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Thursday, May 05, 2022

How to build a garden railway: A beginners' guide

 So, you are thinking about building a garden railway and want to find out more? Hopefully this guide will get you started.

I have arranged this guide into sections, each of which is self-explanatory, so you can read them in any order, depending on what you already know and want to know next.

  1. Gauge and Scale - what works best in the garden?
  2. Where will it go - surveying, planning and landscaping.
  3. Choosing and laying track - plastic, metal, sectional or flexible - what's best?
  4. Rolling stock - steam, electric, off-the-shelf or scratchbuilt (or somewhere in between)?
  5. The infrastructure - bridges, buildings, people and general lineside clutter.
  6. Running trains - watching trains go by or providing a service?
  7. Filming and photographing your railway
  8. Conclusion

Gauge and Scale

In terms of garden railways, this can be quite a confusing and, for some, quite a controversial area. I'll try and keep it simple and straightforward - but in so-doing may upset some of the purists.

Gauge is the distance between the rails.


For example, 0-gauge has track with rails that at 32mm apart 

and in 00 gauge, the rails are 16.5mm apart.


Scale is the factor by which a model has been reduced from the real thing.

For example, the scale used by 0 gauge modellers for models of standard gauge rolling stock in the UK is 7mm to the foot (or 1:43.5) - which means that any measurement on a real object is divided by 43.5 to find out what that dimension is reduced to on the model.

This 0 scale model of a Deltic locomotive measures 19.17 inches (486.9mm) in length while the real thing measure 69ft 6inches (21.18m) - because 21180mm ÷ 43.5 = 486.9mm

Any scale or gauge combination can be used in the garden but generally, larger scales and gauges are favoured - partly because there is plenty of space in the garden and also because larger models tend to be more robust and are easier to handle outside.

Ride-on railways

Ride-on trains generally require track which has a gauge of 5" (127mm) or greater. Clearly, a ride-on railway needs a fairly large garden though some people have managed to squeeze their ride on railways into modest suburban gardens. For example, see 
Source: https://www.timpdon.co.uk/timpdon/miniature.htm

Large scale garden railways

The majority of garden railways fit a category known as "Large scale". Large scale ranges from 0 gauge (1.25" (32mm) gauge track) to Gauge 3 (2.5" (63.5mm) gauge track).

The scales used by modellers using the range of track gauges within these limits not only depends on whether their railways depict standard gauge (ie mainline) or narrow gauge railways, but also in which part of the world they live as various countries and individual manufacturers within those countries have adopted different standards determining the scales to which their models are built.

To keep things simple, I will focus on the main scale and gauge combinations used in the UK. If you want further information for other parts of the world see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_railway#Scales

Scales used for standard gauge models

0 Scale

0 scale is probably the best known scale used in the UK to represent standard gauge railways in the garden - Scale = 7mm:1ft or 1:43.5 - Gauge = 32mm or 1.25in

In recent years, the number of manufacturers and kit makers for 0 scale has increased markedly and ready made or kitbuilt track suitable for outdoor railways is widely available. 

Source: https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/kirtley-bank-o-gauge-garden-railway

For more information see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_scale  or https://7mmscalesociety.org/ 

Gauge 1

At a scale of 10mm to 1 ft (or 1:32) on 1.75" (44.5mm or 45mm) gauged track, One Gauge, or Gauge 1 has been used since the early 1900s, then declined in popularity until the 1960s. It is now well established and has several manufacturers supplying ready made or kitbuilt models and trackwork. 
Source: https://www.g1mra.com/picture-gallery/other-2/trains/

For more information see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_gauge or https://www.g1mra.com/


G Scale
Also running on 45mm gauge track, G Scale has been adopted by European model train manufacturers as their standard, though there is a fair amount of variation as to the scales used not only between manufacturers but sometimes even across the models produced by a single company. The scales used to represent standard gauge trains varies between 1:29 to 1:32 (or even 1:24 if Playmobil is included). There is a plethora of manufacturers of G Scale equipment across Europe, America and the Far East but few, if any, produce models of UK stock. 
Source: https://discover.hubpages.com/games-hobbies/Model-Train-Resource-G-Scale-Garden-Track-Plans-To-Inspire-Your-Own-Layout-Designsia.org


Gauge 3

At around twice the scale of 0 scale (½" :1ft or 13.5mm : 1ft) on 2½" gauge track, Gauge 3 models require affair amount of space and can be quite expensive. However, the large scale allows for very good detailing and realism. 
Source: https://www.gauge3.org.uk/photo-gallery

For more information see https://www.gauge3.org.uk/ or https://williamsmodels.co.uk/gauge3a.html


Narrow gauge scale and gauge combinations

SM32

SM32 represents Sixteen Millimetres to 1ft scale on 32mm gauge track (roughly 1:19 scale) - ideal for depicting two foot narrow gauge rolling stock. This scale and gauge combination is probably the most popular for garden railways in the UK. There are plenty of suppliers of models and kits in the UK and other parts of the world, some of which are very reasonably priced. 
Source: https://www.16mm.org.uk/2020/08/08/photo-of-the-week-no-566/#iLightbox[gallery8562]/0



SM45

Sixteen Millimetres to 1ft scale on 45mm gauge track (approx. 1:19 scale). This is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and many live steam locomotives and kitbuilt models can be made to run on either 32mm or 45mm gauge track. The scale and gauge combination represents 2' 4" narrow gauge railways but many modellers opt for 2' 6" gauge prototypes. An advantage of SM45 is that off the shelf G Scale models can be adapted to represent narrow gauge stock in this scale. 
Most of my models are either SM45 or F Scale


F Scale / G Scale / Fn3
I have lumped these scales together though some purists would argue there are subtle differences. In essence, F Scale is Fifteen mm to 1ft (or 1:20.3) on 45mm track which gives 3' narrow gauge. In G Scale, some European manufacturers produce metre-gauge rolling stock to run on 45mm scale track (1:22.5 scale) and, of course, 1 metre is roughly 3 feet and so metre gauge stock look OK on a three foot narrow gauge railway. Fn3 is a more formal way of describing F scale. 

By the way, there is some speculation as to what G scale stands for - the most plausible is that the G simply stands for "Garden" or more appropriately the German "Garten". Others say that it is the G from LGB (Lehmann Gross Bahn = Lehmann Big Railway), the most well known and possibly the earliest manufacturer of G scale off the shelf trains.
Source: http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/Garden-Rail/Garden_Rail_16mm-MoM.htm



SE or 7/8 Scale

Rolling stock built to a scale of 7/8" to 1 ft (1:13.7) running on 45mm track representing 2' narrow gauge or running on 32mm track roughly representing 18" gauge. By comparison with other scale and gauge combinations, this doesn't have such a long term history and so there are fewer suppliers of kits and only a handful of ready made models. However, SE scale has an enthusiastic following of dedicated modellers and plenty of support is available such as the SE Facebook group.

Source: http://www.gardenrailwayclub.com/7-8ths-scale-1

For more information see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SE_scale


Summary

To sum up, the most popular most popular scale and gauge combinations for garden railways are:
  • Gauge 0 and Gauge 1 for standard gauge railways
  • G Scale for standard and narrow gauge European and US railways
  • SM32/45 (16mm scale) for UK narrow gauge models
For a more comprehensive overview of model railway gauges and scales see 


Where will it go?

Your choice of gauge and scale might be influenced by the amount of usable space you have available - though in garden railway modelling it is sometimes possible to squeeze a quart into a pint pot! For example see The Pigsty Hill Light Railway 
Source: http://www.aizoon.co.uk/PHLR/index.html
Or you could go even smaller .........
Source: https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=168291#p168186

Surveying

The quickest way to survey your garden and/or the space in which your railway will be sited is to stride its length and width and assume each stride is a metre or a yard. This will give you a rough idea of the space you have available.

For more accurate dimensions, you can use a tape measure or ultrasonic / laser measuring device. It is unlikely that the corners of you garden will be right angular and so, the easiest way to check them is to triangulate by measuring the diagonals.


If you really want to do a thorough job then you might also want to check the gradients on the possible route of your railway. The easiest way to do this is with a spirit level on a long piece of timber (or lath) and a series of stakes.


Start at what looks like the highest part of the garden and then work around the route driving in a stake at the end of the lath until the spirit level shows it is level with the highest part. Balance the end of the timber on the newly driven stake and then drive another stake in at the other end of the levelled lath - and so on around the garden until you have a series of stakes around the route of the railway the tops of which will be level with the highest part of the garden. The length of each stake above ground level will show the depth of that part of the garden below the highest point in the garden.

Planning

Before committing yourself to digging up your garden and laying track, it would be worthwhile spending a fair amount of time drawing various possibilities on paper. I'm not suggesting you take the four years which I spent sketching the various options I considered for the Peckforton Light Railway ...




..... but I can certainly recommend planning ahead for possible expansions - as you can see in the bottom right corner of the outline plan above.

For more information on my planning process see - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2011/08/planning-railway.html

Something I would suggest at an early stage in the planning process is to draw up a list of criteria which your line should fulfil to meet your expectations. Hopefully these questions might help:
  • What sort of railway will it be
    • Standard gauge or narrow gauge?
    • Branchline or mainline?
    • Continuous loop, end to end or out and back (ie a terminus leading to a reverse loop)?
    • Modern or historical?
  • How many stations will I need?
  • Will there be any lineside businesses (eg quarry, mine, factory, brewery, etc)?
  • Will it be on one level of have gradients? (Live steam prefers level track)
  • How much landscaping and civil engineering do I want to do?
  • Do I want a pond or stream - where will it go?
  • How will I cross any paths - by bridge, tunnel or level crossing?
  • Where will I store the rolling stock - in a shed or garage, in the house?
  • Will your railway be at ground level or raised above it on raised beds or timber supports?
I cannot answer these questions for you but I can share my experience of building the Peckforton Light Railway. 

Initially, my plan included only two stations - a terminus and a through station. It had a circuit in the form of a figure of eight which looped over itself. It also included a reverse loop so that trains could leave the terminus, go round the circuit a couple of times and then return to the terminus by taking the reverse loop. I also decided to store my stock on three sidings located in the lean-to which I built on the back of the house.

My railway was going to be a branchline, using 45mm track to represent a three foot narrow gauge railway. I hadn't, at the planning stage, envisaged any lineside businesses, but decided that the stations would have sidings so that goods such as coal and general merchandise could be transported from one to the other.

Initially, I was going to keep landscaping to a minimum by using the existing flower-beds, but quickly realised that, to make the best use of the garden, I would need to completely re-organise where the lawns and flower beds were located.

I also constructed the lean-to myself complete with a purpose-made entrance for the storage sidings.

A swing-bridge was needed to take the track across the entrance to the sheds. At first this was little more than a plank hinged at one end, 

...... though after a few years it was enhanced by disguising it as the swing bridge which once served the Southwold Railway.

From the start, I wanted to include a stream as I felt the sound and sight of running water would add atmosphere. 

Over the years the stream has blended into the landscape of the garden to become an attractive feature.

The garden and the railway have now become well established - partly down to careful planning and partly down to luck.
The original through station is on the raised bed to the left. A more recent additional station is in the middle distance 

Over the years, the railway has grown in size with an extension to another terminus down the side and two more through stations added. There are now lineside industries in the form of a copper mine, a sawmill, a flour mill, a boneworks, a sand quarry, a brewery, a coal merchant, a livestock market and fruit farms - all requiring the use of the railway.

Although I anticipated the line would grow over the years, some of the changes were planned but some just arose as ideas occurred to me. That's what makes the garden railway appealing to me - there are always opportunities for growth.

For more information about the development of the Peckforton Light Railway over the years see Progress Report 89

Landscaping

The amount of landscaping you tackle is dependent on how you intend to fit your track into the garden. As indicated above, I decided to completely redesign my garden to make the most effective use of the space available, though my original plan was based on the flower beds which were already there.

Once I had decided on the plan, I marked out its route with ropes and then plotted the levels needed using stakes as shown above. Gradients were created by placing a wooden block under the downward end of the lath to ensure the slope was consistent.

Once the route had been set-out, soil was transferred from other parts of the garden to build up the landscape for the trackbed. Rocks and/or concrete blocks were positioned along the edges of the raised beds.

The concrete blocks were clad with sandstone to improve their appearance.

There is more information on how I created my raised beds here - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-i-built-raised-beds.html

Of course, the edges of raised beds can be created with rocks, brickwork, wooden piles, railway sleepers, plastic edging strips or whatever material you have available.

Alternatively, you might decide to raise your railway above ground level on wooden or plastic supports.

When I extended my railway beside the house, I opted for timber supports positioned within an existing hedge. Hedging is a good way of filling the void beneath the tracks.

Recycled plastic section such as that supplied by Filcris, is a rot-free alternative to timber.

The great advantage of using timber or plastic supports for your railway is that it requires minimal landscaping.

The disadvantage over railways which are built at ground level or on raised beds is that you lose the opportunity to embed your railway in the garden and its flora.

Water features

As indicated in the video above, one of the great advantages of building a railway in your garden is that you can incorporate real water as part of the landscape. Whether this takes the form of a pond, canal, stream and/or waterfall, water adds to the realism and ambience of the scene.
Source: https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/07/03/article-0-1AA14081000005DC-585_964x552.jpg

Right from the start, I was determined to include a stream running alongside the tracks on the PLR.

It is certainly a popular part of the landscape and often features in my videos. For more information on how I constructed my stream see - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-did-i-create-stream.html    and for more general information on water features for garden railways see the episode of Mark Found's series on constructing a garden railway.


Choosing and laying track 

Assuming you have already decided which scale and gauge combination you will use, one of the first decisions you will need to make about your trackwork will be whether you will buy readymade track or construct your own from kits or from scratch.

Readymade track

The range of readymade 32mm and 64mm gauge track suitable for outdoor use is primarily limited to one company, Peco, in the UK. 
Source: https://www.mpb-model-supplies.co.uk/products/sm32-track/ST605

It is possible to buy 32mm gauge all-plastic track but it is generally made from material which is not resistant to ultra-violet light and so will eventually deteriorate when exposed to sunlight.

By contrast, there is a wide selection of 45mm track from a range of suppliers. Ironically, while the majority of different brands of track are compatible with each other, the rail used in Peco 45mm track has a finer profile and so cannot be connected to other track systems.

A further decision you will need to make is whether you will opt for sectional or flexible track. As the name suggests, sectional track is bought in small pre-formed sections which clip together. 
LGB's range of pre-formed sectional track

The main advantage of sectional track is that it is easier to lay, particularly if you are working in a confined space. The disadvantages are that you are restricted to the range of curves which your chosen manufacturer provides and it is a slightly more expensive way of buying track.

Flexible track is bought in longer lengths and needs to be curved by hand to form your own curves. This means that you can shape the track to suit the location in which it will be laid but you will need to trim the track to fit into the space.

As you can see from the above picture taken when I was laying track on the Peckforton Light Railway, flexible track enables you to achieve sweeping curves but ..... it also can lead to kinks, particularly when rail joints occur on curved sections .....

This problem can be alleviated by using a rail-bender ..


..... which adds to the expense of using flexible track. It is possible to lay flexible track without the use of a rail-bender (I've never used one), but I have to admit that it would have made life easier as it's not always convenient to ensure rail joints don't occur on curved sections.

Kitbuilt track

The advantages of kitbuilt track is that it looks more realistic and can be tailored to the specific needs of your railway. The disadvantages are the time and effort it takes and it is generally less robust than readymade track.

Suppliers such as Cliff Barker and Tenmille will provide you with rail, sleepers, chairs and the components needed to construct your own pointwork.
An example of track made from Cliff Barker components

Homemade track

If you really want to keep costs down, the you could always make your own track. There are a few fellow modellers who have shared their experiences of creating their own trackwork online. Greg Hunter, for example, has made track from aluminium strip and stripwood. See - http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/track.htm


He has even devised his own swivelling pointwork which is a lot easier to construct than conventional turnouts.

Track foundations and track laying

Regardless of your choice of track, it will need to be laid and will require firm foundations if it has any chance of long term survival in the garden.

Trackbed foundations

If your track is mounted above ground level on timber, plastic or metal supports, then it can simply be screwed or tacked into place. 

However if it is at ground level, then it will need some sort of trackbed. There are two sorts of trackbed for garden railways; floating or fixed.

Floating trackbeds resemble the real thing. In essence, they comprise a trench into which some gravel is placed and on to which the track is placed.


To help combat weed growth, the trench can be lined with a weed protection liner and wooden or plastic stakes can be driven into the ground inside the trench to which the track can be secured.

The advantages of floating trackbeds are that they drain well, resemble the real thing and allow for easy track maintenance. The disadvantages are that the gravel needs to be cleaned and/or refreshed from time to time and the track can be displaced easily by wildlife, pets or adverse weather.

By contrast, fixed trackbeds provide a solid foundation on to which the track can be screwed. Fixed trackbeds can be made from timber, plastic, cast concrete, bricks or concrete blocks.

Timber trackbeds at ground level are relatively easy to construct but are liable to rot in time.
Source: https://familygardentrains.com/primer/wooden_roadbed/wooden_roadbed.htm

Like timber, plastic section trackbeds are relatively easy to put together and won't be susceptible to rot, but they are expensive and have a tendency to expand and contract in warm and cold weather.
Source: https://www.filcris.co.uk/category/garden/garden-railway-products

Cast concrete can be made to follow quite tortuous curved routes but requires a fair amount of preparation and effort in construction and suffers from expansion and contraction problems unless expansion joints are included.
Source: http://www.corrishill.co.uk/cmgrtracklaying.html

Bricks are relatively cheap, are easy to lay and allow for quick changes in track layout but, unless they are embedded in a concrete foundation are likely to shift and subside as the ground settles.
Source: https://www.dxbrx.top/products.aspx?cname=garden+railway+track&cid=9

Concrete blocks are easy to lay and are generally cheap to buy. They can be bedded on to sand, tamped earth or a cast concrete sub-base and are easy to lay. They also allow for quick and easy relaying should you need to modify your trackplan. However, they can subside over time as the ground settles beneath them.

The majority of the track on the Peckforton Light Railway was laid on concrete 'breeze' blocks and I have found them to be very successful. I have had a few incidents of subsidence but these were  easily remedied. See Peckforton Light Railway Progress Report 54

Tracklaying

As indicated above, track laid on a wooden or plastic trackbase can simply be screwed or nailed in place. With other types of trackbed the track can either be left floating or it can be screwed down or held in place with adhesives and/ or ballast.

I prefer to fix my tracks firmly in place (other modellers do not) by using rawlplugs and screws on the concrete blocks. 

With fixed track, it's important to include expansion gaps at track joints to allow for expansion and contraction.

For more information on how I created my trackbase and laid my track see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2008/12/progress-report-17-peckforton-station.html

Ballasting

It's not essential to ballast track but, to my mind, well ballasted track  looks a lot more realistic. Compare the previous photo with this one .....


There are probably as many viewpoints on how to ballast track outdoors as there are garden railway modellers so I won't waste a lot of words trying to provide an overview of the various approaches. In internet search will reveal a host of articles and discussions on the topic. My experiences of ballasting track can be found here: https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-did-i-ballast-track.html

If you decide to use sectional track or flexible track curved with a rail bender, then you should be able to fix your track down to a firm foundation such as concrete or blocks using ballast alone, provided it includes some form of fixative agent such as concrete or exterior glues such as PVA or SBR.

Rolling stock

Your decision as to sourcing rolling stock for your railway will dependent on several factors:
  • Your budget
  • The scale/gauge combination you have chosen
  • The availability of off the shelf models to meet your needs
  • Your modelling skill and confidence levels
  • The number of items of stock you need
  • The reason you have decided to create a garden railway
The majority of these issues are self-evident but the last one is quite crucial. Why exactly do you want a garden railway? Possible reasons might include:
  • To recreate a real railway in miniature
  • To create an imaginary railway
  • To have somewhere to run a collection of miscellaneous models
  • To sit and watch trains passing by
  • To run trains as realistically as possible
  • To run live steam locomotives
If you have a particular railway in mind then your choice of stock will be quite specific. If what you need is not available commercially, then you will be forced to make your own or modify what you can find. However, if you just fancy accumulating a miscellaneous collection of stock then you can buy whatever takes your fancy - regardless of its source. On the other hand, if you want to run realistic train services on an imaginary railway, then you will need to acquire a particular set of wagons and coaches.

In my case, the Peckforton Light Railway is my conception of what an imaginary three foot narrow gauge railway might have looked like in the Cheshire countryside in the 1930s. As it is imaginary, I have a fair amount of freedom as to what my rolling stock looks like as long as it is in keeping with the period and location. When I started construction of my railway in the early 2000s, there were no appropriate off-the-shelf models though there were quite a few kits. However, I had a very limited budget and so ended-up buying cheap secondhand items and converting them, or putting together a few kits, or developing some basic skills in constructing my own stock.

Here is the first wagon I made from scratch - a plasticard body on a cheap (£10 GBP) wagon chassis .....

.... and here is my first scatchbuilt loco - a plasticard body on a cheap secondhand (£30 GBP) locomotive chassis.

When I started my railway, I had very basic construction skills. Over the years my skills have improved slightly but my levels of confidence in tackling new projects has increased markedly. There's not much I now won't try - I just see each new model as a learning experience. Some of my more recent models look reasonably good - they won't win any prizes if I entered them into a competition but they look OK on my railway - and that's their main purpose!

So, let's look at your options.

Steam or electric (or both)?

The first major decision you will need to make is how your locos will be powered? Although there are other power sources besides steam and electricity (eg clockwork and live diesel), as a beginner you will probably only be interested in electric or live steam.

Live steam
Some skilled modellers construct their own scratchbuilt models, starting with nothing but raw metal (eg see https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=11432 ). The vast majority of garden railway modellers buy their live steam locos off-the-shelf or build them from kits.

The cheapest live steam locos are manufactured by Mamod which, at the time of writing, markets a live steam loco for just under £400GBP.
Mamod low-cost live steam loco


  Accucraft also sometimes produces a budget live steamer for under £500BGP - but at the time of writing is only available secondhand.
Accucraft Dora live steam locos

The most prolific manufacturer of live steam locos for the UK market is probably Roundhouse. Their off-the shelf live steam locos range in price from around £750GBP to well over £4000GBP.
Roundhouse Bertie locomotive

They also provide a small range of their locos in kit form ranging in price from around £900GBP - but you might need to gain experience of running live steam locos before attempting to construct one of their kits.

Electric Powered Locomotives

If you prefer the idea powering you locos by electricity then you have several choices available. You could choose to power your locos through the track or from batteries either contained inside each loco or placed in a wagon or coach trailing behind the loco.
An LGB Starter Set Stainz loco with a trail car containing the batteries and the receiver/controller

Another decision to be made will be how to control your locos. If using track power, you could have a central control panel, or a roaming controller connected to the panel by a long cable or through a wireless connection. 
Aristocraft Train Engineer wireless handset for DC track powered locos

Battery (and live steam) locos can be controlled manually - by following each loco around and adjusting the throttle and reverser on the loco itself, or this can be done remotely via a radio transmitter. Alternatively, your locos can be controlled through a mobile phone app regardless of whether they are track powered, battery powered or live steam.
HGLW BEV loco fitted with a Loco Remote receiver controlled by Wifi from a Smart Phone
Source: http://www.locoremote.co.uk/

When I first set up Peckforton Light Railway, I opted for track-power as, up until then, all my experience with indoor railway modelling had been using track power so I felt confident and very familiar with it. However, I very quickly realised that a centralised control panel was not a good idea for my garden railway. Whilst this sort of set-up might be suitable for a small layout, I found it's much more satisfying and effective to follow trains around the garden to keep an eye on them, and so I very soon invested in the Aristocraft Train Engineer wireless handset shown above (now no longer available). However, before long, I then changed from analogue to digital control, and ultimately opted for battery power and radio control. 

But more of that later - what is appropriate for me may not suitable for what you have in mind for your railway.

Track powered locos

A great many garden railway modellers, particularly in the USA and continental Europe, are very enthusiastic users of track-powered locos. As a consequence, there is a good range of track powered off the shelf large scale models of German, Swiss, Austrian and US locos and stock. 
Source: https://www.pshobbiesandmodelshop.co.uk/garden-railways-g-scale-lgb-c-17_103_118.html


The advantages of track power are that:
  •     if you are used to running model trains indoors, then it is familiar technology;
  •     the vast majority of off the shelf/ready to run electric models use track power;
  •     you can use digital technology (DCC) for control and sound systems;
  •     smoke generators can be used to simulate steam powered locos (and diesels);
  •     it is possible to use wireless handheld controllers;
  •     your entire railway could ultimately be controlled by your computer.
The disadvantages are:
  • your track needs to be kept sufficiently clean for electrical contact to be made between the track and loco wheels;
  • you can't rely solely on fishplates or track joiners for electrical continuity and will need to ensure track-joints and point blades are bonded in some way;
  • as your railway grows, analogue control systems can become quite complicated if you want to run more than one loco at the same time;
  • the initial outlay on DCC equipment can be quite costly, particularly if you want wireless control.
Locomotives can be powered and controlled from the track in two ways
  • by using an analogue controller which varies the amount of Direct Current (DC) electricity provided through the track to the loco
  • by keeping the power to the track at a steady level and having a small electronic 'decoder' inside each loco which independently responds to a digital signal (Digital Command Control, DCC) sent through the rails to vary its speed (and also to perform a range of other tasks such as sounding a whistle, turning on and off lights or operating a coupling by remote control)
Analogue or DC track power

The most cost effective way to control model locos from the track is to use a transformer to step-down mains voltage to 20 or 24 volts and use a simple controller with a speed knob. All that is required is for two wires to be connected from the transformer/controller to the track and away you go!
However, if you want to run more than one loco at the same time, then you will have to make each track section electrically isolated from the others. This is because most large scale points (turnouts) do not electrically isolate the non switched route and so every circuit, siding and loop on your railway will be powered from your controller at all times. This means that every loco on the rails will respond to the controller when the speed knob is turned. Either you will need to design your track-plan to have completely separate routes or use insulated plastic fishplates and on/off switches wired-up to different sections of track so locos can be isolated from the controller. This will require additional wiring, particularly if you want to run the wiring back to a central control panel. 
My first analogue control system with a simple control panel

The wiring can become even more complicated if your railway includes a reverse loop. 

There is more information about how I wired up my railway for DC control with a reverse loop and isolated sections here - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2006/05/how-did-i-do-electrics.html

An easier way to overcome this issue is to use DCC (Digital Command Control).


DCC Systems
In essence, a DCC system requires each loco to be equipped with an electronic decoder chip which enables it to respond independently of any other loco on the track when the controller is instructed to send information to that particular loco. This means that you do not need to bother with isolated track sections though you do need to ensure the whole railway network is receiving power at all times for locos and any other accessories such as point (turnout) motors to receive their instructions from the controller. There is a handy beginners guide to DCC here - https://www.aandhmodels.co.uk/a-general-guide-to-dcc-906-c.asp


The advantages of DCC over analogue control are:
  • the wiring is very simple - just two wires from the central control station to the track;
  • all your locos, points, signals, lights, sounds and accessories can be controlled from one controller, wireless handset or mobile phone app;
  • the majority of more recent off the shelf model locos can be bought with decoders installed or can have decoders easily added (usually they just plug in):
  • all DCC equipment is mutually compatible regardless of the supplier;
  • the quality of sound systems available through DCC decoders is very realistic;
  • your entire railway could become automated through computer control.

The disadvantages are:
  • rails need to be kept clean and all track joints electrically bonded in some way (eg with graphite paste, rail clamps or soldered jumper wires);
  • each loco and accessory needs to have a DCC decoder installed;
  • some DCC equipment can be costly (eg wireless handheld controllers);
  • programming decoders can become quite complicated if you want to go beyond basic control.

A great many garden railway modellers use DCC systems very successfully for simple through to very complex layouts. DCC is a well established and reliable form of  technology and innovations and improvements are continually being made to enhance its effectiveness and add to the range of its features. A quick search on YouTube for garden railways will reveal some highly realistic and impressive DCC controlled garden railway systems, for example ......




Battery power

As the name suggests, battery power requires each loco to have its own battery pack installed. Alternatively, the batteries can be placed in a wagon or coach and connected to the loco via a lead. If the lead has a plug and socket, then the same battery/control car can be used with several locos thereby saving expense. Batteries can be bog-standard non rechargeable cells such as those you would put into a torch or, more usually, rechargeable battery packs such as those used in radio controlled cars.

The advantages of battery power over track-power are:
  • there is no need to keep the rails clean and no need to worry about electrical continuity (eg through pointwork);
  • trains can be up and running quite quickly;
  • it is easy to combine battery powered locos with steam powered locos (live steam locos often deposit oil on the track which adversely affects track powered locos);
  • it is relatively easy to convert track-powered locos to battery power if you have the skills and confidence to dismantle a model.
The disadvantages are:
  • there aren't many suppliers of off-the-shelf, ready-to-run battery locos;
  • and so, you will need to have the skills and confidence to make or convert locos to battery power;
  • making sure batteries in each loco are topped up regularly;
  • some basic knowledge of batteries and control systems is required;
  • rechargeable batteries (particularly lithium-ion cells) need to be charged carefully and handled correctly to avoid accidental short-circuits or over-charging and over-discharging;
  • the incompatibility of commercial radio control systems.
Some garden railway modellers, particularly those who use small industrial locos on their railways, don't bother to install radio control but simply let their locos run freely around the track with just a switch, reversing switch or speed controller mounted on the loco itself.

However, if you want to exercise more control over your locos, then some sort of radio control system needs to be installed. This can be provided by:
  • modifying a radio control system from another model such as an off the shelf RC model car;
  • making your own radio control system;
  • using a mobile phone app and WiFi or Bluetooth control;
  • buying a ready made radio control system.
Each of these approaches has its advantages and drawbacks. 
  • Using RC systems designed for cheap model cars is cost effective but sometimes the operating range is limited, control isn't very precise and/or running in reverse can be problematical. 
  • Making your own RC system requires a fair amount of electrical and electronic expertise 
  • while WiFi and Bluetooth mobile app systems are generally quite cheap, but it can be difficult to see the screen on your phone or tablet computer when the sun is shining unless you have a fairly expensive mobile phone (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2019/07/controlling-loco-with-bluetooth-phone.html)
  • there are very many off-the-shelf RC systems - mostly designed for use in model planes or cars and not all systems are compatible with each other.
There are a few commercial companies which market their own Bluetooth control systems which can be run from a mobile phone - for example see http://bluerailtrains.com/

While you can use any off the shelf radio control system for your trains, such as those designed for controlling cars, boats or planes, I have found that using a bespoke RC system specifically designed for operating garden railways has enabled me to gain the most from running my trains. 

Why?
  • I find having a knob to twist for speed rather than a joystick or trigger to be more tactile and satisfying;
  • the transmitters and receivers have additional controls designed for train related accessories (eg sound triggers, directional lighting, auto-uncoupling, etc.);
  • most bespoke train receiver/controllers are small enough to fit into even the tiniest locomotives;
  • the level of control means I can run my trains slowly and engage in realistic shunting operations.
You can get a feel for the level of control achieved by my radio control system in this video which explains how I organise a running session.


The system I use is based on Deltang components

Other radio control systems specifically designed for garden trains are available, such as:
Each of these systems has its merits and drawbacks - as well as their supporters and critics. I won't attempt to evaluate or compare the various systems here but suggest that you draw-up a shortlist of what you want your control system to achieve and then work your way through the descriptions on the various websites until you identify which one best suits your needs and your budget.

Summary

There are several factors which will affect your decision as to which form of power and control system you eventually choose. As indicated above, I started with track powered DC and changed to DCC because I wanted to be able to run several trains on the same track without complicated circuit switching. I eventually changed over to battery power and radio control because I really enjoy shunting and slow running which, for me, became increasingly difficult with track powered locos, particularly as I didn't use my railway frequently and so needed to clean the rails before each running session. Furthermore, I really enjoy kit-bashing and scratch-building so am more than happy to convert track powered locos to battery power or construct my own, eg See https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2021/01/how-i-converted-bachmann-loco-to.html


But my reasons for choosing a power and control system may not coincide with yours.

If you intend to run your railway frequently, aren't that interested in shunting operations, want really realistic sound effects, want to run smoke generators, aren't confident with battery charging and maintenance and/or want to be able run your locos straight out of the box, then you will probably find track powered DCC systems are more appropriate for your needs. See - https://www.trains.com/grw/beginners/free-downloads/dcc-for-large-scale/


Alternatively, if you are on a tight budget, enjoy constructing kits, don't mind tinkering with basic electrical circuitry and/or want a fairly small scale set-up, then you might be attracted to using disposable batteries in manually controlled locos or use a very basic radio control system.

Or maybe, if you are already familiar with running track powered trains indoors and want a fairly simple outdoor layout with just one loco running at a time, then you will probably be more than happy with track power and a simple DC controller. Or you might be interested in running your trains using block sections, as found on a real railway.

There is no single, all encompassing solution to running trains in your garden. The best method is the one which best suits your interests, experience and reasons for running a garden railway. Each approach requires the investment of capital and a willingness to learn new skills and gain relevant knowledge. It is well worth spending some time identifying what you ultimately want to gain from your railway, how much you want to spend and decide how much effort you want to expend in acquiring the knowledge and skills you will need. 

In the meantime you might find these resources helpful in guiding your decision-making

 

Obtaining models

Buying off the shelf / ready to run models (RTR)

If you are intending to build a standard gauge 0 gauge, G gauge or Gauge 1 railway, then you will have a fair amount of choice of off-the-shelf models. 

US 0 gauge and G Gauge modellers have been well catered-for over the years and there is a healthy market in new and secondhand models to suit a range of prototypes. Manufacturers such as Aristocraft, USA Trains, Bachmann, LGB, Accucraft and Piko produce a wide range of G Scale models and Lionel 0 Gauge models are in good supply.
Lionel 0 gauge models

Those wishing to model European railways, particularly in Germany, Austrian and Switzerland, are equally well provided-for by companies such as LGB, Piko and Aster.
A selection of LGB off-the-shelf models

Manufacturers of off-the shelf models for UK 0 gauge models are fewer in number but there has been a resurgence of interest in recent years. Dapol, Peco and Heljan provide an expanding range of models. By contrast, manufacturers of  ready to run Gauge 1 and G Scale UK models are harder to find and so you may have to resort to building kits or investing in secondhand scratchbuilt or kitbuilt models.
Dapol 0 gauge Terrier tank locos

LGB and Piko produce a good range of German and Swiss narrow gauge models in G Scale and in the past Accucraft produced a range of UK narrow gauge models in 16mm scale - but these have now ceased production. Roundhouse are probably produce widest range of live steam narrow gauge locomotives in 16mm scale. They also produce a limited range of battery powered diesel outline locos. Bachmann, Aristocraft, Accucraft and USA Trains produce a narrow range of USA narrow gauge rolling stock.
Accucraft narrow gauge Peckett locos

Kitbuilt models

If you are interested in building your own models from kits then you will have a much wider range of models to choose from. Kits are available in metal (usually brass), plastic or wood, or a combination of these materials.

Some of the kits (particularly those made of metal) can be quite complicated and so, if you are a complete novice, I would advise you to start with simple wooden kits such as those supplied by:
Many of the beginners kits provided by these suppliers provide a very cost-effective way of starting your collection of rolling stock.
Source: http://www.eagleassist.com/hglw/Rolling_Stock.html

Kit-bashed

Kit-bashing is a short-hand way of describing the modification of an off-the-shelf or kitbuilt model into something else. A large number of the wagons which run on the Peckforton Light Railway started their life as something else. For example, this closed van .....

.... started life as an off-the-shelf continental box van, ....

.... and this open wagon .....

.... was originally a very cheap plastic gondola car.

If you are feeling really adventurous, then you can adapt a locomotive to better suit the style and era of your railway. For instance, I started with this rather battered (and very cheap) eBay offering ....

..... and persuaded it to become:

If you don't fancy applying a razor saw to a model, then simply repainting an off-the-shelf model can be sufficient to make it your own.

A great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction can be gained from repurposing models, particularly if you are working to a tight budget.

For more information on the rolling stock on the Peckforton Light Railway see - http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/p/contents.html#stock

or


3D printed

These days, with a modest initial outlay of cash, you can invest in your own model manufacturing device - a 3D printer. My first 3D printer cost me £80GBP brand new as a kit. Although it doesn't produce the best quality prints, it was sufficient for me to get started. For more information on 3D printing see - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-beginners-guide-to-3d-printing.html

An increasing range of the files needed to print your own rolling stock are appearing on websites such as Thingiverse. 

For example, I downloaded and printed the two versions of this small diesel loco from Thingiverse.

Since then, I have gained more confidence and expertise and have learned how to draw my own rolling stock using a free online CAD package called TinkerCAD.


With a bit of practice, I've found it's even possible to draw and construct my own locomotives.

There is also plenty of information, advice, examples and also free downloadable files in the 3D section of the Garden Railway Forum - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=54

Scratchbuilt

Maybe you are a beginner to garden railways but not a complete novice as a modeller, in which case you may already possess the skills needed create your own models from scratch. Clearly, scratch-building is by far the best way to amass a collection of models which are quite specific to your interests and needs. There are some fine examples of scratchbuilt models on display at the annual Garden Railway Show organised by the Association for 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers.
Source: https://www.nationalgardenrailwayshow.org.uk/2019/04/12/2019-model-of-the-year-winners/

Bear in mind that there are various levels of scratchbuilding. By definition, a truely scratchbuilt model is one which has been entirely constructed from raw materials - but there are very few modellers who have the skills, patience and time to do this - see for example, see how Darrell McCulloch is constructing his magnificent live steam loco entirely from scratch - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11432

Most scratchbuiders make use of professionally manufactured parts, such as motors and wheels, which are difficult to construct from scratch. Others may scratchbuild the bodies for their rolling stock but place them on commercially produced chassis - which is how quite a few of my 'scratchbuilt' models were constructed.
One of my scratchbuilt Snailbeach wagon bodies on a HLW chassis

I would also argue that creating your own 3D CAD drawing and printing that out is yet another form of scratchbuilding, though there are some who are quite vehemently opposed to regarding this as scratchbuilding per se. 

However, whatever means you use to acquire the rolling stock on your railway, what is more important is that you enjoy having it and running it. The only person you have to please is yourself - it's your railway!

The infrastructure

I regard the infrastructure as the things which might sit alongside your railway - buildings, platforms, bridges, lineside equipment, people, road vehicles, general clutter and so on.... I have also included plants in this section as they form part of the backdrop for your railway and so require a certain amount of thought as to what will look appropriate.

Bridges

These can be bought off the shelf (eg see http://www.mvlbridges.co.uk/our-bridges.html) or quite easily constructed - dependent on how intricate you want your bridges to be.

On the PLR, I have a range of different types of bridge - two are simply LGB truss bridges which I cut down the middle so they could be skewed (See  http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-i-skewed-lgb-truss-bridge.html ) ...

Two overbridges were cast in situ in concrete - using a plywood mould (See https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2010/04/how-i-cast-two-concrete-overbridges.html) ....

The swing bridge is simply a plank to which sides have been added using uPVC angle trim (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-i-made-swing-bridge.html )

A couple of bridges were constructed from timber as simple trestles (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-i-constructed-small-wooden-trestle.html )

... and the viaduct was made from plywood clad in a few thousand individual balsa 'stone' blocks protected with wood preservative (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-i-constructed-viaduct.html )

Of course, there are myriad other ways of constructing bridges. There is plenty of guidance on the web - eg https://www.pinterest.co.uk/robinshero/g-scale-bridges/

Buildings

It is possible to buy readymade buildings in scales appropriate for garden railways from suppliers such as Pola and Piko  - but these are generally of European or US origin.
Source: https://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pol/pol330850.htm

Readymade buildings suitable for UK railways cast in concrete with a high level of detail are available from Cain Howley

There are also plenty of kits available such as those from Brunel, Thorley Miniatures and ModelTown
Source: https://www.thorleyminiatures.com/Bramblecourt_Station_16mm_Scale/p6019012_19319980.aspx

Alternatively, you can quite easily make your own from wood, plastic, pottery, concrete, resin or any combination of these. For example, the engine shed on the PLR was constructed from plywood and clad in coffee stirrers,  (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-i-constructed-engine-shed.html ) .....

 ..... my brewery building and water mill were made from PVC foamboard (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2017/11/how-i-constructed-mill.html ),  ......

..... while the castle ruins were carved from Thermalite 'concrete' blocks (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2018/08/how-i-constructed-beeston-castle-using.html ).

One of my station buildings was even 'bashed' from a child's toy which I bought cheaply in a charity shop (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-i-made-station-building.html )

The buildings at the copper mine were constructed using a variety of techniques - mostly using odds and ends of raw materials I had to hand and then covered with plasticard embossed sheeting, coffee stirrers, balsa wood and stonework slips (see - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/12/how-i-constructed-mine-buildings.html ). 

Basically, with a bit of imagination and a modicum of skill, you can make buildings for your railway from almost anything! I can thoroughly recommend tracking down a copy of Peter and Kes Jones' book Making Model Buildings for Garden Railways (ISBN 9781847972729)


Platforms

Most railways need some sort of platform, whether it be for passenger use of for loading livestock and general goods. Like their real life counterparts, platforms can be constructed from wood, stone, brick or concrete or, unlike the real thing, resin or plastic.

For platforms on the PLR, I have used wood, concrete and concrete castings using moulds provided by JigStones.

If you would prefer to buy readymade platforms then resin castings for can be purchased from suppliers such as ModelTown and concrete castings from Garden Railway Specialists.
Source: https://www.grsuk.com/shop/SG-Brickfaced-Flagstone-Platform-M5557


General lineside clutter and people

All manner of figures and models of the general clutter which can be found beside a real railway can be purchased from a wide range of suppliers such as Garden Railway Specialists, Trenarren Models, ModelTown and many other sources. A comprehensive list of model makers and suppliers of equipment needed to detail your garden railway can be found on the 16mm Association and the G Scale Society websites.
Source: https://www.trenarrenmodelsonline.co.uk/

The cheapest way to accumulate models is to buy them unpainted and then paint them yourself. With a little bit of patience, it is possible to achieve quite a good quality of finish - see http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-i-painted-some-figurines.html


... and it is possible to make and/or 3D print your own detailing features - see https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/p/contents.html#detailing . 

A great deal of satisfaction can be gained from doing this type of detailing yourself.


Plants

Of course, one of the main differences between an indoor railway and an outdoor one is that you can use real plants as a backdrop and/or as features to enhance your railway. To my mind, there is something very special about watching a train wending its way through real foliage.

Rather than providing you with a comprehensive list of plants which will be effective, I will outline a few guiding principles for selecting plants.
  • Perennial or annual? I prefer perennial plants as it means I don't have to think about putting new plants in each year. 
    • Alpines are very useful as they tend to have small flowers and foliage and tend to spread.
  • Check the height and spread of a plant. If it will be tall, put it towards the back of a bed, If it is short or provides groundcover, then place nearer to the track. 
    • I bought a small pot of Mind your Own Business (aka Hens and Chicks, Baby's Tears) several years ago and it has now spread to most of the garden. It provides excellent verdant groundcover in shady areas
    • I also invested in some heathers and miniature conifers which provide a good backdrop to the railway
    • Lonicera nitida is a really useful shrub as it can be trimmed to represent trees and is easy to propagate - simply put clippings into the ground and they will grow!
Mind your Own Business and moss beside the stream on the PLR
  • Check whether a plant prefers shade or full sunlight and plant accordingly
    • Most of my north facing garden is shaded by the house and so I have to ensure plants will tolerate this. I have found some hebes look like small trees and seem to tolerate both shade and sunlight.
  • Trim regularly. Lineside planting will rapidly overtake your trackbed and the longer you leave it, the more difficult it is to remove.
For more information see - https://www.trains.com/grw/how-to/gardening/a-catalog-of-useful-plants-for-railroad-gardens/ , https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12012 and Becky Pinniger's book - Planting your Garden Railway (ISBN - 1902827252).


Running trains

Of course, the main aim for the majority of people in building a model railway is to run trains. However, the methods and reasons for running trains are manifold:
  • to represent the running of a real railway;
  • to enjoy seeing trains running through a landscape;
  • to have somewhere to display a collection of models;
  • to test-run models which have been constructed;
  • to entertain children and other visitors.
I prefer to run the Peckforton Light Railway as if it was a miniaturised version of a complete narrow gauge railway system with passenger and goods traffic being catered for as realistically as possible.



 However, sometimes I just set a train running round and round and simply sit back and enjoy a train passing by.

At other times I have a few trains running to entertain visitors when, for example, we host a barbecue and, of course, I use the railway to test-run models I have created

Whatever your reason for creating a garden railway, I am sure you will gain a great deal of pleasure from it.

Filming and photographing your railway

At some point, you will probably want to share what you have created with others. You may have gathered from my blog that I tend to take a lot of photos showing what I have been doing and a fair amount of video footage of trains running on the railway.

I am certainly no expert at photography and videography but. over the years, I have accumulated some experience of how to frame and shoot decent images of the railway. I will offer a few suggestions which may be of assistance when you want to record developments on your railway.

Framing the scene

When filming or photographing my railway, I have found that getting down to track level makes a world of difference - it not only makes your trains look more realistic, it also helps to hide unwanted background features such as wheelie bins and washing hanging on the line! If you study this photo carefully, you can just make out the door of the conservatory in the background - but mostly it is hidden by foliage!

To achieve this sort of shot, I have invested in a Gorilla Pod.                  

This handy little tripod has very flexible legs which enables a camera to be positioned alongside the track in all manner of situations. I've even hung it off the edge of the viaduct a few times to get a decent shot of a train departing Peckforton Station.

Checking the background

There's nothing more frustrating than taking time to pose a shot with your loco and a few wagons only to find when you came to upload the pictures to your computer that there are unwanted items polluting the background. For example, I took two photos of the above shot because I noticed after taking the first of them that the debris from our kitchen refit (old floor tiles and the rubbish bin) were somewhat evident as was my shadow. Moving the tripod slightly and reframing the shot allowed me to remove the unsightly objects from the view.

Investing in an editing package

There are literally hundreds (maybe thousands) of photo and video editing programs available - the most well known of which are PhotoShop, Paintshop Pro, VideoStudio and Power Director. However, these powerful editors probably offer far more features than most of us will ever use - and some of them take ages to master.

If you have an Apple computer, then you can't go far wrong with using the photo and video editing programs which are provided - iPhoto and iMovie.

Similarly, the most recent Windows computers usually have a simple photo editor - Photos, which enables you to do some basic editing such as cropping an image to focus on what is important - and making some adjustments to the colours and brightness.

For example, I improved this photo ....

.... by cropping - cutting off the conservatory and the leaning van to focus on the goods train.

Similarly, Windows Video  (supplied free with Windows 10 and Windows 11) allows you to combine separate video clips and add titles and background music. For more information on how to use Windows Video to edit your video clips see - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2022/04/how-i-edit-my-videos-using-windows-10s.html

I made this little video by putting together a few photos and a couple of video clips, then adding titles, a commentary and some music at the start and finish. 

Editing a video is a bit like making a model - you gather together the parts needed, trim them to shape, glue them together and then add some finishing touches.

Sharing your hard work with others

Finally, how can you share what you have been doing with the rest of the world?

Online forums
These days, it's a very simple process. By joining an online forum such as G Scale Central or GardenRails.org, you can post photos of your creations to fellow modellers who will generally be  very supportive of your efforts. Beginners are made especially welcome as, like learner drivers, we have all been there ourselves once. For example, here's a thread on the GardenRails.org forum where a newcomer to the hobby is sharing with others where he is up to - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=13621

Facebook Groups
There are myriad Facebook groups for garden railway modellers which enable you to seek advice and/or share your experiences. Probably, in the UK, the most well known is the Group for members of the 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers Association - 

A quick search on Facebook will reveal dozens of similar groups or, if your interests are for a quite specific style of modelling, then a more focused search will hopefully yield a group of people with likeminded interests.

YouTube or Vimeo
YouTube is probably the most well-known platform for sharing video content and is where I post videos of the Peckforton Light Railway. Once you have signed-up, it's very easy to upload videos or even edit them online.

Vimeo offers a similar service.

Blogging
As you can see, I use Blogger for providing updates of developments on the PLR. My reason for using it is that it is free - and it is very easy to use. My blog is now sixteen years old, so that must say something about my confidence in it....

There are plenty of other blogging website on the net. A simple search will provide you with a range of providers.

Creating your own website
In the past sixteen years, since I started my blog, it has become increasingly easy to create a website. Online tools such as Wix, make the job of website creating extremely easy. It's possible to create a simple website for free, provided you don't mind putting up with adverts. 

Writing articles for magazines
Since the demise of the US Garden Railways magazine, there is now only one commercial magazine which English focuses on garden railways - Garden Rail. However, if you are a member of the Association for 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers or the G Scale Society, then you will receive and be able to contribute articles to their respective journals.

Writing an article is fairly straightforward. The text is written as a word processor file using MS Word or something similar. The article will need to be illustrated with suitable photos which are taken with a digital camera (or a good quality mobile phone) and sent off, usually via email or a file transfer website such as WeTransfer to the editor of the magazine or journal in question.

Before committing yourself to paper (or rather screen), it is worth reading through a few articles to get a feel for the content and style which are accepted and also check the guidance for submission which is usually shown somewhere near the beginning of the journal in question.

Having had a few articles published in various magazines and journals my advice is:
  • keep the text tightly focused on the topic in question;
  • aim for no more than 1500 words of text;
  • don't try to do the editor's job by specifying where on the page the photos should be displayed;
  • list the photos at the end of the text and include clear captions;
  • include your name and full contact details at the end of the article;
  • remember you are submitting the article for evaluation by the editor. He or she will make the final decision as to whether it is suitable for publication with or without alterations.

Conclusion

This blog post is intended only to be a brief introduction to what is a fascinating and richly rewarding hobby. It has only scratched the surface of what can be achieved. I would strongly urge you to research further - track down resources which are more specific to your particular railway interests, join one of the relevant associations or societies focusing on what you are planning to do and, through them, visit other peoples' railways. You will learn a great deal by talking to others who have already trodden the path you intend to follow.

In the meantime, watch plenty of videos posted by other modellers. They may not answer all your questions, but they will certainly fire your enthusiasm.

Good luck - and happy modelling.

Posted by GE Rik at 12:41 pm

2 comments:

Arnie Alksne said...

Well done. Very comprehensive.

4/18/2022 5:50 pm
GE Rik said...

Thanks Arnie. It was almost as difficult trying to decide what to leave out as it was to decide what to include. I was trying to make it informative without getting too bogged down with details. Hence putting in as many links to additional info as possible.

4/19/2022 7:56 am

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