Martin has been in touch with his HO engine house:

“Hi Al,

I like reading your many articles from people on your site.

I posted a ‘how to’ many years ago now about making a tunnel which you placed in your hall of fame!

Well following that I went onto making things & selling them on a scenics stall at model train exhibitions. It became quite popular I am proud to say.

So I have decided to create a small layout in my bedroom.

Early stages and I am not very hot at electrics or layout building but I’ll try. My plan is a simple two level with a terminus station & shed on the upper level. (eventually)…

But when time allows me to, I keep doing a bit & it has led me to scratch build a small HO engine house. Here are some pictures of work so far;

And my shed.

Martin”

There’s no way I could forget Martin’s tunnel ‘how to’. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s here. It’s an absolute cracker.

When it comes to making a HO engine house, I always think of mad John on the printable buildings page.

Here’s the Engine house / shed:

And there’s two others – you can find them all here.

And here’s how to make them:

The engine houses are really popular in the printable buildings, there also a bundle deal too for all 3.

Now on to Brian who has been busy scratch building.

“Hi Alastair,

A small finicky project that I am busy with but time consuming and very very small. (HO scale)

The coin is a South African one rand piece used as a comparison. It is 20mm in diameter.

The traps come on a flat photo etched sheet and have to be cut out, bent to shape and super glued together. Note the Lobsters on the left in the third photo.

The boat is unfinished but shows some of the lobster traps behind the guy hauling in the rope.

Brian – the HOn3 guy – Knysna RSA”

A big thanks to Brian and Martin – clever stuff as usual.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

PPS I’ll leave you with some good advice from Bonkers John: