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Many OO gauge model railway layouts have a high street or a small town to add interest or fill an awkward space on the baseboard, and in those towns, there is often a workshop, garage or service station of some description, but what can you do to make a feature of it?

Well as it happens, plenty. Once you have sourced a suitable model garage (and built it), the next step is to bring it to life by demonstrating all of the activities and goings-on that would happen in a real garage. You will need mechanics, staff and customers, and of course, the mechanics will need somewhere to inspect and fix the vehicles so don't forget some inspection ramps. You can get them to accommodate anything from a small family hatchback right up to ramps for HGV inspections so there's bound to be one to suit your garage's needs. Another feature of all but the most back and beyond garages is signage, from health and safety notices to customer service information, they are everywhere in a workshop environment and modelling them will make your garage look more realistic.

But you have not finished yet, real garages are very much functional places with tyres, junk, old engine parts and general clutter strewn everywhere. This too can be modelled either by fashioning your own junk or using custom made models, add an obligatory Michelin Man, a tow truck and maybe even a hand car wash to the scene and your garage should be starting to look like a realistic busy business in the town with lots to see and attract the viewer's eye.

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