Notes from the branch line
Model railway history, heritage lines, and the occasional digression about track plans.
Welcome to the blog. This is where the site covers model railways: the history, the heritage lines worth visiting, and the practical stuff for anyone thinking about getting into the hobby. Have a browse, and if you want to get your hands on some virtual track right now, try the free trainset.
Starting a first N gauge layout, and what to buy
Published 14 October 2026
What N gauge track, controllers and starter sets involve, how to read Peco Setrack radius numbers, and what to buy first for a compact layout.
Read moreWhat a first layout needs for DCC, and when to wait
Published 14 October 2026
What DCC adds to a model railway, what the DCC Ready, Fitted and Sound labels mean, and what a first digital layout needs to work.
Read moreA Brief History of Model Railways: From Tinplate to Digital
Published 5 January 2026
From Märklin's game-changing display at the 1891 Leipzig Trade Fair to DCC sound decoders that give you goosebumps, model railways have had a wild 130-year ride. Here's how tinplate toys turned into a hobby that survived world wars, video games, and smartphones.
Read more10 Famous UK Heritage Railways Worth Visiting
Published 18 February 2026
Britain has over 150 heritage railways. Here are ten of the best known, including the Bluebell, the Severn Valley, the Ffestiniog and the NYMR. From Sussex to Snowdonia, these are lines every train enthusiast should ride at least once.
Read moreGetting Started with Model Railways: A Beginner's Guide for All Ages
Published 12 March 2026
Every model railway legend started with absolutely no idea what they were doing. If you're curious about the hobby but feel overwhelmed by scales, jargon, and price tags, take a breath. This guide covers starter sets, baseboards, scenery, and how to do it all without going broke.
Read moreModel Railway Scales and Gauges Explained
Published 22 April 2026
Scale is the ratio, gauge is the distance between the rails, and in Britain the two famously came apart. OO, HO, N, TT:120, O and G compared, why OO track is seven scale inches too narrow, and how narrow gauge borrows a smaller scale's track.
Read moreSet-Track, Flexible Track and Rail Codes: Choosing a Track System
Published 3 June 2026
The four OO set-track radii from 371mm up, what the number on a packet of code 100 actually measures, Insulfrog versus Electrofrog, and why trusting a fishplate to carry power is the mistake that ruins most layouts.
Read moreTrack Planning for a Small Space: Layouts That Actually Fit
Published 15 July 2026
A door makes a fine baseboard, a shelf makes a fine branch line, and the Inglenook shunting puzzle fits in four feet. The reach rule, fiddle yards, baseboard materials, and why gradients eat more space than anyone expects.
Read moreThe Tools and Materials Actually Worth Owning
Published 26 August 2026
The cheap multimeter that saves more evenings than anything else, the soldering iron you actually need, why the track rubber should stay in the drawer, and the things worth leaving on the shelf until much later.
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