How I Fixed My Messy Model Railway Wiring In ONE DAY!

EPISODE 08 - BUILDING A CUSTOM CONTROL BOX. I’ve been itching to tackle this stage of my 00 gauge shunting layout, because nothing beats the satisfaction of flicking a neatly‑labelled switch and watching the points snap over exactly where you want them. In today’s instalment, I take you through the complete build of my custom model railway control box – the bit of kit that turns a tangle of cables into a tidy, intuitive panel.

IN THIS EPISODE
1. Carpentry on a small scale: The frame is knocked up from 35 mm × 22 mm batten, skinned with 2 mm ply. A dab of PVA, a few panel pins, and the shell is rock‑solid yet pleasantly lightweight. Two coats of white undercoat give a clean canvas for the graphics.

2. Designing the mimic diagram: I’ve drawn a colourful track plan with every point clearly labelled: Siding A (A1, A2, A3), the Main Line, and Siding B (B1, B2). Bright blocks of colour make it dead easy to follow the route at a glance, perfect for fast‑paced shunting moves, or newbie controllers.

3. Drilling & fitting the switches: Precise 6 mm holes give each SPDT toggle a snug home. I notch the top edge of every hole so the anti‑rotation lug locates firmly in the ply – a tiny job that stops the switch spinning when you tighten the nut.

Tip: Double‑check which way your toggle’s terminals sit before you cut the notch – some brands want the nut on the underside. Guess who notched them twice!

CHALLENGES
Depth vs clearance: The batten profile keeps the box shallow enough to eventually hide underneath my scenic 'hillside' - future video!

Keeping the diagram smudge‑free: I've opted for photographic paper which gives it a wipe-clean surface. Just ensure the ink is dry before you start handling it!

Switch orientation: Those little lugs are lifesavers – provided they line up with your notch! Check twice, drill once, and save yourself the re‑work I had to do.

TAKEAWAYS
A simple timber‑and‑ply enclosure is cheap, sturdy, and infinitely customisable.
Notching the switch holes prevents rotation and strained wiring.
Label everything early – it’s easier than tracing wires later.
Seal printed graphics with clear varnish for a professional, long‑lasting finish, laminate or use photo paper like I did.
Plan your cable routes before you mount the box; neat looms are quicker to fault‑find.

Thanks for watching, happy modelling, and I'll see you in the next video!

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00:00 Introduction
01:58 Box Planning
04:56 Carpentry Time
16:55 The Mimic Panel
20:09 Switches
23:40 Bringing it Together
26:16 Testing
28:14 Wrapping Up

** Channel Playlists **

   • NMR: My First Shunting Layout  
   • NMR: Model Railway Tutorials  
   • NMR: Exhibitions and Real Railways  

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