You do not have to use the track mat supplied with a starter set, ultimately, it's your layout and how you play with it is up to you.What a track mat does do is protect your models from accumulating dust, fluff and debris from the carpet which...

A blanking plate is a little circuit board that can be plugged into a DCC model railway locomotive. Its function is to by-pass all of the circuitry that DCC models use therefore turning a DCC model into a regular analogue (DC) model. This...

Every toolbox has a can of WD-40 in it to rid the world of squeaks and loosen any stubborn nuts and bolts, so the temptation when your model locomotive develops a squeak or starts to run a little rough is to grab the can and get to work. This...

A train reporting number is a code given to every train movement on the network whether it be a scheduled operation, one-off special or even a light-engine movement, all trains must be allocated one.The four-digit code made up of a number followed...

DC motors such as the ones in your model engines, work on the principle of an armature (made of several wire coils to create a series of electromagnets) spinning around inside a casing that has regular magnets placed around its inner wall. The...

Painting a white metal kit involves pretty much the same processes as painting any model, or a real-life metal object for that matter.Firstly, the surface to be painted should be prepared, this is done by thoroughly cleaning the surface with a...

The installation of signals on a layout is always an exciting part of the build, but it can be a little daunting if you want to install powered-signals and don't have a lot of experience working with electrics. But don't worry, it is really easy...

Building smoke generators are different from locomotive ones in two main areas, size and voltage.Smoke generators that are designed specifically to operate from within a locomotive's bodyshell have a distinct disadvantage: they have to fit into an...

Train wheels are probably one of the most important components of a railway locomotive, coach or wagon. Their shape and design are key to providing safe, reliable, stable and speedy operations and a typical train wheel has many features and design...

Lamps have been used on the front of railway locomotives since the mid-1800s. All through the steam years, the lamps consisted of oil-burning units that were hung on the front of locomotives on special brackets called lamp-irons. Surprisingly,...

Model figures are used by many creators of wonderful things, whether it be railway layouts, display dioramas, school projects, cake makers or florists, and it often falls into the hands of friendly model shops to supply the figures to all that...

A toggle switch is one of the most basic switches used on model railways, but it's also one of the most useful!A toggle switch is a compact switch that uses a lever to be activated. It is easy to install and easy to wire, operation of the switch...