Paddy

For me, I have always liked the idea of a Hornby version of N gauge i.e. a one stop shop. If I model in OO then I can get my track, locos, rolling stock, controllers, buildings, scenics etc. all from them. I am not saying that Hornby always produce the best products but it is an easy way to enter the hobby. Being serious for a moment, take my request for a PECO 2nd radius Setrack point. It is obvious this would be a welcome addition to the N gauge market as most locomotives state this as their minimum these days (2nd radius). The beginner end of the market can build a decent train set whilst I am sure the more experienced modellers would appreciate such a point in fiddle yards etc. I believe there would be a need for a new straight track as well to match the length of the point but this should not be beyond PECOs capability. Just one example of a lack of joined up thinking. Kind regards Paddy

Fortunately, I have been in N gauge since 1995 (second stint) so already have all the stock I need and nearly all I want! Famous last words. For new entrants though the pickings are relatively slim and the prices much higher. I would love to see someone come in to the British N gauge market and disrupt it. For now though, I would love a 2nd radius PECO Setrack point. Kind regards Paddy

It would be interesting to know the size of the British N gauge market (I know it gets said that it is 10% of OO) and whether it is growing, stagnant or shrinking. I have been looking through some early post 2000 N gauge catalogues recently and it seems the models were coming thick and fast-ish. We seem to have gone from famine to feast and back to er... getting hungry again. The other elephant in the room is price. If Bachmann released new models/reruns are people willing/able to pay £40 for a coach etc. Could it be that the prices are causing the market to shrink? Is British N gauge actually viable/worth the effort anymore from a commercial perspective? I am and always have been an N gauge modeller - the current situation is worrying for the long term health of the scale. Are we heading the way of 3mm? Kind regards Paddy

Hi Nigel, Personally, I would call the pre-CV19 trade war between America and China a draw. China was willing to wait it out in the expectation that President Trump would not be elected for a second term. It is not possible to say whether President Trump’s handling of the pandemic in America has damaged his chances in the upcoming election. Prior to the outbreak, I would say President Trump was on course to win a second term. There is no credible opponent coming from the Democrat side. I suspect the Republicans will have a strong anti-China message in their campaign and this will resonate with “normal” American voters and get Donald re-elected. Whatever happens, toy trains will not be anywhere near the top of the priority list. Kind regards Paddy

One small thing I would add is that it is not clear if the world will return to BAU with China once we are through this pandemic. There are certainly noises coming from America about restitution from China for the damage they have done to their economy in particular. With President Trump in charge these noises may become government policy and we could see China being isolated in some form. For businesses who rely on Chinese manufacturers this could be catastrophic but may be seen as a price worth paying by the political class and significant segments of society. Personally, I believe the West in particular is addicted to low cost Chinese manufacturing and breaking free would be very difficult. In a lot of cases, there simply is not an alternative to the Chinese option so “buy British” (insert other country as appropriate) is not practical. If “we” decided to go down this path then we should expect significant changes to our standard and way of life. Who knows, maybe CV19 will be a turning point in history where we start to move away from excess consumption and globalisation... May be Hornby will have to restart production in Margate. Kind regards Paddy

Hi Folks, Came across an N gauge layout called Haversham Central by John Dowrick. Apparently the layout is only 5’ x 2’ 9” and is very atmospheric IMHO. Just wondering if anyone knows more about it e.g. track plan etc.? Many thanks Paddy

In N Gauge a 10kg bag would last several lifetimes! Paddy

Thanks everyone. I might look at an easier option such as Dapol B Set or older Farish coaches. Paddy

Hi David, I am looking to disassemble a Farish Stanier coach - have you done one of these? Do they come apart in the same way as MK1s? Many thanks Paddy

Thanks David - I will have a read. Nearly had a heart attack though as when I clicked on the link the first image is a lathe! Paddy

Well done to the N Gauge Forum - no small feat to come 5th in the "Website of the Year" category. Paddy

Hi Folks, Has anyone ever disassembled a Graham Farish coach? I would like to repaint one but it would be great to hear how to take it apart first to avoid unnecessary damage. For example, does the roof need to come off? Is there a separate glazing unit? Any information would be gratefully received. Many thanks Paddy

All I can say is that the cans I have purchased (last year or so) have been fine. Maybe I have just been lucky. Paddy

I have started using Testors’ Clear Coat and it is an excellent product. Comes in a small aerosol and the cheapest place to buy it is Antics online (I am using it on N gauge models as well). Also, another tip given to me - place the cans in the airing cupboard for an hour or so before use. Hope this helps. Paddy

Looking good... Paddy

Also, does anyone know why PECO used their standard ventilated box van for their BR bauxite banana van? Many thanks Paddy

Is the PECO banana van an accurate model then? Would the roof have been painted the same colour. Many thanks Paddy

Thanks everyone - appreciate the help. Tom - not so much worried about the cost, more the quality and suitability of purpose. I want to use them to secure a wagon load (N gauge) which ways approximately 2g so it sounds like these should be fine. Kind regards Paddy

Hi Dave, Wow, that was quick! Thank you for your suggestion, I will take a look now. Many thanks Paddy

Hi Folks, I am looking to purchase some strong magnets (neodymium?) with a size of 10mm x 1mm. Looking on Amazon they seem to vary in price dramatically and the reviews are not positive in many cases - magnets not as powerful as expected, very brittle etc. can anyone please recommend a good source for such magnets? Many thanks Paddy

As previously mentioned, if you could get PECO onboard for the track then that would spread the investment. As for a launch range, I would go with something like the above and sell it in sets/train packs initially. This would hopefully mean greater Initial volumes. Also, include a Motorail wagon so Corgi/OD could produce TT model cars. Why not include 12 months membership of the 3mm Society with each set sold so you instantly feel part of a community. Buildings could initially be something like the block with stickers that Graham Farish (pre-Bachmann) used to sell. Whilst not great, they would be effective in this scale, be fun to make, be included in train sets and relatively low cost. For me it would be important that there is a roadmap showing plans for the next 3-5 years and then Hornby must deliver against it. If momentum can be established then I am sure other manufacturers and retailers would get onboard and expand the scale. Edit: and to be clear, I would almost certainly switch from N gauge to TT. It certainly is an exciting idea but as has been previously stated, high risk. Kind regards Paddy

Our grandson loves (obsessed) his wooden trains. This is despite the fact that to me they look very crude and non prototypical. Big Jigs are now releasing models with real liveries e.g. Black 5 in er... BR Black. We got Teddy a load of this stuff for Christmas. I think it could work if Hornby entered this market (in the UK) with their brand. This stuff is not cheap either and could definitely do from some improved standards. We are hoping Teddy will make the move from "toy" trains to "train set" in the years ahead and that Big Jigs will have played a part in this. Sadly, he is already being seduced by the dark side of computer games. Kind regards Paddy

Hi Mdvale, Have you seen the Corgi TT steam loco models? They are stunning and something like this from Hornby would be great. I could see TT working as a "toy" scale/gauge which is compatible with the high end models. The play value from a TT set could be so much greater than OO given the space saving. It would also need to be a total system i.e. track, buildings, rolling stock, locomotives etc. Coming back to your point, some coordination with the likes of PECO etc. could prove a real bonus in getting the range established. Sadly I fear such a bold move is likely to lead to more fragmentation of what is a relatively small market of British model railways. It could be fun though! As an N gauge modeller, I would love to see Hornby enter the market but common sense would suggest it would be better to do this as Arnold. This would be one way of expanding the Arnold brand/business and sharing development costs of chassis, motors etc. By all means stick "Arnold - A Hornby Company" on the packaging if that helps to sell. As for O gauge, they have the Bassett Lowke brand - why not use this to enter that market but with a range of high detailed models. We live in interesting times. Kind regards Paddy

Hi Phil, You probably meant this with tongue in cheek but it could be a really bold move on Hornby's part. TT seems a perfect combination of size. detail and durability. I am an N gauge modeller but even I can see that TT offers that wee bit more. TT models/system with DCC, sound and 21st century detail could prove very popular. It would be require a significant investment though but Hornby would have the market to themselves. Sadly, I don't believe Hornby have the financial reserves to do this yet even though Mr Kohler is a fan of TT. Kind regards Paddy

Reintroduce the a range of buildings based on the original Scenecraft kits. Whilst not as detailed as their resin replacements they work well enough in N gauge. Hopefully, they could come in at a much lower price point and be a fun element as they are easy to make. Kind regards Paddy