The Model railway/ railroad layout everyone has room for, with loads of operating potential

[@HeadstoneRailway-xs6zz]

Ive been inspired by yourself, james hilton, micro model railways , box file layouts and various dioramas I set myself a limit of 53 /32 cm more than enough space to require quite a lot of “engaging” modelling work And keeps the work and the project realistic not too big

[@Demun1649]

That is a good size board. I am a stroke victim, and can't manage weights, but I have an amazing layout on a board that size. 4 running tracks, a 6-lane fiddle yard, and it runs 4 trains at a time, out of the ten on the layout. Plus a canal, tunnels, a town, a Cathedral, and many nice touches of humour.

[@HushabyeValleyRailroad]

Another great layout and touching on mental health, 2 years ago we lost our daughter at 8 weeks and model railway saved me and give me some purpose so can't agree with you more. Second I also agree with you in regards too what makes a layout, any layout big or small that brings you joy, even if it's just a few trains and track too run them on then it's a layout. Nobody needs too be. Rivit counter. This is a hobby and what ever you do and it brings you joy then you've succeeded. Keep up the brilliant work.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

My condolences, we lost five family members over a 2 year period, but losing a child, I don't have the words, so all the best to you and yours. Model railways for me are an anchor, a small part of life which we have some control and input, which is why the petty rules and rivet counting have no place. I did a video on the mental health benefits of model railways. Happy Christmas and thanks for the support. Mike

[@waltersnowdon1243]

Small layouts make a lot of sense! I have been a modelmaker for over seventyfive year but have only a passing interest in model railways. BUT... a lot of my old friends are heavily into railways and like a lot of railway modellers they are over ambitious in their ideas and their layouts are NEVER completing A case in question. A good old friend of 60 years friendship had a large house with plenty of space. So he started a railway which took up a full room 18 foot by 12 foot. After 46 years he died with it never being anywhere near finished. I helped his son clear it all out and we found 46 new unused boxed loco still in their boxes and over 100 pices of rolling stock. Most of the older stuff was outdated. The moral of the story is start simple, get it finished and enjoy it. You can always build on it and enjoy your hobby rather than have shelves full of unfulfilled dreams.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

All very well said, I agree fully about the over ambition leading to unfulfilled plans, been there myself

[@stevenjones19-m8i]

Hello,'N' gauge is always a great scale to do when limited to space,loop or end to end which I'm trying to sort out.cant wait to see the progress of these two layouts.

[@billsholl7904]

Great video and I think that layout is going to look great when the scenery is on. I should think you have enough layouts by now to host an exhibition by yourself !

[@BudgetModelRailways]

It's getting that way, although I am selling some as well

[@Steph-jv5fn]

If you want to have really small radius curves without using flexitrack, Kato does 117 mm (4 5/8) radius curves. They're sold in 4 pieces packs with the reference 20-176 and work well with kato pocket line trains.

[@grahamroffey1566]

I'm just building a small layout with the Kato 117 mm radius track.

[@dutchbeef8920]

Tomytec does 103 mm radius set track 😁👍🏻

[@attuslebeard5133]

I've just made myself a OO9 version - many thanks for the inspiration. My board was slightly narrower so had to lose the long siding but added another siding inside the oval to give me an inglenook.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Nice work!

[@eurovnik]

Another excellent video which really resonated with me. My "layout" is a long window sill as that's all that's doable indoors at the moment - work plus preschool kids limits the time available. It's a totally freelance mixture of OO and H0. It has "tuning fork" style sidings at each end and a passing siding in the middle which is the "station". Though it has no platforms or buildings as there's no room for them on the windowsill. I can run shuttle trains back and forth, including having two pass each other in the middle "station". I can shunt to my heart's content. The layout keeps my preschool age kids happy for ages - I find DCC sound is a real plus for entertainment value and is getting more affordable these days at around £50 per loco. It all just requires a bit of imagination to make up for the lack of actual scenery. But above all, it allows me to run trains rather than them sitting pointlessly in their boxes. I think the UK model railway community's snobbish obsession with accurate, "proper" layouts is really counterproductive and puts people off. By comparison Germany is somewhat more welcoming - there's an active "Teppichbahn"="carpet railway" community online for people who like setting up temporary layouts on the floor using pre-ballasted track. And all the big manufacturers - Märklin, Piko and Roco - sell that pre-ballasted track which you can lay straight on the floor and runs trains on. Ditto Kato with Unitrack in Japan. It's designed to be usable on Japanese tatami mat flooring and cleared away at the end of the day along with other furniture to make room to sleep - there aren't permanent beds taking up precious space and few Japanese apartments come with a model railway room... Whereas in a UK train set you get Hornby's track which only ever works acceptably when nailed down to a board and even then often needs bending and destressing. How many kids and parents have been put off by that frustrating experience? How much more fun could have been had if the trainset had included something like Unitrack or Märklin C track?

[@BudgetModelRailways]

The window sill sounds fantastic, I think the UK scene needs a big shake up as you correctly say. Have fun

Great layout as always. I have a small N layout on a Billy bookcase shelf using Kato Unitrack. It's go those corner points at both end of the back, so in theory, I could run a much bigger loop off it, as well. I recntly got a Tomix Bo-Bo ED75 and I have various other Kato stuff and they do go round it. The Graham Farish 0-6-0 does not, it gets stuck, even with flangeless middle wheels! I have that little electric loco and wagon set - bought on your recommendation!

[@jeffreyhatcher1445]

You should be enthusiastic about your modelling! You are continually pushing the envelope for workable budget oriented layouts and this is no exception. Loved the smallest OO layout and I love this one too. If the siding at the bottom extended to a staging stick or small yard, operations would be limited only by your rolling stock. Top shelf sir!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@jeffreyhatcher1445 thanks, I like the idea of the fiddle yard,

[@Harris-lo7hi]

Hi Mike - Thanks for the inspiration. Glad you took the 00 idea to N. A fully loaded layout with operation. I scoped out the UK cost of track, locos, rolling stock (all the wagons, the Kato locos and coaches and not including the long coach) and one of your suggested controllers for BMR 3D printed case: Brand new from train trax/gaugemaster/amazon it came in at under £230 - Which I think is a bargain. That was using the 117mm Kato curves with Peco points and setrack (Which can be connected if the peco track is packed underneath). I included rail joiners and track pins. Could be made cheaper by using peco flex track for the curves. Sent you some screen shots of prices on the BMR newsletter mail.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks

[@sanclewphotographic]

I think you express it correctly Mike any Railway is better than no Railway, and you build the best small Layouts on youtube your enthusiam brings us along with you, all your videos are worth watching you get so much out of them in terms of no how, just keep it up and the doubters just forget them, best wishes, Colin.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks 👍

[@peterfindlay2756]

As always with your layouts a wonderfully practical model railway, full of potential, to get anyone started in the hobby - at the very least! Your commentary was also very, very motivational. Thank you so much for what you do. Have a lovely Christmas. Peter

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Many thanks, happy Christmas

[@railway187]

Very nice. A new OO small oval micro layout would be interesting to see too 😊 With an extra point in the front part of the loop instead of a straight (between the two points) you could have a second siding in the goods yard.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Possibly but it would be a very short siding

[@TheRobertLcollins]

I've seen on KZbin an American layout built with the Kato track with those tight curves. Only one of their locos could run on it, but it had two sidings and quite a few buildings. Looking at that American-style passenger station on this one made me think that someone could make this track plan into an interurban model railroad. Use one of the Kato electric locos, and I think 40-foot and under freight cars would handle those curves. There's even a trolley car or two out there that would work. Keep up the great work!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea

[@BruceJohnston-gi5wx]

Will spread the news about modle trains to friends and family members totally agree on a modle train layout for 2025 cheers from your kiwi mate happy xmas everyone from new zealand

[@andygorman858]

Fellow Kiwi here, great to see another Kiwi following this channel! Think 2025 will be my year to get some layouts done!

[@BruceJohnston-gi5wx]

Giday mate from sunny Blenheim

[@andygorman858]

@ Gidday from a rather hot and windy Christchurch 😂

[@stuartmiller8053]

Enjoyable as always. Wondering if the far set of points would be more useable on the near side making a the usual shunting yard configuration. Not that there is anything wrong with this. Looking forward to see it completed. Cheers Stu

[@delphjunction1168]

Hi Mike. With you 100%. Any model railway is a great thing to have. Lots of potential With this one, got 4 corners to make scenics. Lots of space in the middle to let go of your imagination ay. Thanks buddy. Thumbs up thumped 👍 ....Pete....

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks Pete

[@Harris-lo7hi]

Also - I think there is an Inglenook as well as a fork on this layout. EG: if you park the train on the mainline bottom right (which becomes the departure track/long siding of inglenook), then you can shunt the top and bottom sidings that go into the middle of the loop as the other two sidings of the inglenook...with a bit of a journey between them. The back of the assembled train restricts the length of vehicle in the shunt for the top siding. You can just restrict the number of wagons you'll allow yourself to take beyond the lower point into the left hand curve when shunting the lower siding - perhaps with a scenic item, or a temporary scenic marker that acts as a reminder of the length you can shunt. Just a thought..

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks sounds interesting

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

great vlog thanks for share

[@andygorman858]

To be brutally honest this has to be the most useful layout for ‘N’ ever! Some would say it has short comings, but what layout doesn’t? I had a thought about the track siding with the large coach on it….it could be a sort of adhoc maintenance area (Greenmax I think has some scaffolding platform kits, of which I got one many years ago and only just thought about it now!)? I love the concept of flexitrack, just not the ‘using’ of flexitrack…I can never seem to get it to sit right! Great vid!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

I'm not really a fan of flexi track but means must and all that lol

[@andygorman858]

@@BudgetModelRailways I shared the link on my fb page, the word needs to be spread about these amazing layouts you do 🙂

[@daviemaclean61]

I wish I'd thought of using a template when I was trying to build a OO9 line as part of my OO layout. I struggled greatly trying to bend flexi-track smoothly only to give up and order set track and not really achieve the curves I wanted. Cheers

[@martinhall60]

Another wonderful model railway well done sir. 👍🚂

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Many thanks!

[@jimmccorison]

I'm just getting back into model railroads now that I'm retired and can spend time on it. I bought my first layout, a Kato M1 and CV1 add-on, and Kato's Christmas train set. But it won't be for me. Instead, it's for my daughter and family. But I'm next. I like the small layout that you've built. I could set it up on a board on my bench and work on it, then quickly set it aside while I deal with other things.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Sounds great!

[@paulkandi]

I was really quite impressed that all my large Farish steam locos will run round 9" rad curves, not so with Dapol steam, as their drive are shafts and can lock up, would be interesting to see if this can be replicated in 00 as got a few projects like yours..

[@johnbill9201]

Great video thanks for sharing, giving me ideas, John

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Glad to help

[@grahamsouthamn9798]

Again a great layout idea, I like you have trouble with arthritis and have gone over to Kato track. Keep up the good work

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Kato is the way to go certainly

[@kevallsebrook3232]

Hi would be wise to have 2mm MDF safety wall around edge of the board could always put brick or stone covering on it looks good

[@JERRYR708]

I can run this on my office desk. I love this.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@JERRYR708 thanks, the idea was similar for me, I could put it anywhere and run trains

[@JERRYR708]

​@BudgetModelRailways I have an O scale train running on a shelf just below my ceiling just going in circles. Just enough room for track, a few trees, telephone poles, and water tower in a corners. I really want a layout that I can get really close and personal with and this is it. I'm tired of always looking up at my far away ceiling train and needing a ladder every time I want to do something to it.

[@OlivierGabin]

Simple plan, but lot of potential. When you have a good idea, everything else follows, as you prove it here. One idea to go from a small to a large layout is made it modular. You start with the most basic modules to have something running, like two half circles each on his module, then you add modules step by step as you please. And you can vary trackplans by using different sets of modules. That is what I am doing now.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Great idea

[@TheJpec361]

Well done. Have you considered a backscene that runs diagonally? That other layout could be a really interesting urban terminal scene with plenty of shunting...

[@BudgetModelRailways]

The larger layout will have a diagonal back scene

[@joelightrailway2362]

Amazing small layout 👍

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks

[@chriscunn1558]

Don’t worry about the naysayers! I’ve built a 2ft x 4ft OO oval layout that I operate as an Inglenook,and I love operating it. A railway room is in the future, but for now, I enjoy running my tiny railway.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@chriscunn1558 spot on sounds perfect

[@andrewretallick4614]

Great little layout! Merry Christmas!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks happy Christmas

[@dutchbeef8920]

You could have a bunch of the little kato trams on this and have loads of fun

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Absolutely

[@obvious2886]

8:42 to add on to this you can always start with your first layout and expand it after you finish or come into more space

[@richardtarr2745]

Hi Mike, always a pleasure to see how your layouts progress and I'm looking forward to watching the scenery take shape. One question - I remember you always used to be an advocate of using a cardboard sandwich for the baseboard. What happened to that idea - was it not practical any more?

[@BudgetModelRailways]

It worked, but I switched mostly to floating shelves, I might go back to it at some point

[@MarkPurnell-er1lx]

Thanks for the motivation. Yes, any layout is better than none at hall. At a minimum these small layouts begin the innovation process. So many possibilities that are both operational and rail fan relevant😅 🚆

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Good point!

[@dianekivi5349]

Have you considered, by first removing the speepers, pre bending the rails, using a template, I've used a drawing on paper, then re-thread the rails into the sleepers.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

The rails tend not to re thread in N I've found, otherwise yes a very clever idea

[@richardstone3473]

It is what I do. I have a big collection of working trains with rolling stock to match as authentically as dammit. I do not have a permanent layout as my home is too small. But. I put up a table 4 ft x 4 ft now and again.. Put a wargame mat on for scenery. Some trees, wargame hills etc. Simple oval layout with two sidings and run my smaller trains. On a dark night with the Hornby lights on in carriages being pulled by a Terrier looks decent enough. One thing I learned recently which had been causing problems (got this from Sams Trains) is not to try to save money buying second hand track. Buy new.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Sounds great. 99% of my layouts are built with second hand track and points, I couldn't afford to do it otherwise, I have no idea why people say not too?!

[@richardstone3473]

@@BudgetModelRailways Luck of the draw type thing.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@richardstone3473 all my many layouts have been 2nd hand track with no issues. I find it amusing that no one says don't buy 2nd hand locos, which have so many things that can be wrong, but track with basically nothing to go wrong gets a bad press lol. I can't get my head round what can go wrong with plain straights and curves

[@harrywoodell7008]

What, no run around track? Oh, wait, the oval can be used to run around the consist and switch the siding with the long car. Nice!

[@christopherfothergil]

I read about a great idea for ballast and it costs nothing. What is it used tea bags dried and then pasted under the track bed.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@christopherfothergil I've tried it but it's not great in my view

[@LondonPredatorAngler]

Now we are talking... back to mini ovals with sidings... cant wait to see this one develop 🙏🏻

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@LondonPredatorAngler thanks, yes it's got me quite excited to see what I do with it too!

[@NTSCuser]

If I remember correctly, Jouef's H0 models could also go around incredibly tight radius curves?

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@NTSCuser correct and they made set track curves of only 24in diameter which I used extensively

[@rongoodwin4053]

Love it!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks!!

[@obvious2886]

Doesn’t Kato make curves this size in their unit track for their trams?

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Yes, but the points are the wrong type for such a small layout

[@monkeysarm]

I'm working on a mini layout for my middle child at the moment but my 'main' layout isn't much bigger! What does the wiring look like for that layout?

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Just 2 wires at the top

[@monkeysarm]

@@BudgetModelRailways Thank you, I am still trying to get my head around how I need to wire my larger layout but had thought I needed to run wires to the sidings!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@monkeysarm not if they are not kick back sidings, and assuming they are kato or peco points

[@djburland]

I need a single coach hook, do you have a spare or can you tell me where I can buy some?

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Depends on what type, gauge etc

[@djburland]

@@BudgetModelRailways N

[@CHINZIG_UK]

I want to start an n gauge minimum space multi inglenook but I don't want to pay £52 or over £100 just for the 3 way turnouts.... I can see why more and more people are leaving the hobby with how expensive.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

2nd hand track is the answer. You only need 2 points a rh and lh, about £6 each 2nd hand, maybe £15 tops, ignore all the nonsense about 2nd hand. Every one of my layouts is built using 2nd hand track and points

[@CHINZIG_UK]

@BudgetModelRailways I have considered 2nd hand. I also have a track plan drawn out, it's long but end to end.

[@donovanemery597]

23K views in 4 days on KZbin is impressive

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@donovanemery597 thanks, you tube can be very unpredictable, similar videos getting widely different views. I just make what I enjoy and hope people like them

[@4everdc302]

Kato will almost run in the mud if ya know what I mean🚂🇨🇦🇬🇧🙋

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Exactly

[@raymondleggs5508]

AHM-pola machine shop

[@markgeerin5928]

Unfortunately since you have gone n gauge and not oo I’ve unsubscribed . Sorry 😢

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@markgeerin5928 many of the ideas will still work OK in OO?

[@tonywright8294]

Your loss .