BUDGET MODEL RAILWAYS - CHALLENGE

BUDGET MODEL RAILWAYS

The Budget Model Railways 60cm x 23.5cm floating shelf layout challenge

Concept:
To produce a layout of any scale/gauge on a 60cm x 23.5 cm floating shelf. Thickness of the shelf does not matter but must not exceed the 60cm x 23.5cm dimensions.
It must have at least one point/ switch and have as much operating potential as possible, ie not a single track diorama.
Any type of track inc pre ballasted is acceptable. Ovals are acceptable if they can be fitted in, as long as there is at least one point/switch.
It must have two buildings/structures as a minimum, but this can include sheds, signal boxes etc.
Backscene can be any height.
The fiddle yard must not exceed 60cm in length or be more than two road, it must be separate from the scenic section, i.e. no 4ft boards with only the 60 x 23 section as a layout.
The layout should include as much second hand and recycled material and features as possible.
The objective of the challenge is to inspire people to have a go at making a micro shunting layout, especially those who have not built a layout or micro layout before, and to do so on a limited budget.
Whilst I will be interested to see any layouts outside of the criteria, only those that meet the criteria will be featured on the website.
There is no prize or reward, or ranking 1st 2nd 3rd etc, its just a fun challenge to inspire people to enjoy making a micro layout.

Andrei Stoian - Moldovita

19/6/2025

A self contained N scale micro layout inspired from the now closed Moldovita line in Bukovina, Romania.
A village emerged around the monastery and the local industry is based on woodworking but other types of freight also arrive. Passenger service is suspended due to lack of rolling stock.
Since there is no runaround, in universe they use a system of cables and winches to move the cars from the siding to the main line.
The layout is 60 x 23.5cm, with no fiddle yard due to lack of space and track, but can be added at either end.
Used recycled Fleischmann track with bedding and a controller. The ballasting was done with decorative sand.
The buildings from right to left are a cheap souvenir from Moldovita Monastery, a small station (recycled) and a warehouse. The warehouse is a wood box with an added roof and prints glues on. It can be used to store the rolling stock.
The rolling stock is composed of mainly second hand pieces.
The scenery was made from scraps of grass mat, real dirt, and paper printed with different textures and some old trees and shrubbery material. The fence is made from a fly net.
The backscene is cardboard with printed paper glued to it.
This is my first micro layout and finished layout. Thank you for the challenge. I had a lot of fun.

Chris Cowen

19/6/2025

An HOe gauge layout based on Austrian narrow gauge, using my collection of Roco and Liliput stock.
Incorporates:
- inglenook sidings that can fit 5-3-3 Roco Microwagons or 3-2-2 Liliuput wagons
- Pilot assisted runaround
- Passenger and goods operation.
Few mistakes made on my first ever layout build. Thanks to Mike for setting the challenge.
Board is offcuts from my shelf layout (which track only and no scenery). Switch box is a puncture repair kit box.
Already had most of the stuff in my collection in boxes.
Engine Shelter is scratch built, station is 11 quid from Faller's "Im Kleinem Gross" kit range.
I have a lot more stock, including 0-6-0 steam and diesel type D16 from Zillertalbahn.
I photographed with little stock to show layout.
Crane needs finishing and some glue is not yet dry. I may add figures and things later.

Hadyn McLoughlin - Shunting at the Sawmill

19/6/2025

I have created a N scale micro shunting layout as an industrial scene with the sawmill / timber yard as the main focus.
The small loco and trucks are picking up some freshly milled timber and the second loco services a small passenger station for the yard workers to start their long shift.
Most items used for the layout are vintage older second hand stock from 60s to 80s bought from eBay, Marketplace or train shows and collected over time.
I will be extending the main line though the side ‘backscene’ with a fiddle stick so the locos have more space to run - with another floating shelf at the correct height.
A huge thank you to Mike and Doug for the opportunity to be part of this great challenge.
Your channel got me into model railways and have not looked back over the last 12 months.
All the best to all involved and good luck with your model railway projects.

Doug Simpson - Orange Belt Railway 2.0

19/6/2025

I had this piece of foam that is 7” x 24”, so I decided to build this HOn30 layout for the challenge. This will eventually be a module for a larger switching layout that is basically a continuation of my 16” x 24” Orange Belt Railway layout. That layout models a Florida orange grove with similar scenery and feel. This will act as the destination, (Florida’s Natural Growers) a citrus processing facility. Citrus arrives via wooden reefers and gets processed into juice. The citrus peels, oils, and rinds, that are left over from the juice processing, are distilled and made into various solvents. These solvents are then shipped via old wooden tank cars.
The structures are kitbashed/scratch built, the track I had on hand, rolling stock and locomotive are from my other layout, backdrop is made from cardboard boxes I had and a photo I created using chatGPT, the hardboard for the fascia was shipping material that came with our treadmill and I had more than enough scenery leftover from other projects to complete this. Very simple and inexpensive little layout.

Andrew Clayton - Worthies Halt

19/6/2025

Freestyle OO layout, entirely contained within the shelf, so it's possible to put it on a table for people to play with if they want. Points are wire-in-tube but decoupling is by the Hand of God. A first attempt at anything like this at all. I have no background in modelling. This was immense fun and I'm delighted with the outcome.

Hannah Fussey - Staithefield Halt

19/6/2025

This is my first attempt at a 00 guage micro layout and I've really enjoyed the challenge! I've tried to incorporate a few of the tips I've learnt from Budget Model Railways over the last few years, including the roof felt off cut as a ballast mat and water effects using cheap poster paints and an old tin of varnish. The platforms are chunks of polystyrene coated in good old poundland filler. All the buildings and accessories were what I had already, but were originally purchased second hand from toy fairs. The foliage is made out of dried moss from the garden and scratch-built barge made out of cardboard and foamboard (although definitely not to scale!).

Robin Nellist - Saint's Yard

19/6/2025

GN15 scale
Base is cardboard buildings various card ,foam board and Polly sticks. The locos and rolling stock are hand made.

Tony Jewell - Silf bach

19/6/2025

A 009 layout, SILF BACH (Welsh for small shelf), was built using 009 flexi track and two electrofrog turnouts that were new but bought for £10 ea. Its supposed to be a disused slate line that now has a small station goods yard. The buildings, platform and buffer stops are all 3d printed by me.I already had the files for the buildings so no cost there and these were resin printed. The controller is a PWM module set into the shelf. Wagons and coaches were designed and printed by me, the loco bodies are 3d printed kits that I bough on ebay. I mostly use kato 109 chassis's and Fleischmann 7000 ones. Built since the challenge started, I'm going to build another two modules for it, one on a 1200mm shelf that I bough in a secondhand shop and then another on a 600mm one. Great fun to build and a great learning curve - Oh and it has a two road fiddle yard with one turnout!

Ian Bareham

19/6/2025

I have started my 60mm Layout Challenge,as a way of using my Hornby Steampunk. Yet to be named,it basically the same plan only flip with fiddle yard to the right of my early 2900's MicroLayout St Augstines Hospital.

Mike hebden - ex-box quarry

19/6/2025

A scenic shelf supported on a shelf, with a 3rd shelf as a fiddle yard. But all made of cardboard and glue. Railway is a (battered) 70's Playcraft HO9 set. I've just completed a video on the making of it - just going up on my channel. #mikehebdentrains .
This probably falls outside the scope of the challenge, as I haven't bothered to separate the fiddle yard board from the scenic board. It's been fun to do though, and I don't usually 'do' scenery.
No 'new' parts or materials bought at all - pending making some wagons from scratch.