How to Build a Model Railway

Once you have bought your first model train set, successfully set up the track and assembled all of the parts, it is hard not to get hooked on the idea of creating bigger and better things.

Building a model railway is easy and relatively cheap to do. Here is our guide to get you up and running:

1.     Engines and Rolling Stock

Perhaps the most exciting and important part of the whole enterprise is selecting your engines and rolling stock. Do you want to choose a classic steam loco with a 1950s themed diorama, or recreate the latest high speed railways with tilting trains and high tech signaling?

To help you decide, see the list of model trains we have available.

2.     Track

The next important part involved selecting the track to use for your model train set. Carefully planning the track layout is part of the fun as you decide the route you would like your trains to take: through a village, crisscrossing intersections or into sidings and stopping at stations. There are track planning aids available, like the R619 Scaled track peices which make designing a layout easier. See: model train track.

3.     Surface

In order to assemble your track and begin planning the other features of your model railway, you need to ensure you have an adequate surface and surface area to accommodate your scene.

Attics provide the perfect place to escape and immerse yourself in the whole process, and while a good sturdy table will work fine, you might consider custom making a frame to exactly accommodate the layout you’re going to create.

Chipboard makes a great surface, the ‘baseboard’ in model railway parlance, so get out your steel rule and head down your local hardware store.

4.     Scenery

Set the scene with rolling hills, gravel, trees and hedge rows, all helping to bring your model railway to life, and watch as your loco thunders through rolling hills and past the tree lined roads.

See: model train scenery.

5.     Buildings

Once you have chosen your time period and theme, populating your railway with buildings is the next stage.

See the full range of model train set buildings to help you decide what will work for you.

6.     Lighting & Signals

Lighting, signals and other model train accessories help further add to the realism of the diorama and are an essential part of the whole process.

7.     Figurines

Populate your model railway with figurines – station masters waiting on the platform for the train to arrive, a pedestrian waiting to catch the train, or for the level crossing to rise so they can continue on their journey – all adding to the feel of the whole scene.

Figurines can be found in the model train accessories section of the website.

8.      Vehicles

The only method of transport in your newly created world won’t just be the train. You will need Lorries, cars and other vehicles to help add that extra piece of realism. A full range of scaled vehicles can be found here.

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