While you're stuck inside, why not take the opportunity to have a go at railway modelling says Market Deeping Model Railway Club

Barrie Church, a member of Market Deeping Model Railway Club, shares his tips for lockdown.

Well, we’re all stuck indoors and need something to do to stop us losing the plot and maybe taking to the bottle. Railway modellers can take the opportunity to make some models to add to their layouts. We can do it in the warm rather than ‘play trains’ out in the shed!

The selection of models available is vast and are readily available on-line from shops such as trains4u in Peterborough.

For most of us there are plastic and card models. The more expert few may make them from metal kits soldered together or even scratch build models from sheets of card or lengths of balsa wood! The simplest example of a scratch- built structure uses 1m long card and wood to build straight 2m long station platforms.

For buildings, many use Metcalfe pre-printed laser cut sheets. The sections are easily cut along the scored sections using a sharp craft knife wood to build straight long station platforms but it is important to do this on a cutting mat. The Cutting Mat is a double-sided self-sealing cutting mat with scale markings for various model gauges. Also features 1cm square grid pattern. This mat saves ruining the table and does not blunt the craft knife blade. You can wipe it down after painting and gluing models together.

For cardboard models, there is special fast setting PVA type glues, or normal PVA or even contact glues. PVA type glues have the advantage of drying without leaving a mark or stain. The range is vast and when finished you can tinker with them to make them look old or different. Here is one that was converted into a thatched pub. They come complete with glazing and even paper curtains!

There are numerous manufacturers of plastic models from buildings, bridges to people, animals, camping scenes, signals, wagons and so on. These are joined using liquid cement glues, contact adhesives or superglue. The main fault of modellers is using too much adhesive which oozes out of the joints.

When I unpack a plastic model, the first thing I do is to place it in a bowl of warm soapy water to remove all the oils applied during moulding. Then I lay it between sheets of kitchen roll to dry out. A clean and dry model is much easier to paint!

Again these can be tinkered with - I added a thatched roof to a plastic cottage.

You can see what you can do if you get your imagination going. It is the weekly visit of Morton’s fish and chip van.

With the plastic models it is essential to file some of them parts down so that they fit together correctly. In many cases the very small parts are often painted before joining together.

Figures can be bought in packs of 100 or more with each one needing painting - it is a labour of love! At a greater cost, ready painted ones are also available. Small tins of Humbrol enamel and acrylic paints are available locally in Harrison and Dunn. Reasonably priced paint brushes can be bought from Colemans.

In summary, now is a good time to start to build your models. If you are going to build a new layout, the world is your oyster. Houses, shops, offices, factories, station and farm buildings are waiting for you to get working on them!

Don’t forget that MDMRC club members are always willing to advise.