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The KMRC Skrifa / Blog index
Welcome to the KMRC Skrifa.
Why Skrifa you might ask... well it's Cornish for "writing" so for those of you East of the River Tamar it's our new blog.
It comprises of an occasional series of posts from around the KMRC family covering a range of updates, tales and information that we feel would / might be of interest to you.
There is no set publishing time frame or interval for new posts, just when we feel we have something interesting to say.
Click to read the Latest posts>>> or 2023 posts>>> or 2022 posts>>> or 2021 posts>>> or 2020 posts>>> or Archive posts >>>.
The KMRC Skrifa is an evolution of a number of articles published a while ago by the boss known as "Chris's Briefs" (yes really) as we plan to have a number of the team contributing we felt a new name would be appropriate.
We hope you enjoy the content and we welcome your feedback, see Keep in Touch below.
Latest Posts
29/02/2024 - Product Focus - GWR Diesel Railcars
The GWR Diesel Railcars are the perfect vehicle for GWR/WR layouts of any size, from the classic branch line terminus to a major city station. This Skrifa post features those available in both 00 and 0 Gauges.
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24/01/2024 - Product Focus - PECO Urban Britain in the swinging 60s
The latest videos from PECO TV features their diorama in OO/4mm scale, replicating a vision from the 1960s, designed to inspire modellers to build something similar on their layouts. This Skrifa post features the PECO TV video and the products available to recreate 1960s Urban Britain.
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2023 Posts
08/11/2023 - Staff layouts#5 – "Crossing for Safety" British Transport Police Diorama - 00 Gauge
Many of the KMRC team are experienced railway modellers in a wide range of gauges, eras and control systems. This is the fifth of a series of Skrifa posts to highlight some of the layouts built by our team members, in this case our Guildford branch team together creating a "Crossing for Safety" educational diorama for the local British Transport Police.
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23/08/2023 - Peco Unifrog Turnouts Explained
PECO Turnouts have traditionally been either Electrofrog or Insulfrog that has given modelers a choice of how to wire their layouts. With the PECO Unifrog design you are free to choose how to wire it.
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18/08/2023 - Scenecraft shows you how - Field Diorama
Want to try your hand at scenic modelling? The Scenecraft by Bachmann Guides show you how. This particular step by step guide shows you how to make a field diorama. Visit either our Camborne or Guildford branches to get a 10% discount on the required materials!
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14/07/2023 - Getting out into the garden for summer
When the summer comes, traditionally this is the time when modellers start thinking about taking their hobby into the great outdoors. We have a range of accessories and track in the popular outdoor scales.
20/06/2023 - Staff layouts #4 – Wheal Penbasset
Many of the KMRC team are experienced railway modellers in a wide range of gauges, eras and control systems. This is the fourth of a series of Skrifa posts to highlight some of the layouts built by our team members, in this case Wayne's Wheal Penbasset shunting puzzle layout.
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02/05/2023 - Product Focus - EFE Rail - LSWR Cross Country sets OO Gauge
In this Skrifa post we focus on the Southern Railway Maunsell corridor coaches available from Dapol in N Gauge.
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24/04/2023 - Product Focus - Dapol SR / BR(s) Maunsell Coaches in N Gauge
In this Skrifa post we focus on the Southern Railway Maunsell corridor coaches available from Dapol in N Gauge.
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30/03/2023 - Product Focus - Plastic Kits from Airfix and Pocketbond
In this Skrifa post we focus on Plastic Kits from Airfix and and the Pocketbond range of kit brands.
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20/03/2023 - Our Graham Farish N Gauge Scenecraft KMRC Exclusive Editions
This Skrifa post details our brand new and growing range of KMRC Exclusive Graham Farish ready made buildings in N Gauge.
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2022 Posts
27/09/2022 - Staff layouts #3 – Collingwood
Many of the KMRC team are experienced railway modellers in a wide range of gauges, eras and control systems. This is the third of a series of Skrifa posts to highlight some of the layouts built by our team members, in this case Simon's Collingwood 00 Gauge layout.
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20/09/2022 - Staff layouts #2 – Canute Road Quay
Many of the KMRC team are experienced railway modellers in a wide range of gauges, eras and control systems. This is the second of a series of Skrifa posts to highlight some of the layouts built by our team members, in this case Graham's Canute Road Quay 00 Gauge layout.
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18/08/2022 - DCC Decoder Guide
This Skrfia posts list the standard DCC decoders and accessories that we have available along with some of their applications.
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28/07/2022 - Product Focus - Ratio 00 Ratio Grand Junction building component kits
In this Skrifa post we focus on the new Grand Junction LNWR Building component kits available from Ratio.
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22/06/2022 - Product Focus - Ratio N Gauge Signalling
In this Skrifa post we focus on signalling options for N gauge modellers available from Ratio.
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12/05/2022 - Sounds that can't be made - Product Focus - Train Tech SFX
In this Skrifa post we look at the Train Tech SFX - Sound Capsules and how they can be easily fitted to a variety of rolling stock to provide real and rich railway sounds.
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20/04/2022 - Staff layouts #1 – Kinlochlaggen
Many of the KMRC team are experienced railway modellers in a wide range of gauges, eras and control systems. This is the first of a series of future Skrifa posts to highlight some of the layouts built by our team members, in this case Mike's Kinlochlaggen N Gauge layout.
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14/02/2022 - Product Focus - PECO Parkside 0 Gauge Wagon kits
Following the release of the latest video from PECO TV we take a look at the range of PECO Parkside wagons kits in 0 Gauge.
2021 Posts
10/11/2021 - 3rd and 4th Rail Electrification Systems - Part 3 - Conductor Rail Accessories and lineside details
Our Guildford Branch team member and Network Rail Signalling designer, Simon Paley, takes a look at the 3rd and 4th Rail electrification systems. In this final part in the series he discusses the conductor rail accessories and other relevant lineside details.
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20/09/2021 - Woodland Scenics Utility Range
In this post we introduce the Woodland Scenics Utility Range to enable you to easily model electricity and telegraph poles and wires.
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02/09/2021 - 3rd and 4th Rail Electrification Systems - Part 2 - Modelling Guide
Team member Simon Paley continues his series on the 3rd and 4th Rail electrification systems. In this post he provides a step by step guide how to install 3rd and 4th rail on your layouts.
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09/08/2021 - 3rd and 4th Rail Electrification Systems - Part 1 - The Background & Design
Our Guildford Branch team member and Network Rail Signalling designer, Simon Paley, takes a look at the 3rd and 4th Rail electrification systems. In this first post he discusses the background to the system.
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05/08/2021 - SR Isle of Wight Steam Engine Headsignals
Completing the series of Skrifa posts about SR Engine Headsignals, this time those as used on the Isle of Wight, and therefore suitable for use with our Adams O2 0-4-4 tanks, now also released under the EFE Rail brand and Hornby Terriers.
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19/07/2021 - SR Tail Lamps and Brake Van Lamps
Following the arrival of our lovely Exclusive ex LSWR/SR Road Van models, this Skrifa post takes a look at the requirement for tail / side lamps on brake vans etc. to denote the rear of the train.
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03/06/2021 - KAT0 Class 800 seating - N Gauge
We have been advised by Kato via Gaugemaster that following early feedback of the first batch of GWR Class 800s, it was noted that the interior seating configuration was incorrect for Coach 4 (814021) in the set. Read how you can obtain a corrected interior for this coach should you have one of the affected models.
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17/03/2021 - SR Engine Headsignals
The Southern Railway / Region used discs during the day and lamps at night, officially known as Engine Headsignals, to denote the route of the train. In this post we provide an overview of the routes associated with the disc positions.
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04/03/2021 - The Standard Steam and early Diesel Locomotive Headcodes
In the steam and early diesel era a system of head codes were used to denote the trains make up and purpose using either discs or lamps, (except on the Southern Railway/Region). In this post we describe what each headcode means.
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16/02/2021 - Maintaining your KMRC model - Instruction and Service sheets.
This Skrifa post is about maintaining your KMRC exclusive models with all our Instruction and Service Sheets in one convenient place.
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07/02/2021 - The ‘Epoch’ or ‘Era’ system explained
The model railway hobby has for a while been using the ‘Epoch’ or ‘Era’ system to group models into a defined time period. In this post we take a look at the UK time periods and the 'Era' system now being used by manufacturers and ourselves within the product descriptions.
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27/01/2021 - The Great Western Railway pannier tanks.
With the arrival of the highly popular 94xx class of pannier tanks from Bachmann and the 16xx class from Model Rail Magazine, we take a brief look at the background of the very characteristic Great Western Railway 0-6-0 pannier tanks.
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18/01/2021 - Our Bachmann Scenecraft KMRC Exclusive Editions
We have updated our page dedicated to our Exclusive Bachmann Scenecraft Editions and brought it in to the Skrifa arena to make it more accessible.
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13/01/2021 - Catering for Southern travellers by Hornby
Read about the complexity of the Southern catering vehicles with our guide to using the Hornby models
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06/01/2021 - Starting younger railway modelers with Playtrains from Hornby
We take a look at the brand new Playtrains system announced by Hornby as part of their 2021 range.
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2020 Posts
10/10/2020 - Modelling the BR diesels green to blue period
We take a look at the BR green to BR blue livery transition period and some examples of the models available to recreate this interesting period.
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07/12/2020 - Baseboard building made simple
Any model railway needs a good solid base and building a baseboard, The Woodland Scenics Mod-U-Rail baseboard system is available now, simple to use expandable and effective.
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03/12/2020 - Southern Region EMUs
The much awaited Bachmann 2-HAP Electric Multiple Units (EMU) have now arrived, in this post we explore the background of the Southern Region EMUs currently available from Bachmann in 00 gauge.
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26/11/2020 - Underlay, Underlay what to use as a track base
We take a look at what to use under your trackwork and the Proses laser cut pre-formed track beds and their compatibility with Hornby, Bachmann and Peco trackwork.
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17/11/2020 - LSWR Signal Boxes
Following the release of our new exclusive Petersfield signal box and our Bude signal box we take a look at the background behind the LSWR signal box designs.
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23/10/2020 - SECR / SR / BR Birdcage Coach Sets
These characteristic coach sets have been produced by Bachmann and Graham Farish we take a look their history and formations.
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01/04/2020 - Scenecraft shows you how - Woodland Scenics Diorama
The Woodland Scenics range can provide hours of scenic modelling fun! Whether you are looking to detail and improve an existing layout or diorama, or start a brand new project from scratch, the Woodland Scenics range of model scenery products offer everything you need.
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01/05/2019 - Hornby Mk3 Sliding Door sets
We take a look at the prototypical formations that can be created using the latest Hornby Mk3 sliding door coaches.
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From the Archive
September 2014 - To announce or not to announce
Chris discusses the development process and shares his views on when to announce a new model.
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December 2014 - China Factories
Originally posted as part of series known as “Chris’s brief’s” this post details his first visit to China and number of the factories that we now deal directly with.
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Keep in Touch
We also publish regular project updates on our "Latest News" section here and also in our Weekly newsletter, if you are not already signed up for the newsletter you can do so here.
Get in touch with your thoughts, suggestions for future post or suggestions for future models!
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