April 22nd

Just some things that have come up in the last few days, that can be added to : "Lessons Learned ...So Far"

1) Make holes for below-baseboard point motors as big as you like, this takes away the worry that they won't be big enough! I haven't fitted mine yet, but once they are and the movement they need is established - the surface hole can be hidden with card or plastic sheet and made just as small as the arm of the point motor needs to move sufficiently.

2) Don't forget the trains! I've found that occasionally putting the trains and wagons you actually intend to use on the layout during its building helps keep a nice sense of scale and purpose.

3) ONE job at a time. Personally, I think that making a model rail layout lends itself very well to this practice. If you work your way round / along the track of your layout, tackling each job as you come across it - it can be all the more enjoyable than haphazardly beginning (and inevitably not finishing) random tasks here and there.

4) Support your local model shop.

5) Equip yourself properly, I put off buying a pair of proper wire-strippers for ages and nearly scarred myself for life trying to do the same job with a retractable knife. (Remember, I make these mistakes so you don't have to.) Similarly, you can't see what you're doing using that 60 watt ceiling bulb, trying to dodge your own head-shadow, now can you? - get yourself a decent LED work light, available at all good hobby shops.

6) Enjoy it, a couple of times I've caught myself thinking "would that be what really happens etc etc.." Whilst realism is good, an obsession with it can become limiting and destroy the fun.

These are just my personal thoughts on the matter, I hope they are helpful.