Marylebone in N Gauge

[Marke]

Finding my way through the process to create a new topic so apologies if this hasn’t worked quite as it should - and further apologies if some of the photos are upside down. Anyway I thought I would post a few photos of my N Gauge model of Marylebone Station (and bolt on layout that loops trains back to the station, provides a continuous run and provides a connection to off layout storage sidings). This Model has in fact been 30 years in the making when the main station building was scratch built out of plasticard. The station concourse roof and train shed roof are all more recent - built in the past 5 years, and making heavy use of laser cut trusses which were cut for me out of plastic by York Model Making.  The layout was original built with DC control but I switched to DCC 5 or so years ago. That was much easier to do than I feared, and through the use of two automatic polarity changers (by Lens and Tam Valley), has transformed the operation of the layout which includes a couple of return loops to return trains back to Marylebone station.  
 

Lots of detailing work still to do but all ‘baseboard space’ is now covered. I also need to tackle a coupe of significant rolling stock projects, most significantly a 4 car class 115 high density DMU which I hope to build by cutting/shutting Dapol class 121/122 bubble cars.  

[montyburns56]

I've corrected your pictures as I've always been fascinated about Marylebone ever since it was a Plan Of The Month in the Railway Modeller in the 80s and I wanted to see what you'd done without straining my neck. I'd love to model it even in its "boring" 70's 80's guise when it was mostly just filled with 117 DMUs as I love the atmosphere of medium sized urban termini stations.

[Marke]

Thanks for rotating the photos  - and sorry it just wasn’t obvious to me how to do it.

 

I choose Marylebone because it’s one of the few London termini thats’ real life size makes its model-able. I was also drawn to its general decrepitness which I am yet to reflect in my model. In fact I have applied a general dose of Network Southeast to lift it from the pure ‘blue grey’ era.

 

My track plan reflects the pre 1980s resignalling layout although I have added two additional platforms before  Chiltern Railways did this for real in the mid 2000’s.

 

Mark

[TravisM]

I tried N gauge but I couldn’t get on with it, this is awesome work and love to see more of the layout.

[Reinder]

Looks great. 

 

Do you have a trackplan of your layout? It really looks interesting for my space

[Marke]

Hi Reinder 

 

The layout was originally designed to fit in a small  ‘box-room’ bedroom but now has a larger home. The main dimensions of the core area as photographed are 6ft by 8ft, with an 8ft extension that accommodates a 13 track storage yard and return loop. I don’t have a fancy ‘templot’ style track plan but I will have a go at photographing a pen and ink  drawing made 30 years ago and loading that to this site  - hope you don’t mind waiting until the weekend. 
 

Mark
 

 

[Reinder]

Thank you, 

 

I have the time, because i am still in doubt of how i want my layout. But is has the same shape as your layout 

[Marke]

Hello.  Please see attached photo of the track plan (I’ve used the colour version showing power sections as this has photographed better).  The light blue / pink tracks Immediately ‘beyond’ the station form a return loop that sits on a board below the station   - as drawn in the middle of the plan. I have also attached a photo of the storage sidings that aren’t properly captured on the track plan.

[Marke]

And here are just a few more photos. I still can’t see any means of rotating these so apologies if a few are wrongly orientated. 

[Reinder]

Many thanks, i really like the round bit, you did a awesome job on it! 

[Revolution Ben]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for sharing.   I like the whole concept, but I am particularly impressed with how you’ve blended the scenery Into the photographic backdrop.

 

And the tracklaying in the station throat is very impressive too!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[Chris M]

A great looking project all round, well done.

[porkie]

Wow that is a stunning layout you have built. Always nice to see what can be done in N gauge. 

 

Keep the updates coming 

 

Phil 

[macketty]

Hi. Really like the layout. Very impressive. A trivial question if I may: where did you get the hydraulic buffer stops from? They look just what my father needs for his layout, but can't seem to find anywhere.

 

Thanks, Mac.

[montyburns56]

Wow, you can really appreciate the work that has gone into the buildings and bridges with these new pictures!

[Marke]

Thanks for the positive feedback - much appreciated 

 

To Macketty : regarding the hydraulic buffers, they were scratchbuilt using different diameter brass and plastic tubing, wrapped around a super large pin ( I picked up a box of 100 from John Lewis haberdashery dept). Higher res photo of these buffers attached plus a photo of some of the components I still have in my spares box. By the way the NSE ticket booth was also scratchbuilt, from plastic card. 

[jonhinds]

On 05/07/2020 at 21:14, Marke said:

Thanks for the positive feedback - much appreciated 

 

To Macketty : regarding the hydraulic buffers, they were scratchbuilt using different diameter brass and plastic tubing, wrapped around a super large pin ( I picked up a box of 100 from John Lewis haberdashery dept). Higher res photo of these buffers attached plus a photo of some of the components I still have in my spares box. By the way the NSE ticket booth was also scratchbuilt, from plastic card. 

Ingenious! I’ve just started a small layout of Bradford Interchange in N and was wondering how to model its hydraulic buffers. Problem solved.
 

Stunning layout overall and tons of atmosphere.

[macketty]

Sorry for the slow response Marke. Thanks for the reply. I'll need to see if  i can make some like yours then for dad! He's 87 and even in his younger days (when his eyesight wasn't so bad) he was no great scratchbuilder, so it's either straight out of the box or I make it!

 

Mac

[Kris]

Very inventive use of pins.

[Cowley 47521]

On 05/07/2020 at 21:14, Marke said:

Thanks for the positive feedback - much appreciated 

 

To Macketty : regarding the hydraulic buffers, they were scratchbuilt using different diameter brass and plastic tubing, wrapped around a super large pin ( I picked up a box of 100 from John Lewis haberdashery dept). Higher res photo of these buffers attached plus a photo of some of the components I still have in my spares box. By the way the NSE ticket booth was also scratchbuilt, from plastic card. 

Excellent Marke. It’s a really interesting layout and I love those hydraulic buffers.

[DavidMcKenzie]

Just stumbled across this after seeing your post of the NSE 321. Sounds like a brilliant project👍. Fingers crossed that rmweb is updated so that the old photos are viewable before took long, I'm looking forward to seeing it. 

All the best,

Dave