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- Track & layouts HO track codes explained: code 100, 83, 75 and more "Code" is the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch. Here's what the common HO codes mean, which brands use them, and how to join different co…
- Getting started HO vs OO: what's the difference? HO and OO trains run on the same 16.5 mm track but are built to different scales. Here's why the UK ended up different, and what it means when you bu…
- Track & layouts How to build a gentle gradient on an HO layout Gradients let one line cross another, but steep or abrupt ones make trains stall or derail. Work out your rise and run first, then ease in and out of…
- Scenery & buildings How to build HO scenery with foam Foam boards are light, quick to shape and ideal for hills, cuttings and embankments. Build up the shape, cover it, then add ground cover and trees.
- Buying & collecting How to buy continental and American HO in the UK Most UK model shops focus on British OO, but several stock HO. Here's where to look and what to check.
- Buying & collecting How to buy second-hand HO trains safely Second-hand HO can be great value, but check the system, the condition and the electrics before you pay — especially old transformers.
- Track & layouts How to choose a minimum curve radius for HO Tight curves save space but limit what you can run. Use the makers' radius tables and the NMRA's recommended practice to choose the smallest curve yo…
- Getting started How to choose an era (epoch) for your HO layout European HO models are labelled with an epoch, from I to VI. Picking one helps your trains, buildings and road vehicles look right together.
- Scenery & buildings How to choose figures, buildings and vehicles for HO HO scenery should be 1:87. Because UK shops mostly sell OO, it's easy to buy the wrong size. Here's how to check before you buy.
- Getting started How to choose your first HO train set A starter set is the simplest way into HO, but the choice you make now — 2-rail or 3-rail, analogue or digital — affects everything you buy later. Wo…
- Locos & rolling stock How to clean HO track and wheels Jerky running and stalling are usually caused by dirty rails and wheels. A regular gentle clean keeps trains running smoothly on both 2-rail and Märk…
- DCC & digital How to convert an HO layout to DCC DCC lets you drive several trains independently on the same track, with sound and lights. Converting a simple 2-rail layout is mostly about the locos…
- DCC & digital How to fit a DCC decoder to a DCC-ready HO loco A DCC-ready loco has a socket ready for a plug-in decoder. With the right decoder and a little care, fitting one takes under an hour.
- Locos & rolling stock How to fit Kadee couplers to HO stock Kadee knuckle couplers look realistic and can uncouple over a magnet. On models with an NEM 362 pocket the swap takes minutes — the important part is…
- Track & layouts How to lay flexible track Flexible track lets you lay smooth, broad curves and long straights with fewer joints than set track. Take your time with the cuts and joints and it …
- Track & layouts How to plan a small HO layout A well-planned small layout beats a half-built big one. Measure your space, choose your curves, and draw it at full size before you buy track.
- Locos & rolling stock How to swap couplers in an NEM 362 pocket Most modern European HO models have a standard NEM 362 pocket so you can change the coupler head. Here's how to identify it and swap heads cleanly.
- Scenery & buildings How to weather an HO wagon Real wagons are dusty, rusty and grimy. A light weathering with powders or thin paint makes a model look far more realistic — start subtle, with a ch…
- Track & layouts How to wire a simple 2-rail DC layout A simple oval or end-to-end layout needs only a controller and a couple of feeds. Get the polarity right, separate sections with insulated joiners, a…
- Getting started Märklin 3-rail AC explained Märklin H0 trains use a centre-stud third rail rather than two powered rails. Here's how it works, what M, K and C track are, and how it differs from…
- DCC & digital Märklin Digital and mfx explained Märklin's digital system grew from the Motorola-based Märklin Digital of the 1980s into mfx, where locos register themselves automatically. Here's ho…