News from your model shop - 16th April 2023

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As many modellers know, operating a layout and bringing it to life is about so much more than locomotives, rolling stock and track.  Setting the scenery and environment has a significant effect on developing the theme of a layout.  In a recent newsletter we saw how figures and cameo sets can add an extra layer of interest and help bring a layout to life.  Today, we will look at how the modeller can introduce lighting into their layout to similarly develop interest and a real-world perspective.  For some modellers, this can be a daunting prospect, especially if they feel their electrical skills are not up to the task.  In reality, it's never been easier to bring lighting into a layout.  Whether it be lighting layout buildings or streetlamps or illuminating carriages and signal lamps, there is a wide choice of options for both the experienced modeller and the absolute beginner to illuminate their layouts.  The options we will examine today all relate directly to OO/HO layouts but similar options are in place for N and O Gauge modellers to pursue.

For a first-time modeller, the thought of lighting aspects of a layout can be a daunting prospect but it need not be.  Most manufacturers who cater for this aspect of modelling have striven hard to take the complexity out of the equation, meaning in effect that most lighting setups are to some extent plug and play or perhaps independent battery-operated solutions.  The plug-and-play approach can be operated as a simple standalone system.  Woodland Scenics has introduced an extensive 'just plug' system which allows modellers to do just that.  Their Goose Neck wall-mounted lights and their double lamp post street lights are examples of this.  For those who are more confident or who like a more hands-on approach then the 2 aspect colour light signal by Berko is a good option.  This unit comes fully assembled and will need a 12V DC power supply to function.



Train Tech produces an alternative option for a 2 aspect light signal, this unit has red and yellow LEDs fitted and is designed specifically for use with DCC layouts.   The signal comes fully equipped with its own decoder and is simply plug and go to operate, making it an ideal option for a beginner.  Likewise, Train Tech takes a similar approach to the concept of lighting rolling stock.  Their Coach Light conversion kit is a very simple affair.  The two supplied LEDs simply connect to a battery-fitted controller.  The controller operates when it detects motion and stops after the wagons are at rest, as long as the wagons are in motion they are lit.  The same company has taken this concept one step further in their Coach Lighting Effects set.  Designed specifically for passenger coaches, this battery-operated light strip will illuminate a carriage interior and also provide a realistic red tail light.






Providing lighting for a building is a fairly straightforward task.  The Warm White LED Stick-on lights set by Woodland Scenics comes with a pair of self-adhesive lights on a 24" cable that can be applied by simply sticking them on to an internal wall or structure.  These lights are part of the 'Just Plug' lighting system produced by Woodland Scenics.  This is in effect an independent plug-and-play system.  The connectors used by lights in a building can be plugged into a Woodland Scenics Light Hub.  This is a simple, independent electrical controller that allows a modeller to individually control up to four lights with dimmer control.  The 'Just Plug' system is modular, meaning it can easily be adjusted to the size of a particular layout.  For larger-sized layouts, an Expansion Hub can be employed.  This effectively allows a modeller to daisy-chain a number of Light Hubs together to meet additional lighting requirements.



Lighting a layout may seem like a daunting prospect to some but as we have seen most manufacturers have taken a very refreshingly direct and simple approach to lighting a layout.  Whether it be by a simple battery-operated motion sensor or a straightforward plug-and-play approach there are simple and effective solutions available allowing modellers of all abilities to create stunningly realistic lighting effects for their layouts, thus taking much of the stress out of the process and truly making light work!  Why not try adding a lighting dimension to your next project?

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