How to add fences and boundaries

Man-made boundaries all form part of the everyday landscape that surrounds us. Whether it's a hedge, fence or wall, they help define parcels of land so that owners know where their plot of land ends and that of their neighbour begins. Without them, livestock would escape, trespassers would roam freely and in the case of a train set, a less interesting scene to model.

Before you choose what you'd like to add, think about where natural boundaries exist in reality. Railway land, for instance, is all fenced off from the public to protect from trespassers and large animals that could create problems on the line. From a cost perspective, this boundary is likely to be a fence. Terraced houses, however, are more likely to have a brick wall or perhaps a hedge between them. These boundaries are easier to calculate because quite often they follow the width of the house down to the bottom of the garden.

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Sold by Gaugemaster, this pack of concrete post fencing with metal wire rails is a cost-effective way to keep your railway land secure.

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Inside the pack you'll find a coil of steel wire which will spring into life once the securing ties are removed, and 80 moulded plastic posts.

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Cut each post carefully from its retaining plastic part – the sprue – using a metal scalpel knife. Be careful to keep fingers away.

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Sometimes the two halves of a plastic moulding machine don't match perfectly. This can allow plastic to escape known as 'flash'. Remove most of this carefully with your knife.

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Spare traces of flash residue can be removed with a small file, or, as shown here, a fine grit of sandpaper.

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Drill a small hole using a 3mm drill bit and fix each post with UHU glue. Thread the metal wire through each post, starting with the bottom rail.

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At the end of a run of wire, to terminate the fence simply cut the excess wire with a pair of snips.

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This fence has two railings, so the upper section is added the same way as the lower, just repeat the process.

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When you reach the end of a section, glue the wire rail. Don't worry about your posts being perfectly upright – many aren't in real life.

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Hedges one of the easiest additions to a train set if you use those made by Gaugemaster (ref. GM160 and GM161). Just cut to length with scissors and glue.

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Apply a good amount of pressure evenly across the length of each hedge to ensure good contact between the hedge, the glue and your baseboard.

Looking to create bushes? Watch one of the Woodland Scenics experts show you how. 

And what about trees? Our online guide will help you get to grips with ‘planting’ trees on your model railway. 

Need more advice? Take a look at the BRM Techniques page for all our latest guides and advice articles.