SERIES 9: The £500 Layout Challenge I Pt1

Is it possible to build a model railway for £500? The team at Hornby Magazine think you can. Once you have purchased your locos and rolling stock you need somewhere to run them and with a clever track plan, making use of inexpensive materials and kits, along with second hand items, almost anything is possible.
In this brand new series, sponsored by TMC The Model Centre, Mike, Mark & Jonathan rise to the challenge to build a 'OO' gauge layout with maximum operational interest, on a modest budget, proving that over time, anybody can afford to build a model railway.
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PART ONE - FREE to view on KZbin and keymodelworld.com from July 19 2024 at 7pm
In the first part of this series we launch the £500 challenge, explain its requirements and start building by creating the baseboards, laying the track, adding the wiring and making it work. Join the team to find out how they do it.
PART TWO - FREE to view on keymodelworld.com with a free member account from July 26 2024
In the second part of the series we build our brand-new laser-cut modular platform kits and install them on the layout and add the ballast to start it on its scenic journey.
PART THREE - Available exclusive on keymodelworld.com with a Premium Subscription from August 2 2024
How do you save money on buildings and structures? We look to the Scalescenes downloadable kit range to start adding structures to this new layout on a budget and continue developing the canal scene.
PART FOUR - Available exclusive on keymodelworld.com with a Premium Subscription from August 9 2024
The final part of this series is all about the scenery. Will we have enough budget to gather the materials we need to bring this layout to life? Find out in the final part.
A Premium Subscription to Key Model World starts from £3.99 a month and includes full access to all previous video series, exclusive layout tour videos, more than 6,000 modelling articles, back issues to 2015 and - new for 2024 - discounted travel on Railway Touring Company main line steam tours.
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[@hornbymag]

Key Publishing/Hornby Magazine have a zero tolerance policy for bullying and harassment. As such any and all negative comments about our members of staff, or featured guests, will be removed/blocked.

[@paddyblaney6792]

Really helpful and reassuring Mike to one like me who has been decades building and enjoying layouts. You really know your stuff and newcomers can learn great tips from your tuition. When you add in some of the helpful comments the entire video is first class. Thanks TMC team. Well done.

[@richlawrence4160]

Impressed by how the table is so level. Just folding legs on a garage floor. I am also carefully about leaving rolling stock on the table while working. Those long flex track bits easily knock things off the table.

[@philipstokes2824]

Train sets new or second hand have always been a good way to start.

[@GarthDavies-cd5oh]

A little pointer .I would recommend wearing eye protection when cutting with a Dremel . The cutting discs can occasionally break up whilst in use. A great video and just shows what can be done on a budget.

[@VauxhallRailfan]

I actually managed to break the dremel… Not because of the cutting… I sat on it….

[@JoshuaPattison2]

Hello Jonathan! Much love from Keighley Model Railway Club. Hope you are doing good. -Owner of Bagton, Josh.

[@hornbymag]

Great to hear from you Josh. I hope you are enjoying building your layout and hopefully you can make it to GETS or another exhibition to see this layout in person 😊

[@JoshuaPattison2]

@hornbymag I am _very_ much enjoying constructing my layout. It would be lovely to see this one in person as well! 🙂

[@sanclewphotographic]

Brilliant Stuff that Mike sure knows his modelling.

[@anthonyshipman3611]

Really like the idea of this video. Just wish the manufacturers would do similar. For people more interested in this have a look at a channel called budget model railways who have been building layouts on a budget for years. All the best Anthony.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

I have a collection of new and used locomotives here in Broxbourne. I also have a selection of new and used rolling stock.

[@Cookie2k]

It annoys me after all this time that Peco has still not spaced the sleepers properly especially after they did it in the bullhead track!

[@mattlander9119]

Because it would mean retooling their whole code 75/100 track range! Also if they did change it and you needed to replace an old biff track, the new wouldn't match.

[@MR66HD]

Cos then they will lose the HO market

[@harryandrew9163]

They’re missing an opportunity I think, i see no reason why they couldn’t produce code 75/100 even set track with more uk prototypical sleeper spacing alongside the current spacing. Offer both to the consumer!

[@Cookie2k]

@@harryandrew9163 100% 👍🏼

[@anthonylulham3473]

I can see why they don't resize their main track type, people working to true scale are very niche. if peco stick to the HO size, they secure the international market AND any casual hobbyists eg, 10 year olds with their dads wallet.

[@chuckmaddison2924]

A few months ago here in Western Australia there was a seriously massive pile of HO for only $200 . It was old Lima . I wish i had bought. I ended up going Japanese N scale. So far about $ 1000 .

[@jbhtrams]

I made tgst mistake years ago, changing from Hornby Dublo 3-Rail to N scale. Then I found out about PECO track and Minitrix stock!!!

[@Richy59]

Good series, very interesting and I love the track plan. Can already see how difficult it would be keeping to a £500 budget with the current costs of materials for baseboard laying etc. Only thing I hope you don’t do is use ballast/grass/scatter from the “left over box” as this doesn’t really help put across the budget point of the layout, especially if someone is starting out with nothing and sticking to a tight budget.

[@hornbymag]

If we do use 'left overs' as you say, we will add a value of them into our budget. It is always possible to buy left over scenery materials from friends and other modellers for a fraction of the price of brand new ones after all 😊

[@MatecaCorp]

@@hornbymag nah mate that’s completely cheating. Most people with a low budget like that are beginners or are doing the layout as a family project. Those people don’t have “connections” like that, and cans of scatter and packets of scenery materials can get pretty pricey. I know this for certain because that’s exactly my situation.

[@jbhtrams]

You can buy a kilo for around £7 if you don't stick to named makes!

[@JonnyJKF]

@@jbhtrams Then that's what they should do for the video.

[@IronHorseRailways]

Great start guys!❤

[@hornbymag]

Thank you 😊

[@chrisseed4643]

Great video guys. Just an observation and I'm no health and safety nut but please wear goggles when cutting as them discs when shatter can be quite dangerous ( speaking unfortunately from experience).

[@James-Akers]

Great video gents, very informative and lots of good hints and tips included. Particularly like the track plan arrangement with the shunting element and station arrangement, it'll make for a nice operational layout. See you next time James

[@hornbymag]

Thank you 😊 We will have the layout on display and in operation at the 2024 Great Electric Train Show on 12/13th October in Milton Keynes. If you're planning on attending you can see it in person 😊

[@James-Akers]

@@hornbymag I look forward to seeing it at GETS, it's looking to be a great weekend having seen the other layouts coming to the show also

[@hornbymag]

@@James-Akers It definitely will be. We are very much looking forward to the show this year too 😊

[@peternewman9682]

Thank you for this helpful - please can you provide a breakdown of costs in each segment? 1. Baseboard and Trestle legs. 2. Track, cork, balasting 3. Rolling stock - engines + wagons. 4. Scenics 5. Buildings 6. Tools to be able to cut track etc? Which is the cheapest option?

[@cellarton]

My layout Cellarton is also based on a similar concept - i have three different "Inglenooks" hidden as various yards or industries dotted around the layout for play value. Good idea! Kind Regards Matt

[@mechan2535]

i have to say the idea of showing people that you can build a small well presented layout for around the £500 is amazing, i started my first N Gauge layout about 2 years ago and i havnt touched it in 6 months due to costs. with my inexperience i went in and just bought and bought and bought now i have stuff i wont use or wont use until i progress, i designed my layout where i could expand it in future so i have 2 randome spur tracks to the edge of the board ready for expansion, but my current board is no where near finished due money. i became partially disabled with my spine about 3 years ago so i dont work sadly so yea disposible income isnt there takes me long time to save for things i dont even own a loco or rolling stock yet haha. but my point is these are the types of videos this hobby needs. show new modellers it can be cheaper if you learn to look etc so yea hats off to you guys for doing this, wish this was out 2 years ago haha

[@mikebuick2332]

Really enjoyed this. Lots of commons sense in building it too. A model railway can be as cheap or expensive as you want to make it. Keep up the good work lads.

[@hornbymag]

Thank you ☺ Come and see it at The Great Electric Train show in October if you're planning on attending 😊

[@mikebuick2332]

@@hornbymag certainly will if it’s not too busy on our Revolution Trains stand 👍

[@jbhtrams]

Very nice, but I have never, ever spent anything like £500 on any layout, except my portable 00 layout. I may have spent about £250 over 30 years, mainly on points. My stock may just about get up to that, about 100 locos, etc, maybe; I have been buying old locos, doing them up, and selling or part exchanging them for discount new locos. I have never paid more £60 than for any loco, if I have, I have sold something to pay for most of it. Example. I bought a Class 85 Electric loco for £95 I bought a job lot of 4 old locos on ebay for £35 I sold them for £178. Once repaired, serviced and cleaned up, two of them paid for my class 85 the other two paid for themselves and a Heljan class 26, not working, for £36. I tried it and it didn't work, took the body off and, low and behold, the blanking plate was missing. I replaced it and a brand new loco for less than the price of two locos!!! I bought tgst loco from Hattons 4 years ago. Unless I sell off about 6 locos, I won't ever be able to afford a new loco. An average of £50 for 'a' coach.....I'd buy 6 for that price......if that! I am paying £3.55 a month to watch your videos......Think that will be ending soon if you talk any more about "Good Value" of modern stock I will cancel it outright!!! John Harrison. PS.Poor pensioner, not a rich collector. Whst happend to modellers making things?????

[@samjones7534]

All my wood was from old theatre sets, if you know ones finishing in your town, just ask! We theatre techs love model trains and even happier not having to skip perfectly good wood!

[@justinfuller8803]

Where did the DCC controller come from with under a GBP 500 budget?

[@hornbymag]

The control we used to test the layout is the same one we use for all our exhibition layouts. Therefore this 'test' is not part of the £500 purchase. In Part 4 we will be talking about powering the layout with a cost effective control system.

[@talesfromthesupplydepot665]

Scalescenes is the way to go for cost effective buildings, run them off on the office printer if you're really tight and scavenge offcuts of card- you could get the kits to cover the whole layout for under £30!

[@scarlettfoxx909]

They’ve said they are using ScaleScenes in the video description. Part 3

[@hornbymag]

Yes, you're absolutely correct and we will be building some Scale Scenes kits in Part 3 of this series 😊

[@anthonylulham3473]

The laser cut ChrisDen kits that can be used with ScaleScenes are VERY good, If you want a rigid wooden base for your buildings that is precision cut, it saves so much time on cutting up card (inaccurately, relative to CNC lasers). Bit of Pritt stick and boom, paper stuck to the wood and ready for further assembly. The kit for the coal stage was ~£20 including P+P when i got it, the scalescene print pack at £6.50. Probably a rule of thumb to 3x the cost of the scalescene kit relative to the chrisden kit.

[@paredding]

SS kits are good VFM as you say and I have built downloadable ones and those free in magazines. The thing I learnt over time was to get good card stock in bulk from DIY shops as it makes a big difference rather than cereal packets etc that I started out on on a budget. SS is very good for back scebes eg walling etc and I also used Metcalfe and Superquick, the key being to try and keep the buildings from one source togetrher eg SQ for a village scene as the style v Metcalfe is very jarring. What is noticeable is how even card kits now have shot up in price ie what used to be £5-6 Metcalfe kit is now £12-15.

[@andrewsgarage796]

Hi There, I use Brass screws for the ends of the boards, also works well Best Regards Andrew, Awesome video please keep up the good work

[@Madonsteamrailways]

My current layout started life as a “Dad’s Army” layout. Because of the trains I decided to purchase, it changed to a heritage railway called Walmington cum Yealmington.

[@Madonsteamrailways]

There IS a way of creating a small layout. It’s to add a fiddle yard.

[@georgethomas7814]

Bit of a stretch? Blow Out of the budget and its only Part 1. Still everything you said about it looking better made sense to me.

[@hornbymag]

Getting started is always where the main costs are. As you will see in Part 2 we spend very little money and in part 3 you will see that we spent even less again. Timber and track work will always be a bigger outlay to start any project 😊

[@RichardBCumbrianModelRailways]

Couple of people complaining about controllers..... in the spirit of this series you should look into DCC EX, you get the same level of control and features plus accesory controls for about £60, so yes, this can be done. MERG is another option.

[@flyingtardisOfficial]

At 7:10 I hear mike mention a knapford layout, but I can't seem to find anything about it, would love to see if anyone has pictures or footage of it, or even just link an article it may have appeared in, just would love to see it

[@hornbymag]

Hi there. If you have a look at our playlist for the KMW video series you will see Part 1 (building a diesel depot). If you are member on keymodelworld.com and you search 'building a diesel depot' you will find the entire video series on there too 😊

[@Madonsteamrailways]

My latest locomotives and units are a Duchess Class: City of Birmingham, a Class 101 Diesel Multiple Unit and a Great Western Railway steam railmotor.

[@michaelball68]

Enjoyed watching all the basic techniques being demonstrated and lots of little useful tips. Maybe I missed it, as the baseboards seemed to materialise rapidly(!) , but what is the baseboard made of, is it Sundeala? Those track pins seem to go in very easily when pushed with pliers!

[@hornbymag]

We just use pine for the frame and 9mm ply wood for the baseboard top. The pins push in easy enough as you've seen. If you are Key Model World subscriber you can search 'baseboards' on the website and we have an article there that shows a full list of all the timber, tools and other things needed to build baseboards in the same way they were built for this layout 😊

[@LeedsRHINOS75]

This would be great for a small tmd yard with bachman shed

[@Aaron-ShaMelBo100]

How much was the baseboard and paint for it?

[@hayridgemodelrail4046]

Hi Mike, I was wondering how us the cork underlay fixed in place. Was it just held by the track pins until the ballasting was done?

[@hornbymag]

Hey there. Yes, the cork is just held in place with the track and track pins until the ballast is applied. That way it all gets held together all at the same time. You can always glue the cork down with PVA first if you wish - both techniques work just as well 😊

[@hayridgemodelrail4046]

@@hornbymag Thank you for letting me know your approach, This makes sense as you can still adjust the cork if the alignment of the track isn't quite right. If it was glued down there's no real wiggle room.

[@billbentham]

Enjoyed watching the video. What thickness cork did you use?

[@hornbymag]

Thank you. We're glad you enjoyed the video. The cork we used is 3mm thick 😊

[@johnhalley974]

What top surface material is used on those baseboards?….Is it ply or insulation board?

[@hornbymag]

We used 9mm ply for the baseboard tops

[@stephenliggat]

I always wanted to build a double inglenook so you could go head to head with someone else

[@hornbymag]

Now that's an interesting idea 😊😊

[@monsvillerailways5736]

£500 = $1000Au. Many of us don't want a shunting layout. I built my 3m x 1.2m, 3 circuit layout for less than $900Au. Just saying.

[@matthius519]

Why make the first siding on left 5 wagon long when you can get them off the layout once you attach a loco?

[@hornbymag]

The sidings are based in the Inglenook shunting puzzle. One siding holds 5 while the others hold less. This provides more operational variations and advantages.

[@martinshaw1610]

Ok you already have stuff to build your layout for £500 but what if you jave nothing no experience etc

[@billybean8911]

Love the video but one this that annoys me is when they say about using what you have to hand but what if your a beginner and have nothing? It cost a lot more for all this

[@hornbymag]

As we have stated, it is possible to get many things second hand or at times for free. This series doesn't include things like buying tools for example. When it comes to things like scenic materials you can always ask friends or other modellers if they have anything spare which they can give you or sell to you for a cheap price.

[@wells071]

What size are the two baseboards?

[@hornbymag]

The boards are 4ft x 2ft and the smaller one at the very end of the episode is 4ft x 1ft 😊

[@wells071]

@@hornbymag thanks

[@martinanderson4721]

Quite alot of complex repetition of inglenooks😮

[@robd2184]

It’ll never be a cheap hobby, I don’t know of many cheap hobbies - except watching paint dry . But once you invest the amount of cost per hour of entertainment is low

[@hornbymag]

No hobby ever really is 'cheap' however it is always possible to have one for a cheaper price, for example buying a second hand camera to get into photography, etc. The fun, enjoyment and entertainment (as you said) is what it's really about in the end. 😊

[@trainman86trainstramsandmore]

My strathclyde Class 101 already failed and doesn't work 💀💀

[@MatecaCorp]

I really do appreciate the effort, but this honestly does feel rather out of touch when it comes to the general audience of people on a budget

[@PaulJohnson-zw4ef]

You can easily do a layout for a lot less than 500 that a lot money if had I had 500 pounds it would go on a holiday I did my layout for 92 pounds including a train set down you get the cost of living

[@alanrobertson7217]

A little disappointed that the layout grew and grew. The first option with two boards is something that could be accommodated at home. However it will still be a great layout.

[@hornbymag]

The extra board is only for an off scene fiddle yard but as with som many things in this hobby, is optional. In our case we added the extra board to give us more flexibility with buildings and scenery. However this track plan, without the extra board, could easily be built in 8ft x 2ft in OO gauge 😊

[@stealthpro123]

Does the £500 include the locos?

[@scarlettfoxx909]

They said it doesn’t. This is all about building a layout, not also buying stock

[@hornbymag]

No, this video series is about building a model railway for £500 or less. It does not include the purchase of any stock.

[@stealthpro123]

@@hornbymag I must have missed that bit. Looking forward to the series!

[@stuartjohnellis]

get the shunting part but the station doesn't really compliment it currently

[@scarlettfoxx909]

As they said, it’s to keep trains running on the mainline while you shunt in the yard. This gives maximum operational potential

[@hornbymag]

Keep watching the series and you will find out how much the station develops and works well 😊

[@harrytodhunter5078]

£500 is not much of a challenge to be fair. You can do a huge amount with that. Something like £200 might be more of a harder challenge.

[@talesfromthesupplydepot665]

My mate is on benefits so hasn't got much money at all for his layout- he has built an 8x6 layout, with locos, track, buildings, stock etc for about £100- him and his son have had a lot of fun and he has found some bargains to run on it including a Triang princess for £1.50 which is the pride of his fleet. The baseboards came out of a skip and are mounted on an old dining room table, with offcuts of celotex when the council were redoing some houses in the village.

[@hornbymag]

While we are sure there are people who can put together a model railway for £200, our aim is to be able to create a realistic one. Also a budget of £500 is manageable for most modellers, especially if they are building it over a year or so.

[@anthonylulham3473]

The magazine could have got a second hand EBAY full loop kit with DC power supply for ~£150 with track, train etc. then add a few points and straight track for ~£50 to give a working layout. £40 on a baseboard, then £60 on scenics. I reckon this could be pushed to £300 as a reasonable challenge including stock, but i think they are going for comfortable.

[@paredding]

@@talesfromthesupplydepot665 Thats the way to do it! Similar here - all the baseboards frames cam from offcuts the builder would have burnt (!) from our house build, and the mdf tops came from flatpack / garage shelving kits where I didnt use all the shelving.

[@jbhtrams]

If you need DCC, therevis your £500

[@RichardBCumbrianModelRailways]

DCC EX my friend, £60 and boom, you have similar control to a much higher system

[@andyoutdoors4350]

Dcc sound for 500 quid? the loco alone is is about 200 if not more! this video is misleading!

[@hornbymag]

Read the video description where we say "after you have locos and rolling stock'. This series isn't about powering a layout, it's about building one.

[@Autumn-Hill-TMD]

No mention about cost of wiring the electrofrog points. Switches etc

[@scarlettfoxx909]

They mentioned they weren’t using point motors so not wiring them up for that.

[@hornbymag]

We have drilled holes to add in point motors one day, but we are not adding them as part of this build. You don't need to have electric operating points to build a layout after all.

[@Autumn-Hill-TMD]

@@hornbymag how did you avoid a short as no insulation frog?

[@hornbymag]

@@Autumn-Hill-TMD You would have noticed we were using insulated rail joiners on all the points?

[@Autumn-Hill-TMD]

Ah, ok. So all frogs will be isolated. A problem for short wheel base locos like the 08

[@NathanielKempson]

You used the most innefficient way of doing the cork. You should have cut the whole sheet into long strips as wide as the track and laid it like that. That way you use the entire roll rather than cutting it and hacking it about the way you did. Both ways work, but if you are doing a series about ruthless economy.........

[@hornbymag]

We used the cork - all of the cork, on every last piece of track with only a handful of fine offcuts remaining. We only used 1 roll to do the entire layout. With that result, it is efficient to us.

[@paredding]

There is an element in truth in this as I thought the same. I bought rolls from the DIY store and carefully cut into strips as you say, even planning diagonal cuts alot the length so they would all fit at points and the like. Model trade products are vastly more expensive than DIY stores and aim for convenience while in the shop. Horses for courses and all that.

[@brickleyyard4966]

I like how the ad says are you looking to biuld the lay for 500 and the first things you show are a 150 loco 30 pound coach and a dcc controller lol its a joke Biuld a real layout like an circuit end to end can be done I've done one with peco bullhead and dcc concepts point motors that I got cheep But still that only 6inch by 5 foot not much and that's all cost 300+ not saying a layout can't be done but for a nice one 950 minum is what I would say I the good starting point

[@hornbymag]

As we say in the trailer and the video description "Once you have your locos and rolling stock..." This series is not about starting completely from nothing and buying stock, it's about building a layout and 'building' doesn't mean buying stock.

[@wolvertoncentresidings5676]

When you include the cost of a DCC controller and the DCC fitted loco that's most of your budget spent! Nice try but hardly convincing. Perhaps you should mention at some point that for a complete novice, or someone starting again from scratch £500 won't cut the mustard.😢

[@hornbymag]

Perhaps you'd like to watch all 4 parts to see how it all comes together before you pass judgement. The models are fitted with the Hornby Triplex system which is very cost effective. In this video we are testing the layout to see that it works using the control system we already have in the office.

[@wolvertoncentresidings5676]

@@hornbymag for accuracy you should factor in the cost of the DCC controller. After all, the way this series is filmed it appears it is aimed at the beginner. Why else would Mike go into detail regarding laying track!!! If it is actually aimed at the experienced modeller who wishes to make a portable/ exhibition layout, then using stuff already " in stock" makes sense and controls the budget somewhat but I stand by my opinion that it is misleading to beginners. Even 2nd hand stuff is holding its value these days so you have to be really lucky to bag a bargain!! (And know what you are looking at) which is maybe beyond the remit of a complete novice. As to watching the rest of the series. I will if it's put up on KZbin. But I'm not paying for a subscription to key model world or Hornby magazine as it is no longer value for money. I don't buy any modelling magazines anymore for that matter. I spend my disposable income on my own model railway.