Tutorial Tuesday - Episode 18 - How to light a model railway / railroad

[@ModelMinutes]

I've seen these lights in various places, i think you can even get battery powered versions! Great Idea to use them on your layout!

[@thattrainguy]

Very good, it may be more expensive than you would normally go for but a proper lighting rig would cost hundreds of pounds. Might look at that idea for my new layout as the fiddle yard and workbench is in a dark corner

[@BudgetModelRailways]

We were up there working on it last night and it really has transformed it, so like you say worth the expense.

[@chrisikin69]

I bought two five foot led batten strip lights for £34, put a mains plug on them very easy install. Bought from screwfix, if you need any more lighting they are excellent.

[@georgewyatt6712]

Hi Mike & Douglas great idea what a difference it made to your layout and not to expensive. Regards George..

[@sparkshot]

This REALLY helps. Thanks for the reveal. Our loft looks almost the same as yours and I have been thinking for a long time on getting some good lighting to give it a daylight look instead of the yellowyness. What you done has surprised me due to its simplicity and cheap cost. Bonus and bonus. Thanks to the Flying Kipper dude for the tip too.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Have a look at the comments for another good idea , using guttering to mount the LEDs on and act as a shield all in one ! Either way it does cast a more daylight look as you say

[@sparkshot]

Budget Model Railways - Thanks, will do. I was initially thinking I'd have to spend hundreds on special 'day light' bulbs. Not so now! I still want to be able to have a yellowy look for sunrise/set effects though. Maybe a colour changer or dimmer is available.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Our LEDs in the conservatory have a choice of colour so you could try sourcing similar

[@sparkshot]

Budget Model Railways - Ah great. Do they blend or dim? This is really the function options I'm after. It's my last question on the subject, promise!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

They have over 20 different colours and can be dimmed brightened and more. on eBay loads of companies sell them.

[@peterwhite3463]

If you are taking a model railway to a show you might look into getting some guttering. But for an attic layout it is ideal. You can see what you are doing

[@alexhill9169]

As usual guys an excellent short tutorial, you have been an inspiration for me with your budget videos.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks Alex

[@frankwhittle4364]

Hi Mike don't know where you got the LED's but I have just bought a 5 metre strip of e/bay for £3.64 and the sellers name was Ynaan.

[@projeftcancelled9555]

The store where I work sells them for $4usd each and I bought like 9 of them. They also are mood lights so you can get a nice blue color for night time operations

[@paulsharpe3794]

Hi great project if you'd tryed bangood you can get 5 meters of 12v LED strip lighting with an mains adapter for as little as £10 OR EVEN rgb (you change and choose the colour ) with a remot control for £18 . It may take 28 days but what a shaving. Paul

[@finnsetchell3594]

My loft where I have my railway is exactly like yours so this is really helpful

[@davidhorne114]

I used led strips on my loft layout but I screwed guttering upside down and stuck the leds inside so it acted as a support and focusing the light at the same time. Ps Love the videos

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Now that's a brilliant idea, epic!

[@chazco]

Wow made quite the difference.

[@billfitzpatrick6910]

I'm thinking strings of clear Christmas lights. They are dirt cheap and last forever,. Strings of incandescent bulbs ( Getting hard to find) could be connected to a dimmer switch as well. Just a thought.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Christmas lights a great idea

[@simon01837]

A note to the wise ,cardboard is great for modeling but a bit crap as fire retardant . I have noticed that leds can get warm when i have been doing my biulings recently and sometimes the ever reliable technolagy can some times short in damp enviroments ,it would be a plan to install a breaker or at least check for warm spots now and then. Wood can cope with higher temps than card , could get warm in the summer? This is not tested knowlage this is just me shooting an idea in the air. Simon.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

It's a valid thought

[@westcastlemodelrailway8190]

I echo this comment... it’s only got to fail once! Please please please check and check again to make sure they are turned off when not using the layout!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

We only have them on when we are a thanks running trains, there is no need for us to light the loft if we are not up there!

[@johnslade3104]

Wow now that's brilliant. Please tell us more, clearly excellent light and easy fitting. What voltage, how long is the light strip and of course the cost per strip. Are they easy to get hold of? Love video well-done

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Hi John, The strips we bought come with adapters that simply plug into the strip and into the wall. The strips are usually sold in 5meter strips, we bought 2 strips. And finally they are about £2 - £3 per metre. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20M-50M-10M-5M-RGB-Waterproof-3528-5050-LED-Strip-Light-300LED-Flexible-DC-12V/152398023572?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=451680505023&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 we used the cool white colour.

[@johnslade3104]

Thank you I,m going to get some john

[@harryunderhill5604]

Didn’t think led strips would work but you e proven me wrong , can I ask why the /railroad

[@shaunsandiford9048]

That looks cool

[@nigelcarter9503]

Great

[@stephenparkes5932]

I got 15 metres for a fiver. Work great

[@jaxmar88]

Sorry but I dont agree with using cardoard, wood or plastic mouldings would surely look much better & last much longer IMO

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Possibly, but it's what we had to hand at the time

[@FredWilbury]

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