The TOPS system (Total Operations Processing System) is a computerised system used to keep track of a locomotive/rolling stock's location and servicing requirements. TOPS was developed in America to enable the railways to track their rolling stock...

Bogies are a chassis (or framework) that carry a wheelset on a railway locomotive or rollingstock. The Commonwealth bogie was introduced in the 1950s and used on BR Mk1s and Irish CIE Park Royal coaches. The Commonwealth bogie was manufactured...

Fortunately these days there are special products to help you remove any little super glue (cyanoacrylate) mistakes such as Deluxe Materials specially formulated Glue Buster, but historically super glue removal had been a bit of a sticky...

The Big Four is a collective term used to describe the four main railway companies that operated the railways between 1923 and 1947, these are the LNER (London & North Eastern Railway), the LMS (London Midland and Scottish railway), SR (Southern...

Rotary switches are operated by a rotating (twisting) action apposed to regular switches that require throwing, flicking or pressing. They are generally used when you require one switch to be able to divert current between numerous circuits either...

A sable brush is a very high-quality brush often used in modelling for detail work thanks to its ability to be finely shaped at its tip.The brushes are made from the tail hair of the kolinsky (a variety of weasel) and not an actual sable as its...

Bogies are the metal frames that sit independently beneath a railway locomotive or rolling stock to support its wheelset. The BT10 bogie is one of the most successful designs of bogie to date, it was designed in the 1970s and is still in use...

The route availability of a real-life locomotive is another way of saying which tracks an engine is permitted to travel along.A lot of the British railway network dates back to the Victorian era. During that time there were many private companies...

Think Flying Scotsman, and you undoubtedly think of the locomotive, however, the name comes from not just a single engine, but a whole train, a daily service between London and Edinburgh.Trains have been transporting passengers between the English...

To keep your brushes in the best condition, make sure you clean them as soon as you are done using them. Remove the paint from the brush by using it on a kitchen towel or similar. As acrylic paint is water based, you then simply need to agitate...

Steam locomotives come in all shapes and sizes, this is because their intended tasks require varying traction ability, speed or hauling capacity. To help accommodate these needs, steam locomotives are designed with different wheel arrangements...

Bogies are an independent framework that supports the wheelsets on a railway locomotive, coach or some larger wagons. The B4 bogie was a type introduced in 1963 to replace the earlier Commonwealth bogie design. The B4 weighs in at just 5 long tons...