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Edited by Bob Barlow & Gerry Beale

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Laxfield – A Journey of Discovery
p.2
4mm/P4
John Watson began railway modelling just seven years ago with a Hornby train set, a book of track plans and an 8ft x 4ft board. Today, he has a superb 4mm finescale layout which is a consistent success at exhibitions, both with aficionados and the public at large. He puts this full-circle transformation of ideals and standards down to a simple desire to get things right, but there can be little doubt that his studied approach, refreshingly uncluttered by the tenets and protocols which sometimes seem to make finescale modelling a sphere for 'graduates' only, played a major part. What happened to the train set on that domestically unwelcome 8x4? It was sold, and the children for whom it was intended moved on to slot-cars and the more spectacular attractions of Star Wars models. But John had been bitten by the bug and set off – with an unusual local prototype in mind – on a journey of discovery and, as can be seen here, of achievement. Let him chronicle the progress.
Mid-Suffolk Light Railway
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[Photo: GWR 45xx]
p.8
A useful detail view for any modeller building a GWR 45xx 2-6-2 tank.
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Bromley's 'Be-Riveted Drudge'
p.9
4mm/P4
Iain Rice describes the construction of his latest 4mm scale model.
GER M12
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In Search of a Reliable Low-Visibility Auto-Coupling
p.13
4mm
Reduced size 'Sprat & Winkle' auto-couplings for 4mm scale.
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MRJ Portfolio
p.17
Selection of models built by George Iliffe Stokes: row of town houses, estuary scene, pair of Cotswold cottages, 7mm AEC GWR railcar.
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Etched Class 40 – The Start of Something Big
p.19
4mm
Monty Wells builds a new 4mm scale etched kit of the BR class '40' and finds that it's a modelling breakthrough. He takes the opportunity, with his well-known mix of wit and opinion, to discuss the class in general.
Review and building of the Modern Outline Kits etched 4mm scale kit, with detailed prototype information including 4mm scale drawings.
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Ross-on-Wye Goods Shed
p.25
Prototype information is essential to any modeller and in our first prototype feature Michael Lloyd describes an 'intermediate' sized former broad gauge goods shed and ancillary buildings. The crane and corrugated iron warehouse were 'standard' designs which could be found at many stations.
Detailed and in-depth prototype description, photographs and scale drawings of a standard type GWR goods shed with internal crane.
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Aylesbury LNWR
p.34
4mm/EM
Geoff Williams' model of Aylesbury, LNWR, has never been publicly exhibited, yet it is known to serious modellers throughout the country as a 4mm scale classic – a pioneering 'elder statesman' among finescale layouts. The photographs shown here amply demonstrate how it managed to grab the imagination and affection of so many without ever having strayed from its Hertfordshire attic. The project grew up with Geoff's three sons, who all acquired father;s Euston bug and are now very much a part of the 'life's work' approach to the model. The years have wrought many changes and developments, which our pictures now bring completely up-to-date. But we are jumping ahead of the story. Aylesbury had to be stumbled upon and a false (if educational) start made before the present masterpiece could commence. These are Geoff's own words.
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Modelling Baulk Road Pointwork - Part 1
p.40
In the first issue of British Railway Journal, Andrew Wiles described the method he developed for constructing Brunel's baulk road in 4mm scale. In this, the first Model Railway Journal, he describes some of the principles and details of prototype point construction for this type of trackwork. The method devised to represent this distinctive permanent way in model form will be described in the next issue.