MEASURE TWICE / BUY ONCE
Printables for planning, measuring and building, plus a short list of books and kit to research. Every purchase helps keep the bench free.
Jump to: Printables | Free sample | Books & kit
Fact-checked PDFs in A4 and US Letter, sold as instant downloads from the ReallyByte store. Scale figures are worked out on the page, the only manufacturer figures used are Hornby’s published curve radii (named where used), and each pack has answer keys or worked examples, notes for grown-ups and a sources page.
A full planning workbook: your aim, measuring the space, a squared plan page, compatibility checks, a budget, a build order and an issue log.
Scale and gauge worked examples and practice sheets using real gauges and the 1:76 scale, with full answer keys.
Squared planning sheets at three grid sizes, a curve check using Hornby’s published radii, siding and clearance planners and worked examples.
Four simple card models drawn at 1:76: a platform shelter, a lineside hut, a small goods shed and a signal cabin base, plus a blank net, with fold guides.
Inventory sheets for locomotives and wagons, a maintenance log, a fault and issue tracker and a running-session record.
Exhibition spotter bingo, a design-your-layout page, a model railway word search, colouring, a scale puzzle and a Junior Modeller certificate.
Best valueAll six model railway packs in one download, A4 and US Letter, plus a bundle guide. Bought one by one, the six packs come to $26.94.
A one-page layout plan, a scale maths starter and exhibition bingo. Download it here, no sign-up.
Amazon.co.uk search links. We have not tested these search results and do not quote prices or ratings; results, availability and delivery change. Always read the actual listing and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Choose a guide that explains scale, gauge, reliable track and maintenance before ambitious scenery. Match its system to your planned equipment and read manufacturer instructions alongside it.
A starter set gives you a matched locomotive, rolling stock, track and controller. Before buying, check the track oval’s size against the space you measured, and what power and controller the set includes.
Extra track should come from a system that joins your existing pieces. Check the manufacturer, the curve radius and the joiner type in the listing before mixing brands.
Decide which jobs you will actually do. Check tool size, appropriate materials and the manufacturer’s instructions. A large tool bundle is not automatically useful for a small model project.
Plan one scene and check the scale of figures, buildings and scenery. Buy small quantities while experimenting; follow adhesive instructions and account for pets or children around small parts.
OO models are made to 1:76, so figures should say 1:76 or OO; figures sold as HO (1:87) look smaller beside them. Painted figures save time; unpainted ones are a project in themselves.