RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Slattocks Junction
Tony Williams and Ralph Robertson of the Manchester Model Railway Society explain why the group's P4 layout became "a lesson in how not to build a model", yet has evolved into a superb evocation of the Calder Valley line.

SCALE DRAWINGS

Wainwright L Class 4-4-0
To complement John Cockcroft's build of one of these South Eastern & Chatham Railway locomotives, we present scale drawings and accompanying prototype notes by the late Ian Beattie..

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH - DOCKS CEINTURE

Guy Van Meroye reports on a finescale HO layout created by a group of talented French modellers depicting industrial areas around the Paris belt line.d van Waes introduces his new German HOm layout, the terminus of the metre gauge Selketal line in the Harz.

GARRATTS IN THE GARDEN

John Morrison describes the impressive articulated locos he has modelled for his 1 :24 scale garden railway.

PLAN OF THE MONTH - WIESMÜHL

An imaginary location on the German/Austrian border - Roger Sant explains how an initial simple layout in N grew into a more satisfying system.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Somerset & Dorset in the garden
Simon Kennedy has created an impression of the much-loved Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway in O gauge in his garden, with automated digital control.

PLAN OF THE MONTH

Gledholt Junction and beyond
David Smith is constructing an impressive three-level 00 gauge system incorporating locations in the Huddersfield area where he grew up, with the most advanced section so far recreating Gledholt Junction on the Leeds to Manchester 'Standedge Route'.

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH - HASSELFELD

Arnold van Waes introduces his new German HOm layout, the terminus of the metre gauge Selketal line in the Harz.

REDDERTHUN

Thies Lahann introduces his German HO exhibition layout with a novel working feature - a sugar beet tippler.

PLAN OF THE MONTH - LO DEPOT DO LIMOUZI

The Association des Modelistes Cheminots de Limoges have a new French HO exhibition layout, an amalgam of three motive power facilities in their local area.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH - ALBULA VALLEY

Inspired by the well-known location in Switzerland, Nicholas Sturge designed and built an ingenious N layout.

DOUBLENGHIEN

Alan Jockmans presents his first exhibition layout, a country halt in Belgium modelled in HO.

PLAN OF THE MONTH - GATEWAY INDUSTRIAL PARK

Salvaged from a house move and further developed - Chris Gilbert presents his latest American HO layout which provides an opportunity for satisfying switching.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Dead Man's Lane
A love of the contemporary railway scene - and the yellow-liveried Network Rail test fleet - combined with a tour around the Rail Vehicle Engineering Limited site at Derby, inspired Mick Bryan to recreate this and the neighbouring East Midlands Trains depot in 4mm scale.

PLAN OF THE MONTH
Gallows Close Goods
Chris Martin describes how he recreated this slice of Scarborough in N gauge, including diverse freight facilities, and local passenger and holiday traffic.

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH - STRABBERG

On the metre gauge Selketal line in the Harz - Franz Rittig introduces the new exhibition layout in HOm by prolific builder Sebastian Schmidt.

ROTTERDAM CENTRAAL

The station and surroundings with trams in c.1965 - Thom Raven presents the result of several years research and modelling in HO by the Hollandse Tram Maatjes team which has produced another impressive exhibition display.

PLAN OF THE MONTH - KLEINE ALBULA

A layout at last - Nick Warren describes 4a his portable Rhatische Bahn HOm layout, set in winter and constructed with the help of Mervyn Kendall.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Ropley
Chris Cleveland explains how he overcame a number of challenges to create a model based on the locomotive headquarters of the Watercress Line in Hampshire. The layout captures faithfully many of the smaller details that can be observed at heritage railway sites across the UK.

PLAN OF THE MONTH
Carterton
Limitations on available space can often prevent the modelling of a real location, but Chris Chewter found a way to create an evocative 00 gauge cameo of this former Oxfordshire station in a scenic footprint measuring just 6' x 2', using PECO bullhead track.

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH - HAMBURG Hbf. OST

Thorsten Pfeiffer introduces his historic HO layout, the eastern approach to Hamburg Hauptbahnhof as it was in Epoch I under Prussian administration.

KWIDZYN

Above the roofs of a small Polish village - Leszek Lewinski introduces his new HOe exhibition layout, meticulously replicating a real location.

PLAN OF THE MONTH - BRAIVES

A small wayside station in rural Belgium - MSC Het Spoor present their latest HO exhibition layout, which came about almost by accident.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Grantham
This 1930s portrayal of the East Coast Main Line has been a firm favourite at exhibitions since it made its debut on the circuit in 2015. Ahead of its appearance at the York Show this Easter, Graham Nicholas reflects on his experiences of taking the layout on the circuit.

PROJECT OF THE MONTH
Kirkby Stephen East
In the second half of his article describing the construction of a super-detailed Princess Royal Class 4-6-2, John Cooper-Smith builds, details and paints the locomotive body and tender.

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In August 2023 DB Cargo retired the last of the former BR/ECC china clay CDA hoppers after a service life of 35 years. These unique and distinctive wagons will be missed by enthusiasts but thanks to PECO, modellers can keep their legacy going in model form!

Note that the CDA wagons are now fitted with metal-tyred wheels as standard.

The CDA China Clay hopper, and the HAA Coal Hopper, are closely related, sharing the same design and operational principles, with bottom hopper doors opened to empty the contents, in the case of china clay, for loading into ships at Carne Point, near Fowey in Cornwall. As china clay must be kept dry special rolling tarpaulin covers protected the load, as featured on our models.

In August 2023 DB Cargo retired the last of the former BR/ECC china clay CDA hoppers after a service life of 35 years. These unique and distinctive wagons will be missed by enthusiasts but thanks to PECO, modellers can keep their legacy going in model form!

Note that the CDA wagons are now fitted with metal-tyred wheels as standard.

The CDA China Clay hopper, and the HAA Coal Hopper, are closely related, sharing the same design and operational principles, with bottom hopper doors opened to empty the contents, in the case of china clay, for loading into ships at Carne Point, near Fowey in Cornwall. As china clay must be kept dry special rolling tarpaulin covers protected the load, as featured on our models.

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH - SAN GIACOMO

The result of a trip to Italy - Maurice Kleverwal brings holiday memories to life with this HO layout.

A SMALL RUSTIC FORGE

A detailed scenic feature, full of interest - Gilbert Gribi shows how he designed and built a small forge as part of a series of dioramas.

PLAN OF THE MONTH - NEW ENGLAND

Vianney Roge introduces the scenic HO layout built by Jean-Luc Collard with an impressive level of detail.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Eastfield
This gargantuan 70' x 40' recreation of Glasgow Eastfeld diesel depot is due to make its exhibition debut at this year's Model Rail Scotland show. Graham Blount explains why Mick Worrall and the South Tyneside O Gauge Group embarked on the ambitious project.

PROJECT OF THE MONTH
A Princess Royal for Camden and Kilsby - Part 2
In the second half of his article describing the construction of a super-detailed Princess Royal Class 4-6-2, John Cooper-Smith builds, details and paints the locomotive body and tender.

 

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Inspired by a well-known painting, J.Cameron Millar presents an impression of an event in 1970s US railroading when Chicago hosted a famous visitor.

ALTE RINKAM

Doug Coombes, James Davies, and John Edge collaborated to create a generic German N layout which can host stock from different periods.

PLAN OF THE MONTH

A New York harbourside scene in P87 - Neil Kinison presents a layout which provides satisfying switching.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

Another new arrival into stock is this attractive 7 plank open wagon - Huntley & Palmers, based in Reading, Berkshire, was a well-known biscuit manufacturer that used these wagons to bring coal into their factory. Famous brand names sell model wagons, so you should do well with this one.

Being new tooling you can expect a step up on detail: crisply moulded parts, thinner walls to the body, correct 9 foot wheelbase, detachable couplings and metal-tyred wheels for free running.

The 16 Ton Mineral Wagon here is the basic unfitted coal wagon, so typical and common a sight on Britain's railways during the 1950s to 1980s. Now all gone with the demise of the coal industry. There would be rakes and rakes of these wagons trailing behind a locomotive throughout the UK, but most likely more so around the coalfields.

Produced from new tooling, fine moulded detail, sharp printing, free running metal-tyred wheels and removable couplers are the key features of our new models. But best of all, they represent excellent value for money when compared to the competition, and all made in the UK.

Built in the 1950's these 35t GLW (Gross Laden Weight) wagons served the railways for many years transporting iron ore from British iron ore mines for steel production. As that traffic ended, so the wagons found plenty of other uses especially with the BR Civil Engineers department and many lasted into the 1980's as a result. This bauxite liveried example represents the wagon in its original brake-fitted condition, as opposed to the unbraked grey livery version, although to be fair it would never have been so clean! An ideal weathering project for the modeller! 

Produced from new tooling, fine moulded detail, sharp printing, free running metal-tyred wheels and removable couplers are the key features of our new models. But best of all, they represent excellent value for money when compared to the competition, and all made in the UK.

Built in the 1950's these 35t GLW (Gross Laden Weight) wagons served the railways for many years transporting iron ore from British iron ore mines for steel production. As that traffic ended, so the wagons found plenty of other uses especially with the BR Civil Engineers department and many lasted into the 1980's as a result. This bauxite liveried example represents the wagon in its original brake-fitted condition, as opposed to the unbraked grey livery version, although to be fair it would never have been so clean! An ideal weathering project for the modeller! 

Produced from new tooling, fine moulded detail, sharp printing, free running metal-tyred wheels and removable couplers are the key features of our new models. But best of all, they represent excellent value for money when compared to the competition, and all made in the UK.

Built in the 1950's these 35t GLW (Gross Laden Weight) wagons served the railways for many years transporting iron ore from British iron ore mines for steel production. As that traffic ended, so the wagons found plenty of other uses especially with the BR Civil Engineers department and many lasted into the 1980's as a result. This bauxite liveried example represents the wagon in its original brake-fitted condition, as opposed to the unbraked grey livery version, although to be fair it would never have been so clean! An ideal weathering project for the modeller! 

Produced from new tooling, fine moulded detail, sharp printing, free running metal-tyred wheels and removable couplers are the key features of our new models. But best of all, they represent excellent value for money when compared to the competition, and all made in the UK.

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Wellpark
This 00 gauge layout by the Scottish Diesel & Electric Group, set in the suburbs of Glasgow in the 1980s, is due to be on show at the Model Rail Scotland exhibition in the city on 23, 24 & 25 February.

PROJECT OF THE MONTH
A Princess Royal for Camden and Kilsby
John Cooper-Smith describes the construction of a Stanier Princess Royal Pacific for his EM gauge layout Camden and Kilsby, Railway of the Month in the May 2023 Railway Modeller.

 

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Rail Mod?©lisme Ch?¢tenoyen (RMC71) introduce¬†their current HO exhibition layout, a representation¬†of their local station on the Chagny ‚Äì Nevers line.

A HARBOUR ON R?úGEN

A small layout modelled according to a classic plan ‚Ä쬆Paul de Groot describes his new German HOe project,¬†inspired by a published plan and a previous holiday visit.

THE LITTLE HIMALAYAN RAILWAY

A vertical slice of hill railway ‘pizza’ – Giles Perkins was inspired to model the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and captured its essence in an ingenious OO9 layout.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

All kits comprise a bag of load material, such as coal or sand, plus sections of board that are cut to size to fit the desired wagon. The modeller, using a PVA adhesive, secures the materials on the cut boards and places the load inside the wagon for instant effect. The additional benefit, apart from the realism, is that some valuable weight is added to what might otherwise be a very light vehicle. Especially useful in an N scale wagon!

The N scale kits contain enough material for up to 6 wagons. Full instructions are provided in the packs.

All kits comprise a bag of load material, such as coal or sand, plus sections of board that are cut to size to fit the desired wagon. The modeller, using a PVA adhesive, secures the materials on the cut boards and places the load inside the wagon for instant effect. The additional benefit, apart from the realism, is that some valuable weight is added to what might otherwise be a very light vehicle. Especially useful in an N scale wagon!

The N scale kits contain enough material for up to 6 wagons. Full instructions are provided in the packs.

All kits comprise a bag of load material, such as coal or sand, plus sections of board that are cut to size to fit the desired wagon. The modeller, using a PVA adhesive, secures the materials on the cut boards and places the load inside the wagon for instant effect. The additional benefit, apart from the realism, is that some valuable weight is added to what might otherwise be a very light vehicle. Especially useful in an N scale wagon!

The N scale kits contain enough material for up to 6 wagons. Full instructions are provided in the packs.

All kits comprise a bag of load material, such as coal or sand, plus sections of board that are cut to size to fit the desired wagon. The modeller, using a PVA adhesive, secures the materials on the cut boards and places the load inside the wagon for instant effect. The additional benefit, apart from the realism, is that some valuable weight is added to what might otherwise be a very light vehicle. Especially useful in an N scale wagon!

The N scale kits contain enough material for up to 6 wagons. Full instructions are provided in the packs.

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Tiverton Junction
Peter Fosberry describes the Culm Valley Model Railway Club's replica of this once extensive Western Region junction, which is on public view twice a month just a few miles from the real location.

PROJECT OF THE MONTH
Westhill Road station building
Southern modeller Graham Muspratt describes his scratch-build of a key structure, the station house and booking office, for his new, under-construction 4' x 18" layout in 4mm scale.

 

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

All kits comprise a bag of load material, such as coal or sand, plus sections of board that are cut to size to fit the desired wagon. The modeller, using a PVA adhesive, secures the materials on the cut boards and places the load inside the wagon for instant effect. The additional benefit, apart from the realism, is that some valuable weight is added to what might otherwise be a very light vehicle. Especially useful in an N scale wagon!

The N scale kits contain enough material for up to 6 wagons. Full instructions are provided in the packs.

All kits comprise a bag of load material, such as coal or sand, plus sections of board that are cut to size to fit the desired wagon. The modeller, using a PVA adhesive, secures the materials on the cut boards and places the load inside the wagon for instant effect. The additional benefit, apart from the realism, is that some valuable weight is added to what might otherwise be a very light vehicle. Especially useful in an N scale wagon!

The N scale kits contain enough material for up to 6 wagons. Full instructions are provided in the packs.

Medium Radius Bullhead Turnouts, LH & RH

In this months issue...

WINTER WONDERLAND

A traditional Christmas scene, with a twist - Huib Maaskant shows how he created a setting for a television advertisement.

KERETAPI MINYAK SAWIT

Jan van Mourik and Henk Wust had the idea of creating a layout in HOe based on a Malaysian palm oil factory and its associated narrow gauge railway.

EASTON - PLAN OF THE MONTH

Ken Wearing was drawn to North American in N after modelling British 00.

+PLUS!

All the latest news, reviews and layouts from around the world!

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Ellerton Road
Alan Turner recounts the story behind this 7mm scale pre-Grouping Midland Railway layout, which has been constructed over the past two decades by the East Staffordshire Group of the ScaleSeven organisation.

PLAN OF THE MONTH
Hayling Island
Ray Newman rekindled childhood memories of the 41h-mile Hayling Island branch - which closed 60 years ago - by creating a faithful depiction in 00 of the line's characterful terminus..

 

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

KREIT

Anthony Bilton was inspired by an old album of photos and created a table-top tail chaser in HOe recalling the Stubaitalbahn south of Innsbruck in the 1960s.

STUTTGART

One man's dream in N, regrettably never fully realised - the remarkable private achievement of Wolfgang Frey, preserved for posterity and now open to the public.

VALBRUNA LUSSARI

A halt in the eastern Alps - Luca Klobas presents his new HO diorama, set on the Pontebbana line in Italy.

PLUS!

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Potters Bar & South Mimms
Phil Clarke chose to replicate the glamour of the East Coast Main Line during the 1930s, when Gresley's A3 and A4 Pacifies reigned supreme, with this digitally controlled system housed in a loft space.

PLAN OF THE MONTH
Tunbridge Wells West
Andy Offen has fulfilled a dream by modelling this former London Brighton & South Coast Railway station in Kent as it appeared in the BR steam era, in N gauge.

 

PLUS ALL THE LATEST NEWS & REVIEWS...

In this months issue...

AUSSERBERG

Roger Ellis describes his fixed home Swiss HO layout based on the Bern-L??tschberg-Simplon which offers the opportunity to run some long trains.

MOULIN MARGOT

Claude Fandel created a large scale field railway scene in a small space, in collaboration with Marcel Ackle.

LA PLAINE SAINT-DENIS

A micro layout in HO set in the Paris suburbs -Wieger Pasman demonstrates that less can be more.

PLUS!

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Westcliff
For his pre-Grouping Great Western layout, Richard Butler imagined how West Bay in Dorset might have appeared had it developed into the thriving holiday resort envisaged by the original promoters of the railway.

PLAN OF THE MONTH
Abbots Ripton
To mark this year's centenary of the 1923 Grouping, Josh Williams suggests an East Coast Main Line layout set in the first year of the London & North Eastern Railway's existence.

In this months issue...

CENTRAL ALONZO

Sugar and passengers on the Hershey Railroad in Cuba - Andy Gautrey continues his fascination with electrified interurban lines with a new HO layout.

KEANE'S COVE

Debbie McMillan introduces her latest project, a 5-3-3 'Inglenook' switching puzzle in HO.

VERNIERS-MEYRIN

A childhood dream come true - Yann Mon baron describes a large French-Swiss HO layout created by Claude Court.

PLUS!

 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

Ashdan Junction
A passion for the Western diesel-hydraulics and memories of the 1970s BR blue era led Barry Platt to create this fictional West Midlands station, with an emphasis on entertaining the public at exhibitions..

PROJECT OF THE MONTH
A Peppercorn K1 in N
With no ready-to-run model of these Eastern Region Moguls in 2mm scale, Ian Cairns set about creating his own from a 3D-printed body and proprietary locomotive and tender chassis.

Railway companies all had a stock of their own vehicles for carrying goods and merchandise around their network, and also onto other companies' routes as and when required. These were integrated into British Railways at Nationalisation; some of them to be once more re liveried under sectorisation as the network was prepared to be returned to private ownership. All Peco wagons feature free running wheels in pin point axles. The ELC coupling, whilst compatible with the standard N gauge couplings, keeps a realistic distance between the vehicles and enables the PL-25 electro magnetic decoupler to be used for remote uncoupling.

 

MAKING TRACKS III - MILTON KEYNES CENTRAL

Pete Waterman and his forthcoming event
Pete Waterman details how he and the Railnuts team have recreated the present-day Milton Keynes Central station for the the forthcoming Making Tracks III event at Chester Cathedral.

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH
The North Bucks Narrow Gauge Railway
Alan Rega takes us on a journey around his live steam, 16mm narrrow gauge garden railway, which has been nearly 30 years in the making.

 

ASHBURTON

What happened to the classic 4mm layout?
Chris Lamacraft's EM gauge model of this classic Great Western branch line terminus was retired from the exhibition circuit 25 years ago - but it has now found a home on the former Ashburton branch itself. 

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH
Bournemouth Central
After 50 years away from railway modelling, David Pinch revived his childhood interest in the hobby and set out to create this impressive 00 gauge reinterpretation of a classic seaside town station. 

This 5-Plank Teign Valley granite wagon of Bovey Tracey is produced from our all-new tooling, featuring a red body with white lettering, shaded black, and black ironwork. Running on our new metal-tyred wheels these wagons, like the others, are very free-wheeling and a colourful addition to the expanding range. 

The NEW PECO Product & Modelling Guide is out now and bigger than ever! It is not only a comprehensive guide to a huge range of PECO products and other brands, but also a modelling reference guide, to help with so many modelling techniques. The guide features all the products currently available from PECO, Ratio, Wills, Modelscene, Parkside & Tracksetta and is now bigger than ever! Explanations and helpful hints and tips on scales and gauges, rail codes, frog descriptions, standard and narrow gauge railways, baseboard building, track-laying, wiring using PECO turnout motors and Smartswitch servos, to operate turnouts and semaphore signals, kit building and painting, and scenic work are all included in this inspirational guide.

All PECO Publications now available as digital downloads on tablets and mobile devices through their respective App Stores.

Download on the App Store or get it on Google Play.

Private owner wagons abounded prior to nationalisation, they would often be seen far from their base as they were sent to collect raw materials and supplies such as coal, and deliver finished goods. All Peco wagons feature free running wheels in pin point axles. The ELC coupling, whilst compatible with the standard N gauge couplings, keeps a realistic distance between vehicles and enables the PL-25 electro magnetic decoupler to be used for remote uncoupling. This model is produced from new tooling and features, amongst many things, a much finer and thinner body moulding, including interior detail, with accurately-placed brake rigging and brake shoes (in line with wheels), fine printing detail and metal-tyred wheels.

NEW limited edition N gauge iron ore tippler, celebrating the coronation of His Majesty the King on 6th May. Our designers have come up with a very eye-catching livery for both models, incorporating the official logo for this historical event. All PECO wagons feature free running wheels in pin point axles. The ELC coupling, whilst compatible with the standard N gauge couplings, keeps a realistic distance between the vehicles and enables the PL-25 electro magnetic decoupler to be used for remote uncoupling.

ISSUE DATE - APRIL 2023

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

ALP¬†GR?úN

A variation on a theme - Greg Coggins describes his new RhaÃàtische Bahn HOm layout, inspired by but not an exact model of this well-known location.

HANNOVER FALLS

Ian Arkley introduces his compact American Z layout, just 920mm by 700mm, intended to fit in an alcove so he could simply watch the trains go by.

PLUS

LATEST REVIEWS
BOOK and VIDEO REVIEWS
NEWS

CORONATION SPECIAL!

 RAILWAY OF THE MONTH
Camden & Kilsby
Well-known railway photographer John Cooper-Smith takes us on a tour of his mammoth West Coast Main Line layout in EM gauge, incorporating Camden locomotive shed and several other real locations.

PLAN OF THE MONTH
An industrial branch line
Graham Nicholas suggest a layout combining open country and an industrial site, suitable for portraying areas such as the South Wales valleys or the North East coalfields.

ISSUE DATE - MARCH 2023

RAILWAY OF THE MONTH

HAVELBURG VORSTADT

Schmalspurig durchs Reichesbahnland - by narrow gauge through East Germany: Dieter West snd Volker Seidel introduces HOe narrow gauge layout of the Modelleisenbahnclub 01 M?ºnchberger Eisenbahnfreunder e.V. - a time machine going back to the 1960s.

PLAN OF THE MONTH

RED HOUSE YARD

David Ellis introduces his first American HO layout, and his first use of digital control.

PLUS

LATEST REVIEWS
BOOK and VIDEO REVIEWS
NEWS