Building a model railway is one of the most common indoor-hobbies enjoyed worldwide. This can be seen by the number of magazines on the subject on sale in every newsagent, for instance titles such as Model Rail, Railway Modeller, Model Railways Illustrated and so on are available in Britain today.

Model railways are sometimes used to bring back nostalgic memories of times gone, for example, used to rekindle memories of a now-closed railway, now re-created. Model railways create an ideal world that the builder can disappear into for between a few minutes to a few hours.

Model Railways and Train Sets

It is possible to assume that anything that is a small train must be a model railway. Nothing could be further from the truth! So, what exactly is a model railway?

A model railway is essentially a scaled-down version of a real (or fictitious) railway, but is too small to transport a person. A small-scale railway that can carry passengers is a miniature railway. But what is the difference between a model railway and a train set?

Train Sets

The best way to think of a train set is to imagine a little train (which more often than not looks nothing like a real one), perhaps on a track, with a child pushing it round the living room floor making Whoo Whoo! and Chuff Chuff Chuff noises. Almost anyone you know will have owned a train set in childhood at some point. Inevitably, the original train set will get bigger and more complex, maybe getting to the point where the owner will start buying, making or bugging the parent for scenery. If this happens, it is almost a sure sign that it will, one day, make the magical transformation into a Model Railway.

Model railways are special advanced train sets, on which the owner runs, crashes, and gets mad with their very expensive train(s). Usually this is either to a strict timetable, or just running trains at random.

Never confuse a train set with a model railway; train sets are primitive in comparison. Model railways can be anything from exact scale models of, say, King's Cross Station, to models of an entire imaginary railway. A railway played with by a toddler is a train set.

Perhaps the main difference between model railways and train sets is the price. If you could pick it up for under £20 at a jumble sale, it's a train set. If it costs £80+ it's a model railway. Another, secondary difference is the detail. Model Railways are generally more detailed than the average wooden train set. Train set engines are either battery-powered or need to be pushed, whereas a model railway is usually mains powered, although some run on diesel or even live steam. Train sets are toys, model railways are to-scale models.

This is not to disparage train sets, which are good ways of indoctrinating the next generation into a love of railways and, by extension, model railways. They are also often more robust and easier to assemble than a model railway.

Scales

When planning on making a model railway, first you need to decide what scale you're going to work in. This will likely be decided on the basis of your funds and space to work in, although occasionally, a model of a certain class of locomotive or a particularly good rendition of a building can be the inspiration for working in a set scale¹.

Most models are electrically powered, although in larger scales, models of steam locomotives can be powered by diesel locomotives powered by internal diesel engines or 'live steam', coal boiling water and driving wheels via pistons and connecting rods. Although it is possible to buy 00 gauge live steam models of classic steam locomotives, the cost of such a loco is beyond most modellers' pockets; extra equipment is needed in addition to the locomotive.

A brief list of the major popular gauges for railway modelling are:

• G² Gauge - 16mm = 1 foot scale (1:19)
• Gauge 1 - 10mm = 1 foot scale (1:30)
• 0 gauge - 7mm = 1 foot scale (1:43)
• S scale - 4.7mm = 1 foot scale (1:64)
• 00 gauge - 4mm = 1 foot scale (1:76)
• EM³ gauge - 4mm = 1 foot scale (1:76)
• P4 gauge (Proto4⁴) - 4mm = 1 foot scale (1:76)
• H0 gauge (Half 0) - 3.5mm = 1 foot scale (1:87)
• TT gauge (Table Top) - 3mm = 1 foot scale (1:100)
• N gauge - 2mm = 1 foot scale (1:148 "British N", 1:160 elsewhere) Shrot for Nine mm
• Z gauge - 1.4mm = 1 foot scale (1:220)

There are other scales in which models have been built, such as gauges 2 and 3, but these are no longer popular and have been superseded by G Gauge. 'L-gauge' is often used to describe model trains built of Lego, running on standard Lego track. Consequently, the techniques used in modelling in L gauge are different from those used in any other scale.

H0 scale is the global standard for model sizes between 0 and N scale, but it is almost unknown in the UK where 00 gauge dominates, except for models of foreign locations and rolling stock. TT was originally, as its name suggests, designed to cater for layouts on tables. Though smaller than 00 it is often just as detailed, allowing for ambitious layouts in restricted spaces. Z gauge is the domain of one ready-to-run⁵ model manufacturer, Märklin, who produce continental European models.

00 Gauge

If you are just starting out in the world of model railway building Britain, it is recommended that you start in the dominant and widespread 00, pronounced 'double-o', scale. In other parts of Europe and America, the H0 gauge is easiest available. The widest range of models and kits are available in this size, which is generally considered a pleasing scale to work with. It is not too fiddly, not horrendously expensive and easy to collect a wide range of rolling stock and scenery for, as all major model railway manufacturers construct railways in this size. Decent layouts can be set up even for railway modellers with restricted space. Another reason for this scale's dominance is that it was created in 1921 by German toymaker Bing and has been the standard size for Britain's dominant model railway manufacturer, Hornby, since 1938.

A common way to begin is to buy a 00 or H0 scale 'Train Set', either from Hornby or Bachmann. Despite the name, these are not cheap battery-powered toys but a model railway starter-kit. They are often sophisticated, highly detailed models, of a range of types of locomotive with authentic rolling stock. A standard Train Set normally consists of:

• Track - this varies from a simple small circle to a double oval with sidings. Extension sets are also often sold to expand this.

• Controller and wires - this converts 240v AC to a safe 12v DC to drive the trains.

• Train - this varies. It can be anything from a four-wheeled steam tank-engine with a couple of wagons and a brake van to a modern light-up Eurostar locomotive.

• Scenery - occasionally you will get some scenery as well. You may get a signal box or goods shed and crane, or signals and so on. You may even get a plastic mat to lay the track on. However, these are not always provided.

Layout Locations

Having decided on what scale to place your model, you then need to decide where to put it.

Floors' Flaws

The first place a layout is attempted is often a bedroom or living room floor. This is a bad idea; dust and fluff will inevitably gather in the motor and gears of the engine and fluff will wrap itself around wheels.

Another disadvantage of using the floor as a location for a layout is that the floor space will inevitably be needed later on, meaning that the track, rolling stock and scenery will need to be packed away, and set back up again the next time it is required. This is a problem for two reasons. It is not merely laborious, but also track joints, called 'fishplates', on model track are quite fragile. They can only withstand being joined and undone a certain number of times. Some of the more complicated sections of trackwork itself, such as a double slip⁶, are fragile also.

Table

The second most common place for a layout to be attempted is a table, often the one on which meals are eaten, as it is likely to be the largest one in the house. This has the disadvantage of needing to be cleared for meals, but avoids the problems with dust and fluff. Also, there is a significantly lower risk of your expensive model being trodden on.

Baseboard

Finally, the ideal location for a model railway layout is a baseboard provided specifically for the purpose of constructing a layout. This need not be anything more complex than a large, preferably wooden dining table, provided it can support a reasonable weight. If you can stand on it without it breaking, it's likely to be strong enough to use as a base.

If you're feeling particularly enthusiastic, you can purpose-build a baseboard. The main advantage over the dining table approach is that track is more easily attached to soft wood, such as cork, than to the wood that might be used in a standard table, such as oak. Also, if you build your own baseboard, you can tailor it to suit your intended layout. If you have to drill holes in the base, for signals or wires, say, it is much easier to work up the courage to drill or cut through your own work than it is to damage the beautiful finish on a dining table.

Keeping Track of your Track

After you have decided the location of your model railway, you are probably impatient to get track laid and start running trains. However, unless you are planning on staying content with a very basic layout, such as an oval, the next step, that of track laying and wiring requires concentration and should not be rushed.

Plan a Track to Suit

If you are planning an adventurous and complex layout with which to amaze your friends, before you set up your track and fix it to the board you need to ensure that your track plan will work. It is recommended that you consider buying either a model railway design program for the computer (such as Hornby Virtual Railway, others are available) or a set of 1/4 scale track pieces. That way you can mess about and come up with various designs to see what will work best, without the risk of damaging your track. As it is unlikely that you will already have all the track you need for your layout, thorough planning will mean that you know exactly which pieces of track you need to obtain.

Laying Out the Layout

Once you have decided on the design of track, called a layout, that you are going to use, and have obtained the track you are going to need, the next step is to lay out your track temporarily on the board and draw around the outside of the track. Keep a distance of at least 1cm from the end of the sleepers (the horizontal planks at right angles to the rails that the rails rest on). Then, you should use this outline to cut out the shape from some cork sheet. You can use cork floor tiles as a relatively inexpensive way of obtaining this cork sheet, which is used for sound insulation purposes. After you have cut out the cork, lay it on the baseboard exactly where the track is going to go, and then glue it down using cork tile adhesive. After letting this dry overnight, it is finally time for the tracklaying to begin!

Pining for Pinning

If you have bought rigid, pre-formed pieces of track, known as Setrack as it comes in set shapes and sizes, you will find that every so often along the track there are small holes in the centre of the sleepers. These are for use in pinning down the track. If, instead, you have bought long lengths of bendy track that does not stay in a straight line for long, you have bought 'Flexitrack', which normally has no holes in the sleepers for fixing. This means that you will need to drill your own holes, in about every twentieth sleeper, for track pins.

Reassemble your track layout on top of the cork, making sure that you centralise it on the cork as much as possible. Then, when you have completed setting up the track, you can start pinning it down. Use specially-made model railway track pins, as these are designed to fit in the holes in setrack. Do not use a normal household hammer, as if you do, you are likely to severely damage your track. Instead, use a small tack hammer; this will fit between the rails, enabling the pin head to be hit in to place until it is flush with the top of the sleepers.

Be extra careful around points. Although there is a hole in what appears to be a sleeper in almost every set of model railway points, this is not a pin hole. Instead, it exists for ease of adding point motors. It is vital that this piece of the point (called the tie bar, because it ties the two rails together so they move at the same time) is free to move.

Testing, Testing, One, Two, Three

Before anything else, it is important that you test your track after you have laid it. Connect your controller to the track, this is usually shown in the instruction manual, plug it into the wall, switch on and start testing.

1. First, use a small, shunting engine, such as a six-wheeled tank engine, to check that you have power all over your layout; on all of the main lines, and to the end of each of your sidings (if you have any).
2. Next, use a more complicated engine, such as a large passenger engine, and again run it over the entire layout, watching for any tight spots or derailments. This is to check your tracklaying. If the engine repeatedly derails or stutters on the same section of track, it is likely not to have been laid perfectly, and should be taken up and relaid and pinned down.
3. Finally, make up a mixed train of goods trucks and coaches, and run it around to check further for any tight spots or poor tracklaying. If there is the slightest chance that something is wrong with the track, pull it up and relay it now, rather than when it is ballasted and there is scenery. It will only get worse, and repairing it now will save many hours of work later, making it worthwhile.

Ballasting

Once you have laid your track and pinned it down, tested your track and it works perfectly, you cannot help but notice that it looks rather like a lot of plastic and metal pinned onto a large cork surface. If you wish your model railway to transcend its origins actually look realistic then there is still a lot to be done. The next job is ballasting. This can be very time consuming. Even with only a small layout, ballasting can seem so boring and so stretched out that the layout will never be completed. Persevere. Good ballasting can really make or break a model. Model railway ballast can be bought in most model shops. If you opt to buy Hornby ballast, which due to cost is advisable for a beginner, then buy the 'Extra Fine' grade ballast, as their 'fine' ballast is rather coarse for 00 scale models.

Sprinkle a small amount (about a heaped tablespoon's worth) of ballast on a section on plain track (ie: not points). It will form a mound between the sleepers, and probably over the rails as well. Using your finger at first, spread it out along the track, in between the rails, until the top of the ballast is about level with the tops of the sleepers. Then, using a small paintbrush, sweep any grains of ballast off of the tops of the sleepers and into the gaps between them. Then, using about a level teaspoon's worth of ballast, sprinkle it on one side of the track, and using a paintbrush, sweep it between the ends of the sleepers and around the ends of them, out to the edge of the cork and so that the ballast is deep enough to just come up to the top of the sleepers. Repeat on the other side of the track, and if there is double track (two tracks parallel close to each other) fill in the gap between the tracks with ballast too, to the same depth as the rest of the ballasting.

Continue this process, taking care to avoid getting ballast in the moving parts of points, until your entire track is ballasted. Then place a strip of masking tape about 3mm wide and 4cm long in the gap between the point blades⁷ and the rail that they touch, so that the tape is horizontal. Also make sure that there are no ballast particles between the main running rails and the check rails⁸, as any ballast here is likely to cause derailments later on. If there is any ballast here, remove it with a fine, pointed paintbrush.

Now you are ready to glue your ballast down. Prepare a mixture of PVA glue and water, in equal quantities, then add a few drops of washing up liquid, as this will help it to flow better. The mixture should be about the consistency of milk, and should look pretty similar too. If it is too runny, add more glue, and if it is not liquid enough, add more water. Then, using a funnel, pour some of the water-glue mixture into a small spray bottle, such as is used for ironing. Spray the dry ballast with a mist of the mixture, spraying parallel to the track, about a foot from the board's surface, in both directions along the track. If you spray directly at the ballast, you will probably blow it away. Continue applying glue until the ballast and track are almost completely white, and appear as if someone has just spilt milk all over them. Don't panic, as when it dries, your ballast will return to its natural colour, and will be firmly attached to the board. Leave it to dry for at least 48 hours for a really strong bond.

Once the ballast has dried, remove the masking tape from the points and check that they are still working and not glued solid. Flick them from route to route a few times). Then, clean the entire track using a track rubber. This is like a more abrasive version of a pencil eraser, which, when used firmly on the track, will remove burnt-on dirt, glue, and almost anything short of rust⁹. Once you are satisfied that all of the dried-on glue has been removed, try test-running again, using the same technique as last time. If the engine stutters or stops, turn off the power, push the engine back a few inches, and "rubber scrub" the section of track where the problem occurred. Keep doing this until all your track is clean and your engines run faultlessly.

If small engines seem to stutter on the points, this is a problem that cannot be solved by cleaning, but is evident unless you buy special 'electrofrog' points. These do not have the plastic section where rails meet in a V shape that normal Hornby or Peco 'insulfrog' points have. However, electrofrog points are more complicated to wire up.

Scenery

Once your track is in full working order, the next step is scenic work,. Before you embark on this, draw a rough sketch of your track plan on a sheet of plain paper. You can then work out where you will want contours by drawing them as if on an Ordnance Survey map. Bear in mind that unless you live in Norfolk, the real world is very rarely flat; unless you have a board smaller than 4' square, at least one hill, valley or cutting is a must. Don't be too afraid to make them a decent size, too, as once they have been scattered, small contours will all but disappear.

Once you have decided where the contours on your layout will be, you must subdivide them into two categories: small (usually smaller than 2 inches / 5cm tall) and large because there are two different methods of hill-making.

The Small Hills are Alive with the Sound of Mod-Roc

The first one which I shall look at is that for making small hills, which is also suitable for making small cliff faces as found in cuttings. You will require some modelling rock known as Mod-Roc, basically a roll of plaster-coated bandage similar to the stuff used for making plaster casts around broken limbs¹⁰, a bowl of warm, clean water, and a pair of sharp scissors.

First, draw in pencil on your layout board the outlines of the areas which will be raised above board level. Cut the Mod-Roc into squares, with sides of the same length as the width of the roll of plaster bandage. Then, take one square, place it in the water bowl, and hold it under water for two seconds, until it has become floppy and squidgy. Then, having removed it, place it in the middle of your contoured section of ground, push down the edges so that they are very flat, and push down the middle, but leave it thicker in the middle by moulding it with your fingers. Repeat, except by layering the bandage over the lump you have, keeping it straight and flat where necessary, and extend it sideways and vertically. Stop when you have completed your hill.

Construct Every Mountain

The method of building a large hill is different; because if it were made of solid plaster bandage, it would be very heavy, and not a little wasteful. Therefore, we build a framework, out of sheets of wood, in what looks from above to be a grid pattern, made of pieces of wood cut with a flat bottom and the rough contours of the hill on the top. For longitudinal pieces of wood, cut a slot in the top every time it crosses over a latitudinal one, and in a latitudinal one cut slots in the bottom. Glue this down to your board. This means that now you can see where, how high, and what shape your hill will be.

The next step is to cover the top of the wooden frame with a net formed of strips of masking tape. After this, cover the netting with a layer of Mod-Roc, as per the above method, and allow to dry.

It's Electrictrifying!

If you have been following the above instructions, you should by now have a board with some ballasted track (hopefully with at least one electrical connection to the controller) and some bright white contours. The next thing to be done, after cleaning the track again¹¹, is to decide, depending on your design, whether you would like electrically or manually operated points, and whether you want working signals. Both electrically operated points and working signals add another layer of realism to a layout, but require more work.

Giving Off Signals

Firstly, the signals. Which types of signals to use depends on the type of trains you have, and what country or time period your model railway is set in.

• If it is a modern setting, you will most likely want mainly colour light signals. These look a little like traffic lights, only with the lights in a different order. You may possibly want one or two semaphores, which are the signals with large arms which move up and down.

• If it is set in the steam period, you will want mainly semaphores, though which type of semaphores you will need depends on what country, area or region you are modelling.

• If you are modelling a Great Western Railway layout, you will want lower-quadrant¹² semaphores, which in 00 scale can be built from Ratio kits, which can be made either operational or not, according to preference (and/or skill).

• If you are modelling Southern, London North Eastern Railway or London Midland and Scottish Railway layouts, you will want upper quadrant¹³ semaphores, for models of which you can use the Hornby models, or, for models of a more scale appearance (although obviously more delicate) you could use the Ratio kits, which can be made operational.

• Elsewhere, use the local standard.

Ratio signal kits are made to work by a simple system of springs and strings under the baseboard, with a miniature lever which can be placed near the controller position. The Hornby signals can also be remotely controlled, but often need some work, because they were originally designed to work with Hornby's point motors, which have since had their design changed, making them impossible to connect to the signal, unless you can find the old, flat, mark one type.

Models of colour light signals are available, both operational and not, from many companies, including in both kit and pre-built form. If you require working colour light signals, you will need a power supply. This is most often 12 Volts or 16 Volts uncontrolled (ie: not affected by the controller's track output) DC, which can be obtained from most major brands of model railway controller. This power supply can also be used for other proprietary electrically-powered accessories, such as building lighting, turntables and so on. You will also need some form of switches. Two-aspect (two light) signals are the easiest to wire, requiring only a double-pole single-throw switch to operate them. Wiring diagrams for the signals almost always come with the signal, but if not, can be found on the internet with a quick search.

Electric Points

There are two main types of point motors - solenoids and rotary-motored 'slow-action' types. For a beginner's model railway, solenoids are probably best; they are usually cheaper, easier to wire up, and often more reliable. Also, most types of pre-built model railway points are ready to have point motors fitted. In fact, some, though sadly not many, points are available with motors already fitted integrally in the track base. To operate a solenoid point motor, you need a Passing Contact Switch¹⁴ and a different power supply to the one used to power your track.

There are a different ways of attaching motors to points: The first involves cutting a slot in the baseboard, and mounting the motor underneath. Remember that hole in the points' tiebars you were not to put track pins in? That hole is used for attaching a solenoid point motor to the set of points. To fit a point motor in this way, you need to cut a slot underneath that hole, so that whichever way the points are set, there is a small hole through the tiebar and the baseboard. This is probably done more easily before track is laid permanently and ballasted. Then, after smoothing the bottom of the baseboard, attach the point motor in the way specified by the manufacturer, with the thin bar of the motor placed through the slot in the baseboard and the hole in the tiebar. Wire it up, also following the manufacturer's instructions, and you should have a remote-controlled set of points.

Another way in which it is possible to use a point motor is mounting it on top of the baseboard. Some point motors can be fitted into baseplates to allow them to be screwed to the baseboard surface, with a piece of scenery on top to disguise the motor. If you choose this method, there is often a bar protruding from the baseplate, with a hole in one end, and which moves slightly back and forth. After locating the small raised peg on the end of the tiebar into this hole, move the tiebar to the route setting where it is furthest from the motor baseplate, and move the baseplate as far as possible from the set of points while still attached. Then it will be in the correct position to be screwed to the baseboard. Once it has been screwed into place, attach the point motor to the baseplate, and wire it up. Then, after testing that it works, you can try to disguise it with a small hut, signal box or maybe a freight container.

Building Buildings

After testing that all of the points work, you are ready to do some more scenic work. It is time to select the buildings you will use and where you will install them on the layout. Some model railway buildings are prebuilt and prepainted, while others are kits to be built out of plastic, card or plaster. Sometimes, however, the only way to get a building that fits is to build it yourself, whether by 'kit-bashing'¹⁵ or by 'scratch-building'¹⁶. Once you have chosen your buildings, built them (if necessary) and are happy with where they go, attach them to the board. This can be done with glue or even double-sided sticky tape.

Scatter

By now, you probably think that your board looks a little silly with bright white hills, buildings placed on it and some railway track and signals. This is resolved by applying scatter. Scatter is normally a fine powder of some sort, which is coloured to represent grass, gravel, sand, cinders on a path, mud, and various other types of ground cover and foliage with a little ingenuity.

First, before applying scatter, paint any white plaster bandage contoured areas brown or green, to prevent the white plaster from showing through. Once this has been done, anywhere else where there will be grass can be painted a muddy brown if desired, being careful to avoid getting paint on buildings or trackwork.

Once this paint has dried, scatter can be applied as desired. As an example, for grass scatter, first apply slightly diluted PVA glue to a small area where a grass effect is desired. Then, while the glue is still wet, sprinkle a little green scatter onto the middle of the glue, and spread it around with something straight, such as a paintbrush handle, but not quite spreading it to the edge of the glue. Then, apply more diluted PVA next to the area where you have just applied scatter, overlapping the edge slightly, so as not to leave a gap between the two areas. If necessary, apply more scatter, spreading it so that there is a thin layer of scatter atop the glue as before. Continue this process until the desired area has been scattered. Leave overnight, or preferably two nights, to dry, and then repeat, to build up the thickness and opacity of the scatter layer to the desired level.

Different effects can be achieved by mixing scatter colours in various areas, such as a few small patches of yellow mixed in with the green in grassy areas to break up the block of colour.

Scenery

Once the layout has been scattered, other pieces of scenery, such as trees and plants, and various details, such as telephone boxes, cars and people - in short, everything that brings a layout to life - can be added. There is a wide range of objects for both scenery and rolling stock (the actual trains) available for many scales.

For instance, many manufacturers produce model trees, which range widely in terms of price and realism. The easiest model trees to find are often hardly the most realistic of trees, having the appearance of a toilet brush painted green. There are other types available from model shops, some of which are quite good. The best model trees are prohibitively expensive for most people who require more than about three trees and are made of an etched brass frame shaped to represent branches, coated on one side with solder and the other side with hot glue to build up trunk thickness, and finally flocked with various grades of scatter. The reason for the extreme price is the fact that all of this work is done by hand. However, the finished product is good enough to be used on architects' models.

Similarly it is possible to get street furniture scenery, people, vehicles etc, all of which transform your layout into a hand-crafted model. With scenery, the first thing to remember is to be consistent. Decide what era your model railway is set in, and make sure that the scenery you buy is consistent with that period.

Rolling Stock

Once you have bought the scenery with which to decorate your model, it is time to expand your rolling stock collection. Again, it is a good idea to be consistent. Although you can purchase a model of Stephenson's Rocket and have it pulling Eurostar carriages, it would not look right. Most famous steam engines such as The Flying Scotsman, City of Truro, Green Arrow, Evening Star or Mallard are available in a number of sizes, while many other engine types, whether steam, diesel or electric are available to purchase, along with a wide variety of carriages and trucks.

Getting Into Model Railways

Of course, not everyone has room in their home or the money available to build their own model railway. If you fall into this category, it does not mean you cannot enjoy the model railway hobby. At the very least, you can still enjoy reading the magazines. Alternatively you can visit model railways that are open to the public. For instance, if you live on the Isle of Wight, you can visit the Fort Victoria Model Railway in the summer. Outdoor model railways, also called 'Garden Railways', are often found in model villages such as at Bekonscot.

Another way to get involved is to attend a Model Railway Exhibition, most large towns and cities in the UK host at least one a year. At exhibitions, model railway enthusiasts from all around the world display their tracks and layouts for members of the public to see, for a modest entry fee. Model railway exhibitions are also good places to get model railway equipment, both new and second-hand, at bargain prices.

In addition to attending exhibitions, there are many railway clubs and societies that allow people to join. On joining, members may be able to help design and construct the group's model railway and, when completed, run group-owned locomotives or their own personal stock on the co-owned track.

Famous Model Railways

• The Thomas the Tank Engine television series was originally (1984-2008) filmed using models on a model railway. Since 2009, however, the series has been made in CGI, but the original models are on display at Thomas Land at Drayton Manor.

• In the television series James May's Toy Stories Christmas Special episode 'Hornby', James May attempted to make the world's longest model railway. He planned to rebuild the 10-mile closed Barnstaple to Bideford railway in Devon out of 00 gauge model railway. Although originally unsuccessful in getting a train to travel the full length in 2009, in 2011 the challenge succeeded.

• Of course model railways isn't a uniquely British hobby. If you are in Hamburg, why not visit Miniatur Wunderland, the world's largest model railway?

Conclusion

Model railways can transform any normal, sane, person into a single-minded one-tracked train fanatic. This can cause frenzies of strange, elusive crafts, practised only by modellers, such as 'super-detailing' and 'fixing'¹⁷. Every now and again, the common railway modeller may throw a kit of a model train across the room after changing one of the components beyond repair and then realising that it was merely upside down, while the wife / daughter / girlfriend etc. says that she/he/it thought it was meant to be a relaxing hobby.

If you know someone who is acting strangely, before you report them to the loony bin, ask if they are a railway modeller.

And whisper it who may, but at the end of the day we are just playing trains, aren't we?