That's brilliant. I'm brand new to model trains and this is just what I was after.

great start to this project, You know us here we love this type of project and doing things for as little as posable and thinking outside the boxes helps, we used 50mm foam as a base board on our N gauge build and its 5ft long and 18inc wide and and cost very little. look forward to seeing how this comes along. Keep safe

A good idea! Always helpful for people hoping to start modelling to know how to do it at a really small and simple scale without needing a whole loft room and miles of track going round and round the room. It was watching your tight track radius videos that got me started on my 48" x 20" layout that now has 8 points on it. It is also a 1:35 scale narrow gauge on 00 track. Thank you!

Fantastic video guys ! its going to help a lot of people out including myself . One thing I do recommend with secondhand track well all track really is Metal Conductive Flinch plates as I found out they help reduce voltage drop on the track

Love this,Hattons are a lot cheaper for items including track than many ebay sellers.You are bang on the price of model railway items vary greatly from site to site,so shopping around is a great idea.Stay well Mike and Doug :)

Breaking up furniture now for layouts. I foresee trouble abrewin' on the domestic front. 🚂😄👍

Ah so this is a bit different than your usual stuff, perfect for an unusual situation. I think this series is a perfect idea and should’ve come out ages ago but I’m glad it didn’t! This is a perfect time to get people very new to the hobby into it or maybe people that have been out of it for a while, a stepping stone to work off of during this everlasting lockdown. This I think is what I had needed all along as well or for sure helps me. Even though I have watched your videos for a few years I just finally was able to get the funds to invest in all of this. Great little video guys! I hope to use some of this in the gun case layout I’m still piecing together, will for sure have to email the results! Much love from the USA and hope you guys stay healthy over there across the pond brothers!

This is a great idea and well needed as there are few guides on KZfaq aimed at the very beginner and the way you have explained it will encourage anybody thinking about starting a railway to give it a go especially if it is for kids/grandchildren . Well Done...…..Cheers Kev.

Very inspiring to go and build a small shunting railroad! Can't wait for next video in the series. -Rick

Love it the way you save people money doing this hobby 👍

Excellent video kind friend. Super 4 track is a good buy as a job lot on eBay. These are basic skills thoroughly well illustrated. Not everyone has vast amounts of money to throw at this engaging (no pun intended) hobby. Learning the practicalities of railway operations is fundamental to it's success regardless of it's location.

Thx for sharing. Great video to watch waking up with some fresh made coffee. Looking forward for the next one. 👍

I've been railway modelling for 60 years now, and would say that is an excellent beginners video. Well done.

Excellent video Mike. This type of video is needed and I guess always required as new people want this type of hobby. Well done John

I've been watching your content for a couple days now and I'm confident to start my first layout. keep doing what your doing its great!

Very good presentation. Sleepers can often be broken when lifting track. I found that pieces cut from Bryant & May Extra Long matches, glued to the base board between the rails, were perfect replacements. I just used a felt-tipped pen to colour them black to match.

Wow I an new to the world of model rail way an am planing a lay out at the moment and you have just given me my shunting yard brilliant thanks looking forward to more.

brilliant guys learning all the time time from your stuff .. i mean roofing felt and a bit of grey paint looks just like ballast great !!

Excellent video. Well designed and presented. I've been watching your channel for about a year and a half, your creativity always impresses me. By the way I really like the drybrush ballast tip. Keep up the good work and I can't wait to see the next installment.

Excellent tutorial for both the beginner and the experienced modeler who wants to have a go at another scale without investing a lot of money. You can get a lot of enjoyment from this simple project modeling, detailing and operationally.

Some great tips and looking forward to more in this series 😀

Really informative video, amazing what you can do in such a small space. Thanks for sharing, All the best, Paul

What a lovely starter video, very clear and I'm sure it will inspire a lot of new (and old) modellers to try a new layout in these difficult times 😀👍. I'll hopefully have a go myself 🤣

Another great idea for very little cost. Ideal for a starter. Points are expensive.

Been modelling about 10 years and found some really useful tips and cool ideas in this video. Really good beginners video, well done

Almost all of my flex track is reused track and all of my switches are used. I buy most of my materials from train shows or sales. Go with a gauge so you can measure the rack and get the right gauge. I have found that there may be 2 different gauges in the same bin. Also, look the switches over to see that they are not loose or warped. This can happen when the track is roughly pulled up.

Thanks for all the great ideas and I am going to build a layout like that. Thanks

Thank you for doing this series!

Awesome video! Thank you! So helpful 😀👍🚂

Great concept, great video, makes me think it would be possible to buy an ikea Billy bookcase and make each shelf into a small layout, could house the entire hobby if someone was tight on space!

Awesome idea - help the newby.

Really love this channel and the videos !

Again, hurrah! And thank-you!

Thats nice video on the layout.

Clear and simple explanation, just what we beginners want. You have kickstarted my enthusiasm for this brilliant hobby! Now where did I put that off cut of roofing felt!

Nice basic indications about how to plan and build a small layout. For the part of the headshunt, it's quite obvious (locomotive + wagon) but sometimes you botch this one by not thinking of such basic thing ! Also, Even if my locomotives will be smaller on this one, I take a Jinty to calculate the lenght of my headshunt. Reasons ? I have one first, and I have its reproduction on Anyrail for planification (I'm a chronic Anyrail abuser, I've made dozens of plans with it on my computer). Anyway, my small layout project (a small terminus station in a forest) is taking form, I have decide to limit myself in a 2 A3 paper sheets size, align on their smaller edge. Roughly the same size as your project, I do not have shelves to bash to make my project, so I will buy some MDF cutted at the right size to do it. Keep on the good job done, it is always interesting to see what you are doing.

Loved this video. Very informative. Thank you

Saving money when building a layout during covid 19. Brilliant piece of work. I was considering putting a forth point at the entrance to the fiddle yard to add track options for running in another loco or creating an interchange between two rail lines. 🤔 but that defeats your low cost philosophy 😕

Well done, great presentation , I think the same as you, i look at what I'm throwing out and think "what can i make out of this???" mind you ,I am Scottish lol.Hope you and your family and subscribers stay safe and well,till next time ,Thanks ,,,Mac

Great video. Spot on.

Great video, I bought and use mostly second hand track, controllers and locos which really kept cost down. In fact that might be an idea for another beginners guide video, if you haven't already thought of it, and that's getting hold of good secondhand controllers. Thanks for sharing 👍🚂

If buying second hand track, it is good to just go over it with a fine grade sandpaper or something to that effect just to remove any surface rust or oxidation. Oxides can reduce conductivity to locos, so removing it is more or less a must-do in my experience.

very helpful Thanks.

Excellent welldone.

Thanks for your advicr, there is no scrrw in the chimney stay safe and well both of you.,David

A brilliant example of how to get people started Nice one 👍👍🍺

Another way of using the Buffer stops is to put a small piece of Plasticard as a ramp to lift the coupling hook out of the way. This means the engines can run close to the buffer stops. Often need another piece behind to prevent the hook latching onto the cross bar.

Brilliant introduction into building a basic shelf layout

Very good.

You're quite right about prices on eBay, people need to beware of the RRP before they buy. Some retailers on there are basically charlatans charging three times the retail price for brand new track and other railway items, and then postage on top. This has nothing to do with covid 19 either, their pricing structure has been the same all along. If buying new the best bet is to check the manufacturers website first for the RRP and then shop around, it's amazing how much discount you can get. Btw great idea to do a little beginners guide on this layout, best way to bring people in to the hobby is to show them what/how/why, that it needn't be expensive and most of all it's fun.

Got the parts lists here for Fleischmann Profi and Piko A track. Track plans are based on 1/1 and 1/2 length pieces, with the 'double straight' replaced by 2 full and one half length piece Piko part list 5x G231, 5x G119, 1x R9, 2x WR, 1x WL. Add 3x G231 for the fiddle yard. Full length piece is the G231 Fleischmann part list 5x 6101, 5x 6103, 1x 6138, 2x 6171, 1x 6170. Add 3x 6101 for the fiddle yard. Full length piece is the 6101. The 6170 and 6171 can both be numbered 6140 if you buy them 2nd hand, be sure to get the right amount of left and right hand points as the 6140 can be both. Buyer tips It does not matter if the small staple like connectors are missing on the Fleischmann points, you won't need them as they power the otherwise dead track. Buy the Piko points new and ask to see the underside of the blades. These should be made from track profile, not a piece of folded steel A word of caution: While continental points are usually designed as insulfrog type points, most are hardwired for DCC operation so they won't isolate the unusable track. You can remove the wire bridges on the Fleischmann one, but the Piko bridges are hidden deep in a sleeper

Another tip I discovered is that you can make great baseboards from leftover laminate flooring as long as you can make a frame to sit it on. The cutting is easy and there is next to no waste. Leftovers can be put to other uses as well.. It's also recycling. Kind regards from rainy Slovenia.

great tips with the felt :) ty :)

I'm looking at doing something like this for my first project. I want to lay a couple of extra roads with an island platform do you think an 18 inch width would been OK to accommodate the extra roads

Please could you answer a very simple question for a complete newbie? What gauge track are you using and is that the best gauge to start off with. I would hate to start a project and find that I have made the wrong choice. If I start something, it normally goes big very quickly! Many thanks

Just about to start a similar project of a fictitious Highland terminus inspired by this layout. Had an old shelf lying around.

Yes many thank you for sharing the screen shots of the ebay sales.

Very clear presentation for a beginner like me🤙

This looks really good. For my first test in model railways I also used a 9" X 47" board with a shunting layout. It is good as it allows you to test skills needed for a larger layout. How will your smaller loco's get on with the p;points? That is an area I really have struggled with - I am using Hornby points.

It is often mentioned in these video's that there will be a parts list, and this is one, it is talked within the recording of the various rails, but it goes too quick to make any notes, as there are quite a few, can any body give a comprehensive detailed list, sorry to ask such a basic question but I am new to this hobby but loving these tutorials

excellent as ever boys well done and well said as for braking sleepers i you a old engineers steal rule slips under a treat slit twist and there out

Once again great inspirational stuff! We have grandchildren living with us for the duration of the lock down so we're going to make this together. I am using a piece of 9mm plywood that I already have. It's 6ft x 1ft so I should be able to include the fiddle yard in that. What piece of curved track did you use - I'm not familiar with set track? I'm also using dcc as I have a couple of second hand Hornby select units knocking around from an old layout together with a Hornby 0-4-0 saddle tank that I put a dcc chip into. Managed to source the 2 (new) peco points I need I already have the third one. New Peco stuff is becoming very hard to find. When I tried the big online retailers they were all out of stock on lots of Peco stuff. Hornby stuff is still mostly available. Looking forward to the next video.

Great video 👍🙂

Thanks for your help concerning my Jinty. U have discovered what was wrong with the loco, it had a track pin jammed between the body and one of the drive wheels. It had been like this since I bought it on Ebay. Stay well regards David

Superb just the confidence boost I needed. Thank you

I’m new to this hobby I live on long Island Ny found your video interesting but brand new to this I have 4x8 board

Well explained shunting

Lovely idea! Be interesting to see what the cost ends up without any fabrication!

Really useful for a newbie. It would be really useful for parts list at the end, I’ve been looking the bits here and it’s not that clear how all the bits would fit! Is short straight, standard straight etc. the technical term for track! And the curves that come out of points, are they critical? Thanks. Really useful videos. I know they are old, but just getting into track building.

Fantastic little layout very similar to what i started off with as a kid and now come full circle building this version, got all the track, building and rolling stock but just need the base board any ideas on best type of timber and thickness?? Cheers Guy

Excellent advice, I love those track screws. B&Q stores that cut wood have scrap boxes of offcuts that you can take for a small charity donation. I got two 4 ft by 3 ft boards last time I went. Now if you can do a video on how to remove Peco fishplates I would be in the front row.

Loved this a lot! How would you go about weathering locos, rolling stock, and buildings on a budget?

Just a simple question As a child I had a simple oval shaped train set .. didn’t every wee boy ? A simple Tri-ang transformer controlled the train .. clockwise for forward and anticlockwise for reverse .. easy, but that’s all it needed to do Now you see layouts with multiple interconnected tracks, sidings and of course numerous trains. How does the user control each separate train?

Just a point of note, I see that you're using older Hornby steel track on this layout. Regarding your point (no pun intended) about the difference between Peco and Hornby points, current Hornby points a virtually identical to the equivalent Peco units. The frogs are identical. The only difference that I have found is the location of the switch bar, which is further back on Peco points.

I'm a beginner and hope to set up my Flying Scotsman set soon found your video for beginners helpful especially using roofers felt just a simple question what do you use to attach the felt to the board?.

Care if I recalculate this to130mm vehicle length and a few common track types? That would make it useable with the famous 8 car set from Roco

Most underestimated length? Sidings: I learned the hard way that 4 x 30 cm coaches don't fit on a 60 cms of track.

how wide and long is the board and the fiddle yard

You should put the prices for new vs 2nd hand as a comparison. Look ing forward to this.

The dry brushing to give the effect of ballast is very effective (ha ha)

39 inches is metric...a yard is Imperial ie 36 inches, a metre is metric...

Slowly working my way through your wonderful channel :) I never knew track screws were a thing, many memories of bashed fingers and a few bent pins during track laying. I see screws come in different lengths, just wondering if 6mm is adequate for track onto ballast mat and then plywood. Any thoughts?

I have two train sets still in there boxes just sitting there, my intention was to have a setup in the loft, but now I am having problems with my knees, so now that idea has gone out the window, we do have a spare room, and I was thinking of maybe having some kind of set witch I could lower down from the ceiling, have you got any videos of this being done, can't just have a permanent setup because we some times have family staying, 👍

Can you please tell me what type of "Curve" have you used "Radius" and length and where did you place the small bit of Straight Track. Thanks for your earlier reply

Hiya - I'm not a 'Newbie' but am if you want an 'oldbie' cos I've been Model Railing on & off since I was 8 yrs old & now I'm in my mid 40's - any way I didn't know about @ 8:20 the 'New Track screw' - seems better than the 'old track pins' - also if you try to take out the pins - not only as you said that you could damage the track but also end up bending the pins which will not be any good!!!

Can you please list all track that you used as it got a little confusing as im a beginner and wanting to build something very similar for my son

Can I ask what product did you use to glue the felt to the board? and your list did not appear at the end of the video and I have v8ew it several times

What is the curved piece of track on this? Radius 2 curve?

great video for the beginner like me. any chance of a full list of track pieces you need for this layout.

I'm in Australia and have just started looking at your channel as a way to get into an Iso project. What is roofing felt?

I am an absolute beginner and have 0 experience designing and building a layout. Please could you suggest a good source for 2nd hand track and small 0-4-0 locos?

Excuse my ignorance, how do you attach and support the " fiddle yard" i am very new to this

I found some coal staithe buffers :)

also can will you put a back scene on it, can you run any BoBos and why did you use images of the hornby track packs in the thumbnail?

What if is tender engine?

What size board did you use?

I've never bought a train for over 1/2 the RRP! Its stupid how much they charge for 'super detail' (super low detail) models. Ie. Class 350 RRP £180, Class 450 (Same mould different livery) £360+ RRP. Logic? The scenery still suffers though!.

What scale is this?

A new track point now costs £16! Pre-owned is the only way to make this affordable.

can someone send a link for part 2 of this please