Category Archives: hobbies

Motivation Monday, a Shade of Grey

Posted on April 6, 2026 by bawdsey

A couple of weeks ago I picked this up from a friend with an offer to build it for them. The reason being ‘why not?’ It came about as three of us looked at one of his layouts and with … Continue reading →

Posted in accurascale, Albion Yard, Bachmann, baseboards, blogger, British Rail, cambrian, Cameo, Cameo layout, dapol, DC, DCC, dcc sound, dingham, Exhibition, finescale, Forest of Dean, heljan, ho scale, hobbies, Hornby, Inspiration, kit, Layout, layout design, man cave, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelu, monday motivation, motivation monday, n gauge, Narrow Gauge, O Gauge, o scale, OO Gauge, OO9, Oxford rail, peco, railroad, railway, realism, scale modelling, scenery, shelf layout, shelfie, signalling, toy train, train set, TT120, Uncategorized, wagon, Western Region, youtube | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hatfield to Hertford Great Northern Book Review

Posted on December 28, 2025 by bawdsey

McMullens. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking McMullens finest, let me know what it is, me and my mates are still waiting. The memories of their Hartsman (see what they did there), and Steingold lagers and the truly … Continue reading →

Posted in accurascale, Bachmann, book review, British Rail, Eastern Region, first look, GNR, heljan, history, ho scale, hobbies, Hornby, Inspiration, j67, layout design, library, LNER, Maps, Model Railroad, Model Railway, n gauge, OO Gauge, Oxford rail, planning, prototype, railroad, railway, reading, reference, research, review, seventies, signalling, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

57xx, Out! First Look

Posted on December 6, 2025 by bawdsey

Well it’s here, the Accurascale 57xx, and spoiler alert, its definitely been worth the wait. This release really brings the Pannier family up to date with a contemporary high quality and detailed model of this iconic and promiscuous family, nearly … Continue reading →

Posted in 57xx, accurascale, Albion Yard, Bachmann, British Rail, Cameo layout, dapol, DC, DCC, dcc sound, Exhibition, finescale, first look, Forest of Dean, Great Western, gwr, heljan, ho scale, hobbies, Hornby, Industrial, Layout, man cave, Midland Region, model, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelling, Modelu, n gauge, NEC, new release, O Gauge, o scale, OO, OO Gauge, pannier, peco, product news, railroad, railway, Rapido Trains, realism, scale modelling, shelf layout, shelfie, shelfie2, Swindon, toy train, TT120, Uncategorized, Wales, Western Region | Tagged | Leave a comment

Seven Sleeps to go! NEC 2025

Posted on November 15, 2025 by bawdsey

This time next Saturday I’ll hopefully be anticipating a cool one, it being the NEC model railway show hosted by Warners Publications. I’ll be taking Shelfie 2 there, Guyzance disposal point, and I’m thinking its only its fourth exhibition appearance, … Continue reading →

Posted in #saturday, accurascale, Albion Yard, Bachmann, black and white, blog, British Rail, Cameo layout, D&E, dapol, DC, DCC, Exhibition, finescale, heljan, ho scale, hobbies, Layout, Modelling, NEC, OO Gauge, railroad, railway, saturday, scale modelling, scenery, shelf layout, shelfie, shelfie2, trees, Uncategorized, woodland scenics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How it Started Bachmann’s 08..

Posted on August 23, 2025 by bawdsey

This, ^^ this ^^ is how it started. A chance find on Facebook, advertised fairly as damaged and a poor runner. I wasn’t looking for one but the price vs condition made me think this is worth a punt. The … Continue reading →

Posted in accurascale, Albion Yard, Bachmann, blog, BR Blue, brassmasters, British Rail, D&E, dapol, DC, DCC, dingham, Eighties, Facebook, heljan, hobbies, Hobby, Hornby, Industrial, Layout, makeover, man cave, model, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelling, Modelu, n gauge, O Gauge, o scale, OO, OO Gauge, peco, railroad, railway, repair, shelf layout, shelfie, toy train, train, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#FEF The Greatest Gathering

Posted on August 1, 2025 by bawdsey

This weekend I’m helping out on a friends trade stand at the greatest gathering in Derby. These rail open days and events really aren’t my thing, but having the opportunity to wander round some classic British first generation traction has … Continue reading →

Posted in #FEF, accurascale, Bachmann, black and white, blog, BR Blue, British Rail, Cavalex, D&E, dapol, Eighties, ellis clark, Exhibition, fef, flying scotsman, friday flashback, fridayfunday, Great Western, heljan, ho scale, hobbies, Hornby, Inspiration, life, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelling, Modelu, n gauge, Narrow Gauge, O Gauge, o scale, OO Gauge, OO9, peco, Photography, prototype, railroad, Rails of Sheffield, railway, Rapido Trains, realism, seventies, train, train show, travel, TT120, Uncategorized, Western Region | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Snailbeach Sunday, 009

Posted on June 29, 2025 by bawdsey

A couple of days back I wrote about Red Wharf Bay, memories of an Iain Rice plan, jogged by standing on a beach watching the tide roll in. The beach features in this post too, but of an entirely different … Continue reading →

Posted in 009, 1914, accurascale, Bachmann, baldwin, Branch Line, Cameo, Cameo layout, dapol, DC, DCC, dcc sound, finescale, freelance, Hattons, heljan, hobbies, Hobby, iain rice, Industrial, Inspiration, Layout, light railway, model, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelling, n gauge, Narrow Gauge, new release, news, O Gauge, o scale, OO, OO Gauge, OO9, peco, product news, prototype, railroad, railway, realism, research, review, scale modelling, shelfie, Snailbeach, toy train, transformation tuesday, tuesday transformation, Uncategorized, wagon, Wales | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Throwback Thursday, Anglesey

Posted on June 26, 2025 by bawdsey

Why’s this a throwback? Well, standing on this beach took me back to 1991 and Iain Rice’s Light Railway Layout Designs book. These two books, a year apart, really caught my imagination. I love the way they draw you in … Continue reading →

Posted in accurascale, Albion Yard, Bachmann, blog, book, cambrian, Cameo layout, DC, DCC, finescale, freelance, heljan, ho scale, hobbies, Hornby, iain rice, Influencer, Inspiration, Layout, layout design, light railway, LMS, man cave, Maps, mindfulness, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelling, n gauge, O Gauge, o scale, OO Gauge, peco, prototype, railroad, railway, Rapido Trains, realism, research, scale modelling, shelf layout, shelfie, snowdonia, throwback thursday, thursday throwback, toy train, track plans, TT120, Uncategorized, Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Are US Tariffs a threat to the UK model railway hobby?

Posted on May 1, 2025 by bawdsey

Below is a Facebook post from the Hobby Industry Coalition, a group of North American hobby companies whom in the main supply ‘US’ outline products for their market. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1L1txjXbEn/?mibextid=wwXIfr The US Tariffs are recognised above, as a potential threat to … Continue reading →

Posted in accurascale, Airfix, america, americana, Bachmann, blog, canada, Cavalex, china, clark rail works, commission, dapol, DC, DCC, dcc sound, Eighties, europe, exactrail, Facebook, heljan, ho scale, hobbies, Hobby, Hornby, kadee, Kalmbach, life, man cave, Model Railroad, Model Railway, Modelling, n gauge, Narrow Gauge, news, O Gauge, o scale, OO Gauge, OO9, Oxford rail, peco, product news, railroad, railroad model craftsman, Rails of Sheffield, railway, Rapido Trains, Tamiya, throwback thursday, Toy trains, TT120, Uncategorized, united kingdom, usa, woodland scenics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wordless Wednesday RiP Andy York

Posted on March 26, 2025 by bawdsey
Posted in artist, b&w, black and white, blog, BR Blue, British Rail, Cameo layout, Eighties, finescale, Friends, hero, hobbies, Influencer, Inspiration, layout design, life, media, model, Modelling, OO Gauge, realism | Leave a comment