Personally, I would never use second hand track as you don't really know what you are getting. Over time track will wear and tarnish and may even rust (for very old track) and its conductivity may become diminished even after giving it a good...

There are a couple of ways to get started: You can buy a complete starter set which includes track, train and controller such as the sets you can get from Hornby or Bachmann (a train set in a box), which will give you all you need to get up and...

If you are modelling a road, you need to know how wide the real thing is so your model can be accurate. Road widths were standardised in the UK in 1993 however there are still exceptions depending on specific circumstances such as having a wider...

For O gauge the best ballast would have to be coarse as this has much larger stone chips than fine or medium grade ballast and would be more in keeping with the scale of your layout. Keep in mind that O gauge is 1/43 scale in the UK and 1/48...

Kit bashing is when you take two or more model kits to make something unique to you. This may include parts that you already have in your spares box as well. Another way of explaining it: kit bashing is the art of creating something else out of...

Yes, you can use HO figures on your OO scale layout, there is a slight difference in size, but this is negligible in the grand scheme of things. HO gauge is 1/87th that is 3.5mm to the foot, where as OO scale is 1/76th, that is 4mm to the foot....

Surely more is always better, so a 21 pin decoder is bound to be better than an 8 pin decoder? Actually, the answer is not that straightforward. With more pins, a 21 pin DCC decoder will be able to manage more functions than an 8 pin decoder....

There are various techniques for adding these fine lines to your model. I always give my model a coat of gloss varnish before adding the wash. One method is the pin wash: take a pin, dip it into your wash and run the pin down the panel line....

The main problem, which we have all been guilty of at one time or another is using too much glue. The secret is: "you don't need very much glue". When it comes to applying the glue to the model, try using a cocktail stick/tooth pick or a...

You need to ensure that the model has had sufficient time for the paint to dry, but otherwise there should not be a problem. Modelling masking tape is designed to respect the model. Most modellers masking tape has low tack which means that they...

OO9 is 4mm to the foot scale (that is OO or 1/76) but using 9mm track gauge (the same size as N gauge). This is narrow gauge modelling and is meant to represent 2ft gauge in real life. The name comes from OO scale and 9mm track. It is a very...

It is very tempting to use pins or nails to stick the track down but this may not be the best approach. Pins are difficult to fix in place without distorting the sleepers and points. They are also near impossible to hide, meaning your layout does...