A train set contains a train, the track and a power controller. Everything needed to get a layout up and running, making the train set the ideal way to get started in model railways. The sectional track can be assembled quickly and extra track is readily available, allowing tracks to be extended with extra circuits and sidings.

Two gauges of model railways are readily available,
OO gauge train sets are produced by Hornby and Bachmann, with a vast range of fully compatible model locomotives, coaches, wagons and acessories from Dapol, Heljan, Peco, ViTrains and many more. A typical a starter layout needs a space of 1.5 x 1.1 metres or 5 x 3 feet, about the size of a dining table. OO is ideal for modelling scenes and rural branchline railways with short but varied trains.
N gauge train sets are supplied by Graham Farish, supported by a steadily increasing range of trains, locomotives, coaches and wagons from Dapol, Peco, Hornby and several other suppliers. These smaller trains are an excellent alternative to OO, the starter layout needing only 700 x 500mm, less than 3 ft x 2ft, or around a third of the space needed for a similar OO layout. A full length HST train in N is less than 5 feet long, compared to 9 feet in OO, making N gauge ideal for running mainline trains in a limited space.

For more guidance please check our 'Help!' section for more information on model railway gauges and scales, plus useful books and video programmes designed to give you a head start in building your own railway.