N Gauge Inspiration

I have been reading 'Making a Start in N Gauge' by Richard Bardsley and it has really started me thinking about a layout in a smaller scale. I inherited a load of N gauge track, rolling stock and locomotives from my grandfather about twenty years ago, which have since been sitting in a box in the loft gathering dust. The locomotives are all old Minitrix models but they are in as new condition, having rarely been used, including a 9F, a Britannia, a Deltic and an Ivatt 2MT. They are a bit dated and crude by modern standards but still nice models in their own right. I particularly like the 2MT, which I've been thinking could be the motive power behind a simple compact layout in N gauge.

I have plenty of Peco N gauge track and points, the majority of the latter being Setrack but with some Streamline medium radius points too, so I could easily create a simple scenic countryside branch line or an industrial shunting yard using the Ivatt 2-6-2 as the main locomotive. I also have several of the old Peco wagon and van kits that I collected ages ago, so could assemble them as the rolling stock, together with a handful of ready to run Graham Farish wagons that I inherited. I also have some scenic bits and bobs including tunnel portals, bridges and card building kits. In fact, apart from a controller, I have everything I could need to build a shelf style 'Inglenook' layout straight away.

It would be an excellent way to refresh my layout building skills and would cost virtually nothing in money or time. I could use one of the plans that I've developed for my OO gauge layouts or perhaps design something specifically around the track components that I have. I was thinking of a quarry or branch line theme but, to keep things simple, I may well just go for a generic industrial scene. There are some excellent low and full relief industrial buildings to download from Scalescenes as well, so I can practice my card modelling skills too.

It's just an idea at the moment but I think it might be a lot of fun!