Zamak Rot (also known as zinc pest or Mazak rot) is a problem that plagued some early diecast model parts due to impurities in the alloys used.The impurities have the potential to corrode parts from within, resulting in alloys becoming...

So we know how many coaches our trains should ideally have, we even know what quantity of passengers to place on our platforms to make them look right, but how many cows should we put in our fields?That question may not be one that keeps you...

If you have ever been to a model railway show, you may well have been inspired and impressed by the realism of the turnouts showcased on some of the layouts and wondered who makes them or where you can get some.Sadly, some of the turnouts you...

A good many real-life platforms have some sort of curve incorporated into them to accommodate either the topography of the land or to make use of diverging tracks at the earliest opportunity. So it stands to reason that many modellers will want to...

Most modellers are aware of the benefits of using a smaller gauge such as N gauge, but the dilemma most face is whether it's the right gauge for them.On the surface of it, the decision to model in N gauge is a no-brainer for any modeller who...

When choosing a turnout or curve for your model railway, you may have noticed an 'arc' measurement alongside its radius. But what does this mean?An arc is defined as a part of a circumference. When used as a measurement on a model railway track,...

As the name suggests, gunpowder vans were used to transport gunpowder and other explosive materials by rail. The earliest examples started to appear in the mid-1880s and later versions could be seen on the network well into dieselisation. They...

The hot wire foam and polystyrene cutter is a tool designed specifically to allow modellers to cut foam, polystyrene and other similar materials to specific shapes. It works using a heated wire, secured between the frame arms of the cutter,...

Most accomplished modellers will be accustomed to the large price differences sometimes experienced between seemingly similar locomotives or rolling stock, and they'll likely have a fair understanding of which features contribute to such...

Fitting any component inside an N gauge body shell can be challenging, and whether fitting a decoder, figures or even just a spot of interior lighting, N gauge modellers certainly have their work cut out.When it comes to Train-Tech's sound...

There are many ways you can damage your model railway track, but five of them are more common than you would think.The first mistake isn't so much a track-killer but it does cause devastating track misalignment, and that mistake is a failure...

To some extent, how you cut model ship rigging will depend on a number of issues including the material that is used for the rigging, the scale and the historical time period of the model.Ship models representing vessels from the 'Age of Sail'...