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Modellings tips and answers - Adding lights to a layout

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Don't forget to read our latest modelling tips and unboxing videos located at the bottom of the newsletter.

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Railway song of the week

Released by the legendary Hungarian rock band Locomotiv GT (often known as LGT) on their 1982 album Locomotiv GT X., "Zenevonat" (meaning "Music Train") is an energetic and beloved classic of Hungarian rock music. Characterised by Gábor Presser's dynamic keyboard work and the band's signature melodic flair, the song uses the joyful metaphor of an unstoppable train journey to celebrate the unifying power of music, inviting listeners of all walks of life to jump on board. Click on the picture to discover it (that is unless you are an expert on Hungarian rock music, in which case you need to click on the picture to hear the song one more time):

This week in history

On the 9th of August 1905, Heath Park Halt, in the town of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, opened to the public. The halt was the passenger terminus for the Nickey Line from Hemel Hempstead to Luton.

Village dwellings, in card!

Most modellers have a preference when it comes to building a OO gauge town or village out of either card or plastic kits. There is a good selection available for both but it's always quite surprising how many different card kits there are out there from Metcalfe and Superquick, and a very convincing village can be constructed using just card and the suitable card glue.

When it comes to village houses, a reasonable proportion (but not all) of the models available depict stone-built properties, but that's not to say that we are not spoilt for choice with options including end cottages, modernised cottages, traditional cottages, cottages with extensions, Elizabethan cottages, modern detached houses and kits with single or multiple models included.

And it doesn't stop there, there are many secondary models to enhance your housing. If you are considering modelling an accompanying garden, a card greenhouse or shed will look the part, there's card paving for the street outside, card play areas for the village green or park and backscenes to truly anchor your village in the depths of the great British countryside.

When it comes to figures, alas cardboard is not an option, however, figure-set cameo scenes should definitely be considered to bring your village to life. These are becoming increasingly popular with modellers to create little scenes of interest and realism around their towns, villages and railway stations and there are plenty depicting family life in or around a typical village street.

Modelling tips

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

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.

You can access all the unboxing videos by visiting this page or simply click on the link called "videos" on our websit e.

Events and exhibitions

Find all the latest events and exhibitions for the model railway world, on the UK Model Shop Events directory. Hopefully, 2026 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

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