I look forward to following your progress.  I think the late Victorian period is an excellent choice, with colourful liveries and loads of 'character'

Mike

This is right up my cobbled street. My favoured is the girl next door - the Great Eastern - and my project, Basilica Fields is set in a similar timeframe, c1890-1907. I had initially intended to run up to 1914, but was already dealing with too many anachronisms without having to contend with the blatantly visual changes to the permanent way and signalling in the middle of the Edwardian period on the GER so dialled it back a bit. My project allows several other companies to make an appearance, and the NLR is one which could have a cameo at some point.

As you've probably found out , there is a dearth of kits available; a nice set of etching for the 51 class but no castings from Kemilway, and three kits for the Park 0-6-0T. The Andrews kit has recently gone out of production, but he was also behind the Gladiator (nee Javelin) kit which has recently been upgraded. I'd greatly favour that over the Ace kit which can be very hit & miss in quality.

However, the NLR was the White Van Man of the 1890s and 1900s; having accrued running rights over various other companies lines, it shuttled goods on their behalf in their wagons all across London, so NLR locos could be seen rubbing shoulders with the GER, GNR, GWR, LNWR, and Midland - especially in the Docks. A bit of modeller's licence and you could have an NLR Park 0-6-0T shunting alongside a GER 0-6-0T, a GNR 0-6-0ST, a GWR 0-6-0ST, an LNWR 0-6-0T and a Midland 0-4-4T. The only bit of scratchbuilding you'd need to do initially is an NLR brake van.

A nice example of companies occupying the same lines is the layout Arnold Lane and Millwall Goods. Google is your friend, but here's a few links for starters:

https://www.model-railways-live.co.uk/Layouts/35/Millwall_Goods_And_Arnold_Lane/

http://wiganfrmexhibitionphotography.weebly.com/millwall-goods--arnold-lane.html (photos a bit washed out, but a Park tank is in there)

A bit of video:

Two good books:

The North London Railway, 1846-2001, by Dennis Lovett, published by Irwell Press

North London Railway: A Pictorial Record, published by NRM

You've obviously given it plenty of thought.  Go for it Mr. EdwardNo2, sir. 

As you've probably found out , there is a dearth of kits available; a nice set of etching for the 51 class but no castings from Kemilway, and three kits for the Park 0-6-0T. The Andrews kit has recently gone out of production, but he was also behind the Gladiator (nee Javelin) kit which has recently been upgraded. I'd greatly favour that over the Ace kit which can be very hit & miss in quality.

However, the NLR was the White Van Man of the 1890s and 1900s; having accrued running rights over various other companies lines, it shuttled goods on their behalf in their wagons all across London, so NLR locos could be seen rubbing shoulders with the GER, GNR, GWR, LNWR, and Midland - especially in the Docks. A bit of modeller's licence and you could have an NLR Park 0-6-0T shunting alongside a GER 0-6-0T, a GNR 0-6-0ST, a GWR 0-6-0ST, an LNWR 0-6-0T and a Midland 0-4-4T. The only bit of scratchbuilding you'd need to do initially is an NLR brake van.

Very interested in being able to run any ancient Victorian engines alongside these, I don't suppose there's any precedent (!) for Jumbo's on the NLR?

Mike

I joined the North London Railway Historical Society recently (www.nlrhs.org.uk). For those who are not members you may be interested to know they have a fantastic index of hard to find drawings, books, buildings, rolling stock, books, magazines, etc, which is available to members. It is known as 'the source book' , and is clearly the result of hundreds of hours of painstaking research.   

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the meeting/lecture last week as it was during the daytime, but hope to attend in September.