Model Rail magazine is the UK's biggest-selling magazine dedicated to railway modelling. Every issue is packed with the country’s finest home and club layouts, stunning photography, unbiased and in-depth product reviews, expert tips, layout plans and step-by-step articles that really show you how. In our unique ‘Workbench’ section, we tackle a wide range of modeling skills and projects. Our expert writers and model-makers will help you to get the most from your hobby and build the layout of your dreams. Model Rail is published 13 times a year, every four weeks.

Welcome

MODEL RAIL

Life’s better with Model Rail

Model Rail essential information

Opening the box • The latest happenings from the world of model railways

STOP PRESS! MODEL RAIL CLASS 11 UPDATE

In brief

MODEL OF THE YEAR 2020

Show & Tell • The place to share your projects with the Model Rail community.

According to Chris... • …a turbulent and traumatic year hasn’t slowed the flow of new models.

Great lengths • Martin Finney has gone to epic lengths, both in terms of size and attention to detail, to create his dream layout.

LIMITED headroom • The diversity of the UK’s rail network demands some interesting motive power. Richard Foster looks at locomotives that ran on the height-restricted Burry Port & Gwendreath Valley Railway.

INSTALL A BODY KIT • Dave Lowery reveals how he created a cut-down Class 08, with the help of a 3D-printed body kit.

TOP 10 abandoned railways • Some long-abandoned railways are worth resurrecting - in model form, at least. Richard Foster lists his favourites.

Workbench • 26 pages of projects, advice and top tips that show you how

SHEET YOUR WAGONS • To protect commodities from the elements, open wagons are sheeted over with tarpaulins. George Dent tests out some new wagon sheets from Geoscenics.

PROTOTYPE INSPIRATION

QUICKLY TWEAK YOUR MODELS • Chris Gadsby shows you two quick model alteration projects that could be done in an afternoon.

APPLY LINING WITH A RULING PEN • Lining rolling stock and locomotives is often seen as the domain of the experts but, as George Dent demonstrates, it’s easier than it looks.

MAKE AN EASY IDENTITY CHANGE • Chris Leigh shows how simple it is to get the ‘USA’ that you want.

FIT EXTRA PICK-UPS • Kit-building supremo Dave Lowery shows you how to create and install sets of power-collecting pick-ups to help your kit-built - and RTR - models run more reliably.

CREATE A LANDSCAPE • If anyone knows the lay of the land, it’s Peter Marriott. Here he shows you how he created the landscape for his lockdown layout, and the materials and tools he used.

Other Woodland Scenics Products

CUSTOMISE ‘N’ GAUGE WAGONS • Longing for more variety in your ‘N’ gauge tank wagons? Grahame Hedges shows you how to model four common types.

Sourcing TPM parts

Cymric creation • Father-and-son team Darren and Nigel Glasson have combined forces to create this bustling Welsh layout.

3 things we like

6’ BY 4’ SOLUTIONS a variety of ideas • The ‘six-by-four’ footprint is a classic choice for a train set, but it also offers plenty of potential for a more serious layout. Paul A. Lunn presents four diverse layout ideas.

Reviews • In-depth and unbiased reviews of the latest products

Bachmann Branchline ‘94XX’ 0-6-0PT

Revolution Trains IPA car carrier sets

Hornby Ivatt ‘Duchess’

Present your case • If there’s a locomotive that you think needs to be offered ready-to-run, here’s the place to voice your opinion…

Model Rail

Behind the Backscene • Model Rail fires the questions at railway author, photographer and now archivist - Paul...