Modellings tips and answers - Modelling in very small scales - Videos

This week in history

On Wednesday 27th May 1931, two men, Auguste Piccard and Paul Kipfer, launched their hot air balloon from Augsburg in Germany to attempt a new altitude world record. The pair subsequently reached 51,774 feet (15,781 metres) above sea level and in so doing established a new world altitude record for human flight. During the flight, the pair were also able to gather useful data on upper atmosphere conditions and cosmic rays before safely landing on a glacier in Austria.

Plastic Weld (57ml bottle) is a high-quality polystyrene solvent glue designed for strong, reliable bonding of various plastic materials. Ideal for use with styrene, butyrate, ABS, acrylic (such as Lucite or Plexiglas) and Perspex, this adhesive is especially effective on polystyrene sheet and Plastruct or Evergreen sections, making it a popular choice for model makers and plastic fabrication.

If you're a fan of miniature modelling, you'll be delighted by the exquisite detail found in Z gauge railway models. It is smaller than N gauge with a scale of 1:220 and runs on track that is only 6.5mm wide. Take, for example, the Marklin Mini-Club 4 X Assorted Wagons set, which offers a variety of wagon types in this tiny scale. For those seeking motive power, the Marklin 36218 Start Up DBAG BR216 Diesel Locomotive V is a great choice, providing a modern diesel engine for your layout. To expand your track options, consider the Marklin Mini-Club 8192 Z Gauge Double Track Set for T1, which includes curved turnouts and a control box for more complex layouts.

For steam enthusiasts, Z gauge offers some stunning models. The Marklin Mini-Club 8803 Passenger Locomotive with Tender, representing a German Federal Railroad (DB) class 24, is a beautiful example of a compact steam engine. If you prefer something larger, the Märklin Mini Club Z Gauge 8885 DB Steam 4-6-2 Locomotive provides an impressive presence on your layout. To complete your passenger train, consider adding the Marklin mini-club 8723 3 X DB 51 SPEISEWAGEN Dining Car set, which will add a touch of luxury to your miniature railway.

Shifting gears to an even smaller scale, let's explore some 1:144 scale military miniatures. Please note, these are also suitable for modelling in N gauge. If you're interested in World War II scenarios, the Victrix British Airborne (Paratroopers) set provides an impressive 180 figures, perfect for recreating Operation Market Garden or D-Day scenes. For opposing forces, consider the German Infantry and Heavy Weapons set, which includes 184 detailed figures with a variety of weapons. To add some Soviet flavour to your dioramas, the Soviet Infantry and Heavy Weapons set offers 174 figures, including unique elements like women snipers and tank riders.

To complement your infantry, Victrix also offers a range of 1:144 scale armour. The Churchill set provides six highly detailed models of this iconic British heavy infantry tank. For mobile artillery support, consider the Sexton set, which includes six self-propelled guns based on American tank hulls. On the German side, the Panzer IV F set offers six models of this versatile medium tank, suitable for various theatres of the war. These armour sets, combined with the infantry, allow you to create incredibly detailed miniature battlefields in a very compact space.

Whether you're fascinated by the intricate world of Z gauge railways or looking to create detailed World War II dioramas in 1:144 scale, these products offer a wealth of possibilities for the discerning miniature enthusiast. The level of detail achieved at such small scales is truly remarkable, allowing you to create rich, complex scenes in a minimal amount of space.

Modelling tips

We keep on adding modelling tips to our website. Here are a few:

• Is there a smaller model railway gauge than N?
• How do you achieve a natural metal finish on a plastic model aircraft?
• Is it possible to motorise Ratio semaphore signals?
• Can you get model buildings for Z gauge?
• Is there a Tracksetta for N gauge?

You can read all the articles sorted by categories or from the most recent published one on our website.

Unboxing videos

You want to know what is inside the boxes of modelling products? We open them for you! Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified before everyone else or simply click on this selection. Please note that videos are at the bottom of each page.

Find all the latest events and exhibitions for the model railway world, on the UK Model Shop Events directory. Hopefully, 2025 will give us plenty of opportunities to attend events all over the country.

Do you need to order?

Send us an email or give us a call to check availability or to reserve anything, whatever scale you model in. As usual, if we do not have in stock what you are looking for, we will order it for you and you will get it fast (usually within a week if the manufacturer has it in stock). We place weekly orders with most suppliers.

Remember, you can park for free for one hour on the High Street. So no excuse not to come and visit us!

Upstairs Downstairs is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am till 4.30pm. Obviously, our website is open 24h a day and we can post to most locations, including Europe, USA and Australia.

Upstairs Downstairs
3 Pier Street
Sandown, PO36 8JR
Isle of Wight
Tel: 01983 406 616
http://www.trainshop.co.uk or find us on Facebook

If for some reason you do not want to receive this newsletter anymore, click this link to unsubscribe