good selection of Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) have been included.
Heljan’s L&B Manning Wardle ‘Prairie’
Ready-to-run narrow gauge is flourishing. MIKE WILD reviews one of the second batch of Heljan Lynton and Barnstaple Railway 2-6-2Ts for ‘OO9’.
Upgraded L&B tank due July
HELJAN’S LATEST BATCH of ‘OO9’ narrow gauge Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Manning Wardle 2-6-2Ts is due to arrive in the UK during July – and with a selection of upgrades too.
Delightful ‘D’
The National Collection in Miniature is expanding with the arrival of one of the most sought-after items in the Railway Museum – Wainwright ‘D’ class 4-4-0 737. MIKE WILD falls for the charms of the latest Locomotion Models ‘OO’ gauge locomotive in this review which features video and extra images.
Click here to read our full collection of model railway product reviews.