Hornby's new 'Step-By-Step Guide to Railway Modelling' CD-Rom is the perfect resource to establish, evolve and complement your hobby skills - whether you are starting out, an enthusiast or an experienced modeller. The CD-Rom includes chapters on 'Where Do I Start?', 'Baseboards and Track', 'Buildings and Scenics', 'Wiring the Layout' and 'Taking Stock'. This innovative CD-Rom, produced by modelling experts, adopts a simple step-by-step approach, providing advice, explaining methods and demonstrating techniques by walking you logically through key tasks and activities.

PC Specification Minimum Pentium 2 600MHz, 64Mb RAM (128Mb with Windows XP) 20Mb disk space, 16Mb graphics card, SoundBlaster 128 compatible sound card, 16x CD-Rom drive, Windows 98 or later.
MAC specification Minimum G3 700MHz, 128Mb RAM, 20Mb disk space, 16Mb graphics card, 16x CD-Rom drive, OS 9 or OS X.

A 158-page book covering the construction of 4mm scale locomotive chassis for many different types of locomotive. All parts of the chassis are dicussed and described with major points illustrated with photographs and clear diagrams. Solid chassis designs start the book, then bogie and pony trucks are introduced, including tips of ensuring your model locomotive remains well balanced and able to negotiate changes of curve and grade. Iain then moves on to describe compensation methods before rounding out the book with a description of chassis deatiling, including cylinders and valve gear.

An acomplished builder of model locomotives from kits, Iain Rice offers a guide, hints and tips on the buildong of etched brass kits. This is a book written for the begineer, providing an illustrated discussion of construction techniques designed to build your confidence to get started on your kit. The tips for success are well illustrated with photgraphs and diagrams, staring with the method Iain uses to ensure the chassis stays straight and square.

Going beyond the basic assembly techniques Iain also shows you how to easily add the extra details and finishing touches which will change your kit into a model locomotive you will be proud of.

While todays plastic bobied model locomotives reach an exceptional level of detailing, there are still ways to make your locomotive different from the stock model. Focusing mostly on the early generation of superdetailed locomotives, many of which are still in production, these can be upgraded to match the latest standards. In this 164 page book Tim Shackleton describes using text and illustrations how a ready-to-run model can be upgraded and detailed as a specific locomotive. Starting with replacement chassis, ideal to convert tender-drive models to proper locomotive drive, alternative tenders and locomotive-specific details are added.

Combining the huge ranges of detailing parts and using wire to create pipe runs you can easily construct a completely different member of the class. Look out for those occasional experiments done with one member of a large class, commercial manufacturers are unlikely to make such a specific model, but you may be able to convert a model easily.

An acomplished builder of model locomotives from kits, Iain Rice offers a guide, hints and tips on the buildong of whitemetal locomotive kits. This is a book written for the begineer, providing an illustrated discussion of construction techniques designed to build your confidence to get started on your kit. The tips for success are well illustrated with photgraphs and diagrams, starting with a discussion of low-melt soldering techniques, favoured by many modellers to assemble the basic bodyshell.

Completing your model Iain Rice then moves on to painting and lining techniques, finishing with siple weathering ideas.

62 pages, softbound.

An excellent source of ideas and protoypical layout plans from an experienced designer and builder of small layouts. Illustrated with prototype and model layout photographs these light railways offer a wealth of interesting scenes and industries. The operation of short trains and small locomotives allows layout designs which can be accomodated in modern houses. Mainlines are not neglected as many plans include junction stations.
72 pages, card covers

A comprehensive guide to replicating the effects of age, weather, wear and tear on railway rolling stock and buildings. Starting with a discussion of materials and techniques, chapters are included covering the weathering of steam and diesel locomotives, passenger coaches and goods wagons. Practical projects are described in the text with illustrations showing prototype and models being created using the techniques used.

126 pages. Soft cover.

A useful introduction to DCC decoder installation, complete with an illustrated guide, showing how decoders can be fitted to British OO models. Popular models from Lima, Hornby and Bachmann are used to illustrate the fitting of decoders to differing chassises and motor designs - from open frame motors to split chassis systems. Fit decoders to older models with confidence.

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Track circuits can be constructed in 2D while in 3D view a variety of buildings , platforms. bridges, etc are available to be picked , dropped and moved on the layout as desired. five pre-set room settings are incorporated, as are six pre-set layouts which are ready for use as they are, or may be adjusted as required.

Paul Bason provides a practical guide to the construction of lineside buildings from many eras using popular ranges of kits. This includes card kits from Metcalfe and Superquick, plastic kits by Dapol, Ratio and Wills. Paul then moves on to the use of whitemetal and etched brass.

Simple techniques allow you to modify and finish readily available kits to a high standard.