A 'Beetle Van' is a term used to describe a wagon specifically designed to carry prize cattle or other valuable livestock. The wagon was divided into two equally sized livestock compartments that were able to accommodate up to three cows per...

Before painting a model it is useful to give the parts a clean using mild detergent. One of the main advantages to this is that inevitably the component parts have been handled prior to painting and as such the modeller will have left a residue of...

Model railway jargon can be a little confusing when new to the hobby, and often the simplest questions are the ones that get left unanswered. One such term that causes some head-scratching is the word analogue. Most modellers, whether new or...

The number of brake vans that were marshalled into a goods train varied depending on the type of rolling stock used, the era in which it operated and any operating requirements specific to a particular journey.The majority of trains featured...

If you are installing model roads onto your diorama or layout, you may be wondering whether to use a product that creates asphalt or tarmac. So what's the difference?In the modelling world, the answer is nothing. Although in real life there...

The word 'dummy' appears often in the descriptions of model railway products, but what does it mean?When 'dummy' is used to describe a model railway product, it means the item looks like a prototype, but is a non-working model. That doesn't...

Most modellers will be aware that the performance of a rough-running wagon or coach can be improved with the fitting of bearings. But how do you drill the holes needed to fit them?If a hole in your bogie requires widening to facilitate a...

Conventional plastic model cement is not an option for attaching Photo-etch (PE) parts to plastic models as it will not form a bond between these two significantly different materials. Many modellers use Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue which is a form of...

Based on the principle of a closed-loop, the smallest effective baseboard size for N Gauge is a baseboard of 20 inches (508mm) square. This measurement is based on track components of No.1 Radius (228 mm or 9") which is the tightest curve...

Bogie Sulphate Wagons were, at the time, famed for being the largest open wagons of their type, but their demise was not quite so glamorous.Eighty bogie sulphate wagons were built in the 1930s to transport fertiliser from the I.C.I works at...

The complexity of a model kit can often be subjective depending on a modeller's experience and dexterity, so how can you tell if a particular kit is for you?That is a very big question considering the sheer number and types of kit on the...

PalVans, or 'Pallet Vans'  were introduced in the 1950s as a method of loading the increasing amounts of cargoes being transported on wooden pallets. Over 2300 were produced for service by BR. PalVans were specifically designed so that they could...