Do YOU collect or model in British N Gauge ?

[ThePurplePrimer]

I am curious to know how many RMWeb members are modelling in Britsh N gauge (9mm 1:148) and what periods / regions you are modelling in.

Please click all the relevant options that you actively model or collect in.

Please feel free to add an additional comments below if you would like to.

[ThePurplePrimer]

Thanks to everyone for the replies so far

 

It might be interesting to know why you chose your period / region so why not add a comment below ?

[58herbie]

I've modeled just one n gauge loco which I run on my father's layout. I chose the particular model a Farish J39 in LNER livery as I wanted to create the type of locomotive and coaches that ran over the Carlisle to Silloth line. The coaches are Gresley 51'1 teaks. The loco has sound and lights fitted along with crew.

[njee20]

Modern here. Because that's where my interests lie. Nowt more to it than that!

[Black Sheep]

I've picked LMS & Early BR as my layout is set in 1948 so a mix of the two, usually LMS

[johnlambert]

Mostly 1960s BR Western Region based on the Leamington/Stratford area.  But also more recent stuff that ran in the area and a little post-war GWR stuff and early BR liveries. 

[jpendle]

In the late Eighties I modelled BR Blue/Grey, which was what was brand new at the time, then I had a hiatus for 20 years until the kids were grown and we moved to the US. Suddenly I had a large railway room in the basement and I started again, I still model the same era, which is up to date EWS, FL, Northern Rail, etc. I just turned 54 and have NO recollection of steam even though I was brought up in the North West. It's always been contemporary modelling for me.

 

John P

[Vanders]

Your periods are a little bit broad: 1969 - 1997 includes eveything from pre-TOPS Blue to Sectorisation! However, I model (or would be modelling if I had more time right now) mid-60's to early-70's BR Western Region. Although I do have a soft spot for BR Swallow livery (especially on Mk2's) and I may model MR/LMS or 50's BR Midland Region in future...

[ThePurplePrimer]

Thanks again for the 'votes'

 

I am especially surprised how few of you are modelling the Big Four

[BernardTPM]

I started in N around 1980 when the normal 00 loco was either tender drive or, if a diesel, had just one power bogie with a few pick-ups at the other end. By contrast the new Farish diesels were all wheel drive, all-wheel pick-up, in my case supplemented by Bachmann US mechs of similar configuration under a variety of bodies, converted, kit and scratch. I found I could get N Gauge diesels to run more reliably and smoothly as well as get a really decent layout in eight foot. I went to then contemporary Corporate blue (well, near contemporary as I set the date at 1978). That made painting (basic airbrush) fairly simple - blue with yellow ends and wagons in brown or grey. Farish blue/grey coaches were fine as they were (at least by the contemporary standards). At the time it was also quite unusual.

[ThePurplePrimer]

It is starting to look like we have a clear 'leader' in eras

 

In general do you find yourself fortunate that there is good trade support for your chosen era or would you say the era you model in was (is) influenced by what is available in from the trade ?

[andy stroud]

Three years ago I made the unusual step of changing down from EM gauge to N gauge. There were two main reasons. Firstly, I  wanted to  run long trains along a main line and at the time I was limited to shortish branch line trains in EM. Secondly, over the last few years the quality of N gauge locos and stock had improved massively with several locos being retooled so quite convincing trains could be made up.

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hello,

 

My grandfather had an N gauge layout and as a small child I was fascinated. Fast forward to my adulthood and I decided to go N. For me it has always been about what I see around me, so the contemporary scene. This goes from the start of EWS to present day. I also have tentative plans for a layout mixing maroon and blue-grey stock as I remember from my very young days.

 

Although I quite like steam locos in reality, in model terms I find diesels and electrics are far more effective in N than steam engines; probably because of the lack of smoke/steam/vapour etc. The only steam engine I have is Tornado (well two, actually, in different liveries) though I think I may well acquire one or two more as steam specials are always popular on our exhibition layout.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[railsquid]

BR Blue with some early sectorisation is my main British orientation, because that's what I grew up with, but developing a bit of transition era interest.

[Black Sheep]

It is starting to look like we have a clear 'leader' in eras

 

In general do you find yourself fortunate that there is good trade support for your chosen era or would you say the era you model in was (is) influenced by what is available in from the trade ?

 

It changes from year to year from what I can see with the big four, there aren't any LMS black 5's to be easily had at the moment as far as I can tell but the Jubilee was released last year. You have to get things when they become available. 

 

Personally, having been born in 1984 I don't remember steam other than family days out to steam railways, granddad's shed and model railway exhibitions. 

 

For my 10th birthday I got a 00 set and as my dad did LMS in 00 I did likewise so I could borrow stock (my brother started on GWR in N as stock was more available for the Western) 

After switching across to N as a student I still had a view of British Rail coming in and destroying the railways (not sure where I picked that up from) otherwise I'd have gone for early BR and done the 50's - too much stock to do so now otherwise I would. 

[F-UnitMad]

I have voted, but really on behalf of my 12-yr old lad, who likes N Gauge & mostly steam at that. He's not too fussed about Eras yet but is heavily influenced by many visits to Heritage lines, so has a leaning to GWR & BR steam. The layout we are (slowly) building together is either a steam-era branch terminus or the HQ of a modern preserved line.

My own N modelling was 20+ years ago in American outline, which is beyond the scope of this Poll anyway!! Now I model in O; handling my lad's N stock is a chilling reminder that I'm not far off needing some reading glasses I have a secret N loco of my own; a Dapol D63xx, D6320 which he doesn't know about!! If - or hopefully when - Dapol see sense & do it in O Scale, my lad can have this one....

[ozwarrior]

I am really 00 so didn't vote but have a couple of modern trains so I can support my fellow club members. They are a minority and I think it's nice to be supportive. (Pats himself on the back!)

Les

[Edge]

My N gauge collection is les specific thn my oo gauge collection and comprises bits and pieces from anything available in RTR form. So pre grouping terriers rub shoulders with Northern Rail 153 class locos and Class 66's on silver bullet expresses

[sammyboy]

I'm a 'Modern Image' N Gauge modeller, having converted from OO gauge around 8 years ago.

 

Even though the majority of my collection is diesels, I do also own a couple of favourite steam engines (Mainly those that I have travelled behind on preserved lines) to be used as on charter specials on the layouts I build.

 

Sam

[Zunnan]

My primary interest is the ex-Midland lines of BR set around 1958-60, the club layout is built to represent 1948-1960. Although to be honest the only real difference with earlier than '48 is the size of the turntable and the paint job applied to the grounded coach body outside, which keeps the LMS boys happy. My home layout (if you can call a half built mess such) is again ex-Midland will be set in the Peak during the transition to diesel, though I intend to stock it to operate up to the mid '80s (had Barbra Castle not had her way), so it'll cover 1960 to around 1987.

[Karhedron]

I am especially surprised how few of you are modelling the Big Four

 

From a practical point of view, it is only recently that authentic pre-nationalisation coaching stock has become available (and usually only a single family of vehicles so far). The GWR and SR are lucky to have both pre-war and post-war patterns of stock available (although the Bulleids are technically BR I suppose).

 

Big 4 modelling limits you to quite a restricted pallet in N gauge (more so than 00). The transition era retained much of the Big-4 character (at least until modernisation started to bite) but with a bit more variety. Regional types being supplemented with Mk1 stock and BR standard steamers.

 

My own modelling period is nationalisation until the early 60s. This means I can run my modest selection of GWR stock alongside early crest BR offerings. Moving forward 10 years, I can run the early crest stuff alongside late crest steam. 5 years further forward and I can run late crest steam alongside early green diesels. I justify this with the explanation that my station buildings were painted in BR(WR) colours shortly after nationalisation and thereafter little changed until the end of steam.

[ukpepsi]

I model the transition era in N gauge (& in 00), mostly Scottish based themes.

 

I do like the new (green) Diesels, but still need to have a few steam locos to run, so this time period covers most of the stuff that I like.

 

If I can manage prototypical trains, so much the better, but I still hold fast to the maxim that it is my model and will run it if I wish and I have fun doing so.

 

Pepsi

[alibuchan]

I now only model present day with a rather heavy lean towards the WCML and OHLE electrics partly because a few years ago we lost a club member who had a large proportion of the stock for our layout Kinlet Wharf. So started the task of rebuilding our stock levels. I have recently go rid of my BR Western region steamers as I was never going to build the layout that I had planned.

[Hesperus]

I mostly model in 0 but have a little collection of stock for an unfinished 60's layout set near Glasgow.  It's based on a CJF plan for 6x4 in 00 so is a bit of a trainset really.

[ParkeNd]

N gauge Forest of Dean - Severn and Wye Valley Railway. Period - 1908 to present day. I have faithfully modelled Parkend but have bent time to include the track plan, services, and buildings I like most.

 

Why? It's local for me to visit, photograph and research. I scratch build all my buildings.