Table of contents for June 2025 in Model Rail

Following the success of its HOA-A hoppers, Revolution Trains is to produce the similar IIA-B and HOA-B hoppers, enabling modellers to operate authentically mixed contemporary stone trains. Ordered by EWS (later DB) in 2008, the IIA-B hoppers were delivered in the grey and blue livery of Cemex, (the Cemex branding was soon removed) and they have operated on traffic from Dove Holes quarry in the Peak District and Shap in Cumbria. Mendip Rail also ordered a batch of IIA-Bs, financed by leasing company NACCO and VTG for stone trains from Torr Works/Merehead and Whatley Quarry. Since 2019, hundreds more hopper orders were placed, to an almost identical design, although they were given the TOPS code of HOA-B. Revolution is tooling several variations to cover the full services lives of these…

The latest Hornby RailRoad train pack has arrived with stockists, consisting of GWR Class 1000 4-6-0 No. 1019 County of Merioneth plus Composite coach 6138 and Brake Third 4942 (R30376). Decorated to an impressive standard, each vehicle carries the GWR ‘coat of arms’ livery, suiting the 1940s era when the locomotive was new. Like the rest of the RailRoad range, the models employ older, more simplistic tooling to keep them in the budget-friendly price range, albeit with enhanced mechanisms, wheels and overall finish. Indeed, it's good to see the ex-Dapol ‘County’ back after a few years out of production, which now features a loco-based drive unit and 8pin DCC socket in the tender. Our sample ran very well once a slight tweak was made to a misaligned connecting rod, while…

At last year's Guildex show, I picked up an ‘O’ gauge laser-cut signal box kit of a Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC) structure, after being struck by a pre-assembled display model on MMR Model Kits stand. Not physically struck, you understand, but it grabbed my attention nonetheless. Not only did it look like a well-produced kit of a lovely prototype, but it's rare indeed that I come across anything tailored to one of my favourite railways. If I were to tally up the years, I'm sure that a huge chunk of my 50 years on this planet will have been spent living close to – or travelling along – one of the CLC's various routes across the north-west of England. With several lines succumbing to the Beeching axe, I've also navigated…

Constantly looking for unusual or unavailable prototypes to model, the Southern region is always a rich source of inspiration. A flick through a comprehensive guide to the region's varied locomotives led me to stumble across Drummond's ‘Paddlebox’ 4-6-0, possibly so-called as the originals had large valances covering the tops of their driving wheels, redolent of river-going paddle steamers. I was struck by the large, riveted smokeboxes of these impressive prototypes, and without too much thought as to the practicalities, I dove straight into the design – only later becoming aware of some of the valve gear complexities unique to this locomotive. From the outset, I intended to design the locomotive to be largely 3D-printed and driven by an (extensively) modified Hornby Tornado chassis. I am lucky enough to have my…

Think ‘beach’ and you immediately picture smooth, sun-kissed sand. Perfect for building sandcastles (or digging holes if you prefer!), playing football or cricket or simply relaxing on a towel. Yet there are dozens of beautiful beaches around the UK where you can't dig, play or relax because they comprise more shingle than sand. From Scotland to the South Coast, East Anglia to North Devon, there are shingle beaches galore. Some are mixed with sand whereas others are nothing more than acres of smooth stones that make that distinctive clonking sound when you walk on them. A sandy beach is quite easy to recreate in model form, but a shingle beach presents some challenges. Woodland Scenics offers the solution in the form of its bags of Talus - essentially small stones…

Paying a visit to the Snowdrop line Father and son Andy and Colin Eaton showcase their second ‘N’ gauge layout, which features an interchange between the national network and a heritage railway. My dad and I first got into ‘N’ gauge model railways at the end of 2003. The model you see here is our second layout, which we have called ‘The Snowdrop Line’. It is a fictional village called ‘Eaton Garden village’ set somewhere in the UK, which has a main line station and a branch line that comes off at the station, which is called the Snowdrop line and is now a preservation line. We started planning this one at the very end of 2020 and started building at the beginning of 2021, it took us just over…

As it switched from steam traction to diesels, BR, somewhat unimaginatively, ordered a lot of like-for-like replacements. So, it is no surprise to find that the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway's ‘Pug’ 0-4-0STs which had done such sterling work as dock shunters, particularly in Liverpool, were replaced by a small fleet of equally petite 0-4-0 diesel shunters. In 1959 BR ordered a batch of 20 0-4-0 diesel shunters based on an existing design for industrial users, from the Yorkshire Engine Company of Sheffield. Ten were delivered in 1960, numbered D2850-9, and the remainder, D2860-9, the following year. They were fitted with a 170hp Rolls-Royce engine and hydraulic transmission with a Rolls-Royce three-stage torque converter. Perhaps the most distinctive feature, unique on BR, was the American-style railed verandah at the rear which…

“In terms of looks, Hornby's design team have really nailed the appearance of the Stadler units, especially in terms of overall profile” Hornby's Class 755 ‘FLIRT’ project is something I've been following closely since it was first revealed in 2023, having been intrigued by the prototypes. With their striking appearance, articulated bogies and unusual, stubby power cars, they certainly stand out from the crowd of modern multiple units. And having travelled on a good few examples over the past few years, I've been eager to see how Hornby's model compares to the real thing. Happily, the models have now arrived, with a choice of three and four-car formations produced, with two different running numbers for each. LIFTING THE LID Hornby kindly supplied samples of both versions, providing an interesting comparison.…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby • R30442 Class 395 ‘Javelin’ four-car set, Southeastern Rail200 livery • R40447 Class 395 two-coach add-on pack ◆ PRICE £299.99 (£119.99 add-on pack) ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com Operating Southeastern's high-speed services from London St Pancras to the Kent coast - including Margate – the Hitachi Class 395 ‘Javelin’ dual voltage EMUs are an ideal subject for Hornby. Having been in the range, on and off, since 2009, the ‘Javelin’ has recently been upgraded to feature 21pin DCC sockets in each of the driving cars and this latest release portrays 395015 in its special Rail200 scheme. Unveiled to the public in March, the Class 395 carries artworks on each driving car depicting key landmarks on the Southeastern route, which have been captured accurately…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Revolution Trains RT-OO-IHA-403A IHA-F Covered Steel Carrier ◆ PRICE £48.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Revolution Trains stockists Web www.revolutiontrains.com With an eye on the trans-European steel market, a fleet of compact bogie steel wagons was assembled in 1991 by Fauvert Girel of France, in advance of the Channel Tunnel's opening. Designed to fit within the confines of the UK loading gauge and featuring a retractable canvas hood to protect finished steel products from the elements, the design proved a success, with further batches being built later in the decade. Eventually, nearly 250 examples entered service, and they have been seen on various steel flows around the UK, carrying imported material from ports or British-made steel products to various terminals or for export to locations across northern Europe.…

The Big Picture One of countless model railways built during the Covid pandemic, ‘Rosebury Goods’ was devised as a love letter to the Black Country's gritty industrial landscape. Having been brought up in the Wednesbury area, Neil Woodbine and Sue Farmer sought to incorporate several real landmarks within this loose interpretation of the local exchange sidings. Neil and Sue also chose to experiment with the backscene, striving to create a greater sense of depth in the limited space available. You can read more about this ‘OO’ gauge layout in next month's issue of Model Rail.…

CIÉ'S WAGONS COME BUBBLING BACK Making a welcome return to the Irish Railway Models range is the CIÉ bulk cement wagon, commonly known as ‘bubbles’ due to their distinct shape. Built in the late 1960s and early 1970s, they could be seen transporting cement across Ireland until 2008, with 150 examples eventually entering service. Marking the fourth production run of these popular wagons, it's great to see the orange variant included for the 1970s era, along with the ivory livery with CIÉ roundels, a livery worn from the early 1980s until withdrawal. Presented in triple-packs, three different packs are available for each livery, providing plenty of individually numbered wagons. If ordering direct from the Accurascale website, a 10% saving is available when buying two or more packs. Delivery is expected…

PECO is celebrating the rail bicentenary by challenging modellers of all abilities to create scenic models using a common baseboard kit, which has been specially designed. The competition features two categories, one concentrating on ‘OO’ gauge and demanding a common track format to allow finalists’ layouts to be linked together. A standalone category allows modellers to create a scene in any scale, with the emphasis on scenic techniques and creativity. Entrants need only purchase one of the special RAIL200 baseboard kits and follow the guidelines. More information and detail of the prizes can be found on the PECO website. Web: www.peco-uk.com…

Richard Foster and George Dent present four new titles that will inspire and inform your modelling. KEEP IT LIGHT A bold attempt to feature every light railway in the UK in one volume. It's full of inspirational images. The problem is that the introduction suggests that all the subjects are a result of the Light Railways Act of 1896 that allowed many rural lines to be built. Unfortunately, this includes lines built well before the Act (such as the Ffestiniog, which was built 60 years earlier). The book also mislabels lines such as the Lynton & Barnstaple and North Sunderland as light railways. Photographs are well produced but many are familiar. A map would be useful too. (RF) Book: The Light Railway by John Scott-Morgan Price: £17.50 Availability: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk POTTERING ABOUT…

Many enthusiasts’ railtours operated during the final few years of the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway, and captured here is one such special working, hauled by ‘7F’ No. 53809, on a bright summer Saturday in 1964. Usually, the special train would stop at various locations for passengers to disembark, allowing them to stretch their legs and enjoy shooting photographs and cine film, while the train performed a couple of run-pasts. The crew of the ‘7F’ are doing just that, performing a run-past at Catcott in the middle of the Somerset Levels, a pretty enough spot. Very occasionally, train crews were known to forget about reversing the train to collect passengers, leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere – often for several hours. Thankfully, on this occasion Driver Willy…

The latest ‘O’ gauge diesel multiple unit to roll off Dave Lowery's production line is a kit-built BR Derby Class 116 three-car unit, complete with working lights and sound. Meanwhile, on a smaller scale, Peter Marriott has been creating a fascinating cameo scene based around a weather-worn shipping container. Peter has been working hard to portray layers of grime and rust streaks to the exterior, while also adding a set of open doors to reveal the interior. These containers can be seen all over the country, being repurposed as storage units, farm buildings and even cafés and bars, so we're looking forward to seeing the finished results!…

What makes this layout great? “It doesn't matter whether Russ is in the mood for shunting or running long rakes of wagons, there's something he can do to while away the hours at ‘Cley-on-Sea’. One of the lucky ones with plenty of space to include everything he wanted, it's no wonder his family lose him for hours at a time!” Anybody who has watched plenty of science fiction television or films will be familiar with the laws of causality. For those who aren't familiar with the term, the premise is that a single decision in the past creates an entirely new timeline and therefore one cannot simply go back in time and change an event expecting everything to be the same. We often think about this in our own lives…

It cannot be stated enough how important it is for us modellers to take the time to study the natural landscape around us. This helps us to reproduce what we see more effectively, resulting in better looking scenery. For example, on looking at an area of grass and weeds it soon becomes apparent that sometimes the shorter grasses are darker than the longer strands. Therefore, the challenge is how to best employ different shades of grass fibres to make the most realistic landscape. We see many different textures and shades of green in real life which means that, to make the best scenery, multiple layers of scenic covering and a range of different materials are necessary. Go out for a walk or study photographs of your chosen location, making notes…

What makes this layout great? “Modelling a real location is a challenge, modelling a real location to the exact scale is even more daunting. Brian has done a superb job of capturing the essence of Tetbury with this layout.” Building an exact replica of an area brings with it a few advantages when it comes to constructing a model railway, primarily that you don't have to think too much about what you're going to build. It's all done for you. Get a plan of the area, enlarge it to the scale you want, and you have a track plan ready to go. That's not to say you should run to your computer and jump onto Google to download track plans, as the desire for accuracy can bring with it a…

Like many train operating companies in recent years, Greater Anglia's existing train fleet was formed from a fairly motley array of ex-British Rail diesel and electric multiple units, many of which were reaching the end of their lives. Indeed, East Anglia remained an outpost of diesel locomotive-hauled passenger trains well into the 2010s thanks to a shortage of multiple units. With a mix of electrified main lines and rural branch lines without overhead wires, Greater Anglia looked towards a bi-mode solution to a new standardised passenger fleet for its local services, while all-electric sets would operate long distance services under the wires. Accordingly, a raft of three and four-car diesel and electric multiple units were ordered from Stadler in 2016, using its Fast Light Innovative Regional Train (FLIRT) platform that…

◆ GAUGE ‘O’ ◆ MODEL Heljan 9150 Southern Railway PLV/PMV van, SR sage green No. 1171 ◆ PRICE £199.00 ◆ AVAILABILITY Heljan stockists Web www.heljan.co.uk Most modellers seem to like parcels trains. They are an opportunity to run motley assortments of vans from widely differing sources, ex-Southern vans sometimes appearing in Scotland, and so on. Heljan has provided ‘O’ gaugers with another very useful parcels van in the shape of the Southern Railway parcels and luggage van (PLV), also often known as a parcels and miscellaneous van (PMV). Some hundreds of these were built in the late 1930s and our sample, numbered 1171, dates from a batch numbered 1054-1250 built between April 1935 and 1937 as 12/13ton, 21ft wheelbase parcels and mail vans. These were built with the standard even-width…

With its existing ‘OO’ gauge Class 66 tooling dating back 20 years, Bachmann has now launched an all-new model, re-designed from the rails up and providing much more in the way of modern detail and electrical features. With the facility to accurately portray each of the various sub-types of ‘66’, Bachmann's new model will feature a range of features such as a full lighting suite (with appropriate light colours and temperatures), high-quality drive unit and precision gears, PluX22 DCC interface with magnetic roof access panel, ‘stay alive’ circuitry, fully detailed cab interiors and extensive use of etched metal detailing parts. As per Bachmann's previous diesel releases, the new ‘Sheds’ will be available in DCC-ready, DCC sound and DCC sound deluxe formats, the latter boasting Bachmann's DCC-operated Auto-Release coupling system, plus…

Rapido's latest wagon project is the LNWR Dia. 17B goods brake van, colloquially known as ‘Crystal Palaces’ due to the healthy provision of glazed windows on all sides of the body. First introduced in 1917, well over 500 examples were constructed at Earlestown Wagon Works, sporting a single veranda with side access doors and riding on a compact 10ft wheelbase. Operating across the LNWR network, their use was continued by the LMS, and eventually British Railways. Many examples were sold into private use, giving Rapido scope to offers some fascinating liveries in addition to LNWR, LMS and BR versions. Longmoor Military Railway, the National Coal Board, Royal Naval Armament Depot, and the Manchester Ship Canal are represented in the range, along with a striking red/white United Steel Company version. Featuring…

Thanks to the kind folks at The Airbrush Company, three lucky Model Rail readers can each win a pair of LifeColor acrylic paint sets worth £37. Produced by Italian firm Astromodel, and aided by Model Rail‘s George Dent, the paint sets provide essential, authentic shades for the steam and diesel eras of British Railways. Set one covers the 1948-1959 period, containing Standard Locomotive green, signal red, coaching stock crimson and cream, plus grey and bauxite wagon colours. Set two includes Rail blue, Rail grey, warning panel yellow, Railfreight red and grey, plus coaching stock blue-grey. Water-based, non-toxic and formulated for easy application by brush or airbrush, the paints are supplied within 22ml plastic jars with screw-top lids, with each six-jar set packaged within attractive boxes. Feeling lucky? Simply head to…

Chris Nevard has been beavering away with one of Model Rail‘s exclusive Ruston ‘PWM’ diesel locomotives, creating a suitably lived-in appearance. Working from period photographs of the real 97652, which spent much of its life working in Devon, shunting the engineers’ yards at Taunton and Plymouth, Chris has worked his magic with household emulsion paints, plus a little Humbrol enamel, proving that a convincing weathered finish can be achieved without an airbrush. The detail of the ‘PWM’ models really ‘pops’ once the weathering is applied, highlighting the superb relief in the bodyshell moulding and chassis frames. Careful dry-brushing of key areas will bring even more realism. Chris will be describing this project in detail in the next issue of Model Rail. See page 101 to see our full range of…

Dugald Drummond is an enigmatic locomotive engineer. He's responsible for some of the London & South Western Railway's most famous locomotives – the ‘M7’ 0-4-4Ts, the ‘Black Motor’ 0-6-0s and the ‘T9’ 4-4-0s – and yet the classic lines of most Drummond designs are actually the result of rebuilding by his successor, Robert Urie. Drummond joined the LSWR as Locomotive Superintendent (later Chief Mechanical Engineer) in 1895. He'd trained under William Stroudley, following him to the London Brighton & South Coast Railway. He'd then started to establish the Drummond name for locomotive design at the North British Railway in 1875, followed by a move to the Caledonian in 1882. “The Southern Railway inherited all ten ‘Paddleboxes’ and Chief Mechanical Engineer Richard Maunsell attempted to cure them of their ills once…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODELS Heljan • 2840 BR Class 02 D2861 BR green • 2850 LCP Fuels light green SAM ◆ PRICE £169.00 each ◆ AVAILABILITY Heljan stockists Web www.heljan.co.uk It's difficult not to like a little engine that offers so many small layout possibilities. Kitmaster's and then Hornby's L&YR ‘Pug’ 0-4-0STs were a case in point and Heljan's latest little delight, the Yorkshire Engine Company's Rolls-Royce-engined 0-4-0, known by BR as Class 02, is the latest to fit that bill. Indeed, the prototype was introduced as a replacement for the ‘Pugs’. Heljan announced it was working on a model of the diminutive Yorkshire Engine Company 0-4-0 way back in 2020, with an ‘O’ gauge version also arriving soon. It is a good choice, given that it caters for…

Almost 500 ‘Austerity’ 0‑6‑0STs were built between 1943‑64, designed initially for War Department service in the UK and abroad following the liberation of Europe and North Africa. The locomotives were designed with an emphasis on simple maintenance and efficient performance, hence the ‘Austerity’ nickname. Manufacture of the locomotives was undertaken at many English works, including Hunslet, Andrew Barclay, W.G. Bagnall, Hudswell, Clarke, Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns and Vulcan Foundry. When the Second World War was over, the LNER purchased 75 ‘Austerities’ from the War Department, bestowing the ‘J94’ classification which was perpetuated by British Railways. The War Department retained a large number, while nearly 40 were sold for use in the Netherlands and several to French customers. The design was perpetuated in the post‑war years, with various modifications, owing to…

◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL Hornby R30423 Class 91 91031 Sir Henry Royce, BR InterCity ‘Swallow’ livery ◆ PRICE £244.99 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com One of a trio of new Class 91 releases for 2025, 91031 Sir Henry Royce is resplendent in original BR InterCity ‘Swallow’ livery, a scheme it carried from new in early 1991. Depicting the final example of the ‘Electra’ locomotive building programme for the East Coast Main Line – and the last locomotive to be built at Crewe Works – 91031 is quite an exceptional prototype. Happily, it now resides at the Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo'ness. Hornby's all-new Class 91 arrived in 2023 (see review in MR301), providing a huge improvement over the original tooling from the late 1980s. With an impressive…

When Oliver Bulleid took up his role as Chief Engineer at Corás Iompair Éireann (CIÉ) in the 1950s, one of his key tasks was to update the railway's freight rolling stock. Once a standardised 10ft wheelbase, triangulated steel frame chassis had been developed, it was rolled out across a new fleet of open and enclosed wagons, allowing many older timber-framed vehicles to be phased out. The 12ton capacity ‘H’ van became the CIÉ's standard general merchandise van, with a plywood and steel bodyshell, twin side doors and end ventilators. Operating to every corner of the network, carrying all manner of cargoes, the ‘H’ vans ran in mixed and bulk trains. Originally built with hand brakes only, Inchicore Works also turned out vans with vacuum brakes in the early 1950s, with…

♦ GAUGE ‘OO’ ♦ MODEL Rapido Trains UK • 957001 BR Dia. 1/801 ‘Blue Spot’ fish van, white • 957008 BR SPV Parcels van, BR blue ♦ PRICE £34.95 each ♦ AVAILABILITY Rapido Trains UK stockists Web www.rapidotrains.co.uk Built by BR in 1960-61, the Dia. 1/801 Fish van was a development of an earlier design from the preceding decade, although both owed a lot to the insulated vans designed by the LNER for express fish traffic from various Eastern ports to London's markets. The adoption of a 15ft wheelbase chassis offered many advantages over the more traditional 10ft underframe and, with the addition of vacuum brakes and through steam heat piping, the vans were able to operate with passenger stock, while the later addition of roller bearings allowed them to…