David41283 Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Right, here goes again I have spent the last 6 months building 'Bere Newton' (can be seen here on this site "Somewhere very small in Devon"). in my normal 00 using DCC. This has gone really well, and I am pleased with the result, but finally getting a layout somewhere near completion has made me realise that my enjoyment of model railways is from the planning, building and making it work rather than playing with the finished article! Bere Newton is entirely self-contained in a space of 170cm (L) x 45cm (D) x 45cm (H), but it is not what you'd call small or portable now it has taken place in our spare room. Given that I can't conceivably get much smaller in 00 and I'd ideally like a really portable layout I am considering N Gauge for the first time. Living in a normal house with a young family a railway room is out of the question, and I fear many of our guests may be somewhat surprised to have a model railway as the main item of furniture in their room! Having never done 2mm before, it is a big decision, as I'd be selling much of my 00 stock and ideally the layout to raise funds and make space. In my minds eye I have a tiny 2mm version of the classic urban terminus - a shrunk version of the famous Newcastle Haymarket or Oldham King Street layouts. I think you could get this on a DIY store/Ikea shelf, which would make it easily carry-able around the house and a bit more inconspicuous! With nice urban scenery, working colour light signals and plenty of different DMUs and the odd shunter this could be an interesting layout. I would hopefully extend one of the two kick-back sidings into a warehouse or parcels depot for added interest. I would aim to build a geographically and chronologically vague urban layout so I could use both the grimy DMUs from my own interest in railways as a child of the 80's and today's colourful sprinters/turbos etc. However I am mulling over the following.... DC or DCC - I have thoroughly enjoyed using DCC recently, but in hindsight I missed the satisfaction of pressing a button on a control panel to change the points and signals, I also wonder whether DCC has as much to offer in 2mm vs 4mm? Actually how long is 2mm stock? Does anyone know where I may find a spec of how long a 2mm sprinter is for instance? I could do with this info for track planning and buying a £100 DMU seems an extravagant way of researching this! Does anyone have a good design for a fiddle-yard cassette in 2mm scale? and finally - a really daft question that has bugged me for years - how do you shunt in n scale? I have never used rapidos! How do they work? Is it possible to uncouple remotely or do you have to do it manually? Are there alternatives? I have seen numerous n-scale termini and a couple of goods yards so this must be possible! Thanks as ever, looking forward to the helpful replies. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoover50008 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Damn had my eye on Bere Newton for the Plymouth Show next year. E Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash39 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I too made the switch from 00 to N - keeping just a few 00 items for sentimental reasons (and just incase I go back!) 23m scales out at around 150mm, so 2 car sprinters are around 300mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt-b Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Hello If you go on ehattons website, have a look at the dmu`s on there. They have rulers up against most there models which is a helpful. Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyboy Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Dapol have recently introduced magnetic couplings for N guage models so you might want to investigate them if you want to do a lot of shunting. And if you are interested in 80s DMUs then this is good time to start as a number of online retailers are currently selling them at them at almost half price! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48728-Dapol-easi-shunt-magnetic-couplings-in-n/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Thanks for the replies, my mind is far from made up, but I'm itching to build a new layout!! I have somewhat lost momentum with my current layout now the last few jobs are a bit mundane and not very interesting. I had read elsewhere to allow 6in/15cm per coach/loco in N, so this is what I've been thinking of in my planning. I reckon on a 120cm/4ft standard shelf I could have a 45cm fiddle yard, 45cm platforms and a whole 30cm journey between the two! This would allow for 150+153 or similar or a few vans delivered to a warehouse by a loco. I have been planning a few drafts in Anyrail and Xtrackcad so will post some ideas soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Damn had my eye on Bere Newton for the Plymouth Show next year. E Wow - I'm very flattered - thank you. Not sure exhibiting is for me though. (but I did enjoy a quick whizz round the Plymouth show with my son this year!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Hi David, Here's a few answers to your questions, Like Matt has already posted Hattons photograph most of there stock next to a ruler which makes measuring easy. Shunting, I have been using the Dapol Knuckle couplings for a while now and would highly recommend them. I can't help with the cassette as i don't use them. Cheers Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt-b Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I look forward to seeing your plans, 45 cm does seem tight though so be interested to see what you do. I`ve just measured on my layout and my head shunt is about 11" in length, which is just about long enough to allow a 66 to run round a train. Have you ever considered doing anything along this lines? http://www.osbornsmodels.com/peco-setrack-oo-plan-33---a-china-clay-terminal-based-on-meeth-n-devon-22431-p.asp Its a good way of making small layouts look bigger. Matt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBountyHunter Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I am also building an N gauge layout loosely based on Oldham Kings St, will be interested to see your version of it! mine is a board 39" x 8" For shunting in N gauge i think Dapol magnetics are the way forward Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Here is a quick sketch of what's in mind, done on Anyrail using code 80 templates. Each square is 5cm overall size is 120cm x 20cm. This is based on the classic Newcastle Haymarket layout, but with one of the loco spurs extended into a warehouse/factory. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammyboy Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I also went down the same road as you changing from OO to N a few years back (around 2008-09) and still haven't finished my layout (if a layout is ever classed as "finished"?) which is bigger than your plan, but still a reasonably compact one for a small space in my bedroom. I hope you enjoy the scale change like I have done. Sam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 Right - decision made! I'm going 'N' Just put loads of interesting things on eBay - including Bere Newton and much of the stock. My eBay account is under Davidrd816 if anyone is interested. Will update on track plans and progress once funds have been received and "reinvested". Thinking modern image (1990 - present) city terminus with a couple of industries with sidings and a small stabling point - all in 4x1. Lots of sprinters and diesels. I am inspired by Smithdown Road Junction and Embankment Road TMD on this forum. NB -sorry if I'm not allowed to plug my own eBay account on here. No offence intended. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I am really getting into planning my n gauge layout, here is the updated plan. The overall length is still only 4ft, but I have decided not to try and incorporate the fiddle yard into the footprint. I have expanded the original design, each grid square is 6" or approximately one long coach/loco. The two platforms can take a double sprinter. The kick back siding now disappears into a warehouse and into the fiddle yard to allow a couple of wagons to disappear inside. The bit of track on it's own is going to be the DCC programming track - I thought if I was going to have one, it could protrude into the scenic area to be the headshunt of an imaginary yard or stabling point where a loco could sit. The plan is to build cassettes, having only 6" of fiddle yard actually on the board maximises space, whilst providing a solid platform for cassette docking. This means the layout can still only be 4x1 but I can make the most of what little space is available. Still aiming to build a 'modern image' layout with enough creative license to get away with anything from approx 1990 to present. The trains are similar: passenger services are 1,2,3 or 4 car combinations of various DMUs. Relief passenger in 1990s would be a 31/37 with mark 2's, in the present the same coaches with a 67. Freight will be various vans/cargo waggons for the warehouse and some departmental stock - in the 1990's hauled 37's/47's in the present 66's. I reckon I can probably get away with the same run-down 08 as pilot for both eras! Will start building in the next month once all my selling/fund raising has finished!! Comments and suggestions welcome. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 Hi David, Looks like a good plan you have there, plenty of scope for loco movements and a useful platform size, if you can squeeze 4 mk2's plus a loco i reckon your onto a winner. If you take a look at Bexham (my brothers layout that i'm building) the whole scenic section is in 2' 9'', and that will take 4 mk2's plus a loco either end. Glad my layout is inspiring you as well, look forward to your progress. Cheers Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 Could do with some advice here.. There seem to be a lack of DCC ngauge layouts around, is this because the benefits are less at the smaller size? I am in two minds. Should I reuse my NCE powercab, accessory decoder etc, OR buy a gaugemaster control unit, which has a 16v supply for the points and a 12v supply for signals and lights built in. ( this is a genuine issue for me - fewer plugs I need on a portable layout the better!) Secondly DCC points in n scale. In 00 I have modified the points as per the usual advice, soldering the links and switching the frog. Despite using my best soldering I have always managed to melt a few sleepers along the way! I am therefore somewhat nervous of attempting the same in n! What do most n guage modellers do? Do you fully modify your points or just switch the frogs without bonding the stock rails too. I have also seen some of my favourite n gauge layouts even use insulfrog points - is this a more viable option in N than larger scales? Thanks for the help advice in advance Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted October 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2013 Amongst 2mFS modellers DCC is quite popular seems to give better control. You should take a look at the threads in Special Interests 2mm Finescale for some inspiring layouts. Some of the members of the 2mmSA still model in N gauge but find the advice and inspiration useful. I myself have started a very small 2mm layout which I can take in the motorhome currently building trackwork but progress has been stalled whilst drawing up plans for the builders to update our bungalow. Your plans look quite feasible . Try looking for BCNPete's blogs on here for some small 2mm layouts. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 Thanks for the interest everyone. The layout being discussed here, has become one layer of my new project - I've started a thread here. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Nice plans David... cheers neil.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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