I've started a brand new model railway project!
This time, I'm attempting to recreate a real railway location in OO gauge, based on Uttoxeter Signal Box in Staffordshire. It's a fascinating location with semaphore signals, an interesting history and plenty of opportunities for modelling.
The first video is now live, covering the history of the location, the track I've laid so far and fitting a DCC decoder to my Hornby Class 153.
If you enjoyed following the £100 Budget Build, I'd love for you to come along for this one too!
Watch the first episode here: https://youtu.be/Bn6Xjh98f1E

It seems to me that layouts often end up being 'expensive' because as hobbyists we have stopped scratchbuilding. Forget the 3D printer etc (more expense) and go for card, glue, plasticard, wood and stuff from the spares box. Forget the cast resin buildings and go for card or in OO the lovely dated Airfix/Dapol structures. Best wishes 😊

I recently returned to model railway and had about the same space as you so I went for an N layout. I soon realised that working on the second hand locos I'd brought was a total pain with my 50yo eyesight and fat fingers. I wanted a simple setup of a loop and a yard, the loop was fine but the yard was a total nightmare for anything other than the new loco I brought. Older locos not going over points, stalling, derailing etc. I looked at DCC to improve things but  fitting DCC/Stay-Alive in older N stuff combined with my eyes and lack of dexterity was just going to be too fiddly and frustrating.
In the end I decided to build a small scenic undulating loop with a couple of points for storage in N and build a point to point shunting yard in OO which I've set up so it fits over the top of the N layout. Another thing I found was there are so many new bargains in OO which you just can't find in N.

Hi Adam. Have you considered 009. There are quite a few 3d printed locos and rolling stock. I have been using pwm controllers from Amazon (about £5.95) with a 9v battery box . Works a treat. Two lengths of flexi and a point should be reasonable. Card buildings available from scalescenes. Print and attach to card. Looking forward to the series. Alan

Good luck in your build .. im starting a build after 40 years of not doing model railways ...im going 00 because there is so much more availability secondhand .And being 60 n is just to fiddly. I gave you a subscription 👍Greetings from Latvia 🇮🇪...Harry

Personally i'd say the best idea wouldve been £200... which is the cost of a mid range "christmas day" set

Go OO gauge end to end - - Track and point £20, Loco £25, old train set controller £15 rolling stock £10 and a simple auto shuttle unit (for automated operation) £15. You can make your own buildings out of cereal boxes and also bushes can be made from evergreen shrubs found in any garden.

Great video a looking forward to seeing how you get on in each episode. Some great ideas here. All the best Anth Knill 👍

Thats funny, I started a layout last year but never got beyond laying the track on the board and wiring the loops.
I already have tones of track, building and trains.
My test layout was powered by but a parkside 12V battery but the 20V series would probably be a better option.
I ran an 0-4-0 chassis at 5V!
The actual control was via an ESP32 and a cheep motor driver module.

As a skint..........novice

I'd love a railway ........not a clue where to start .....

Thanks 4 ur video 📹

I've built a layout in n gauge on a baseboard 12"" x 30"" using s/h track, bought a s/h loco for £30, wagons s/ for £5, controller for around £15, kit building for under £10 and trees and grasses for around £10.

Bits of old lego painted any colour you like for a wall ... Amazon box cardboard cut up and squashed/shaped for hills and painted green. Not 'perfect" but that's what imaginations are for.

I recently got a lovely Tomix N gauge starter shunting set with one point, came with a very nice looking loco (ED61) and 2 pieces of rolling stock from Plaza Japan for €51, and that's with the controller (100-240V). I also got additional rolling stock, 3 wagons, each one less than €5, as well as a full reduced size oval for another €15. So €80 for a nice set to start with and build on. Problems in your challenge case would be shipping times and import duties, which I don't know if they would factor into the challenge budget. But all that said, even after shipping and import, I was really impressed with the set for how cheap it was.

Also, here in the EU where I live, there is a big second hand market for N gauge, so a great way to start something off and expand easily.

Hi I think it has been mentioned before, but narrow gauge might give you a bit more flexibility. You should find numerous kit (3d) printed for kato chassis (£30). The rolling stock could be scratch build. You should also be able to find £5-6 controller without power supply.

Things don't get more expensive.... money just becomes less valuable

Why not an end-to-end layout with a BLOCKsignalling SS2A DC Shuttle Unit Module Model Railway Rail Speed Controller? Station at one end with a point, and a fiddle yard at the other end. Cheers from Australia.

As others have said, probably go with N gauge and the Kato Pocket Line. OO in the available space would necessitate end to end, and if you want it to run itself you'd need a shuttle unit which would be extra cost if you're not enough of an electronics whiz to design and build it yourself. As others have also said, you can download and print free building kits from the likes of Scalescenes and Kingsway Models, and you could build them from cereal box card if you're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Nice video and looking forward to seeing more, all the best Colin from Mossend railway oo 😊.

This can absolutely be done and although maybe slightly easier with OO, could be done with N. There are plenty of Locos that go unpurchased under £40 and plenty of wagons under £5 and old Lima coaches £5-10. Grab an old Bachmann controller for pennies. A point for £10-15 and either some lightly used flex or section for cheap. The scenery can all be foraged and paint had for cheap. I almost feel like trying myself.

9v battery, a guy at the last model show had a OO gauge Beatles layout that run nearly all day on one.