Barry’s been in touch with his N gauge layout:
“My entry into railway modeling started in 1978 or so, and I built a large N gauge layout in a shed along side my house.
I began with stock from Graham Farish, items that were then made in Poole, Dorset, but after a while found the locos were very noisy unreliable and not very well detailed.
So my allegiance changed to Fleischmann, Arnold and Roco.
My layout covered the whole shed 8 x 5, and was quite involved with relays electric points a turntable and lots of scenic details and could be left to run itself with a large double loop and a shuttle end to end station.
After marrying in 1980, we began to raise a family and the shed along side to house had to be pulled down to make way for an extension. And so ended my involvement with model railways, until years later when because English outline was becoming more detailed with better motors, I once again got the urge to build a new layout and try out the latest offerings by Bachmann.
Meadow Falls
I started building this layout after reading a book on model railway layouts by C J Freezer and although not quite the same is roughly modeled on one of his designs.
The size is 6’ x 2’6” and is built in the usual way with 2 x 1 battens and Sundeala board screwed in place on top.
It consist of a small terminus station (by Metcalf) and has an engine shed, turntable, signal cabin (Ratio) three sidings, one for coal and one with a cattle dock (Ratio) a line that heads out towards a fiddle yard (as yet unbuilt). And it is roughly based on a small West Country town.
The track is by Kato with electric points, and the turntable works via a small-motorized unit run via a Graham Farish controller.
The landscape is made up from polystyrene covered in grass matting in places and various Woodland scenic products. It is not based on any particular place.
I called my N gauge layout Meadow Falls because it has a small waterfall emerging from a meadow at the top of a hill at the rear of the layout and cascades down to ground level in a small pond, near the engine shed.
The town meanwhile is situated around the station with a few shops, a Bank and a Square with a Tearoom (all by Metcalf) and is illuminated throughout.
At present it operated by DC but my hope is that I can one day convert it to DCC.
As yet I haven’t built a Fiddle yard as I don’t seem to have the room to accommodate it hence that is another reason I would like it to be DCC so that I would be able to operate more than one engine at a time without all the extra wiring.
Most of my railway stock is either Graham Farish, Dapol and I have one Union Mills loco, and over the years have collected a vast amount of rolling stock together with all the 30 year old Fleischmann/Arnold stock some of which still runs very well to this day, not to mention the fact that most of the German locos have front and rear lights as well as most of the carriages with interior lighting. A fact that I can’t quite get to grips with, as Farish even now does not make lighting for carriages and their Locos are only now getting the detail that the German models had all that time ago.
Vehicles are Oxford and R Parkers together with some Shire Scenes brass etched ones.
Barry”
N gauge layout:
N gauge layout:
Thanks to Barry foe sharing his N gauge layout, some stunning pics there!
I enjoyed every one of them – and you do know they are clickable too? If you want to enlarge any of the pics, just click on them.
For me, the layouts that have a strong theme always look the best – I think it’s so important. Barry’s done an excellent job.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today is the day you decide you’re not just going to sit on the sidelines, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here. Still updated everyday.
Wow! What an inspiring layout! Well done!
Nice layout you have built there Barry ..well done
I think you have a gift, we’ll done, such a good layout.
Fantastic! What I really like about it is that it has an English theme and it’s very detailed. Especially the engine house. I could go on more, but I want to look more first.
We’re very impressed with your scenery and the integrated backdrop.
– Bullfrog in Ontario
Stunning indeed! Those landscapes are incredible!! Well done!!!
wow that is nice.Love the grass.I as well could go on about it.Well done.
It is great to see such a high degree of model making. I can only imagine the hours of work and patience that went in to this magnificent layout! Well Done.
Lovely done!
Since you’re on n with old(er) loco’s you may want to get help with the conversion to DCC.
Do measure current consumption before adding a decoder. n-scale decoders can typically handle between 500 and 700 mA.
I have some old Arnold loco’s that easiliy take 1A current!
Luckily there are modern dc motors available for most of them.
Amazing!
I like the layout a lot, but is it my imagination (or perspective) that the rolling stock is not at the same scale as the building(s)? Otherwise, terrific!
Hello Barry.
You have built a very impressive layout! I live in the central USA, but have always been interested in British railways, houses and landscape. You have inspired me to finally start construction on a small n-scale layout. I would really like to see an overall view of your entire layout, and wonder if you have even a rough sketch of the track plan you could include. (Alastair Lee: could you please supply my email address to Barry?)
Kind regards, Ralph.
great layout with excellent detail.!!!
keep on runnin…..!!
Nice! I really like your “paying attention of small details”. Good work. Art Gibson
.
WOW!! I did the layout for my father inlaw, all “O” scale and it turned out nice. Now I want to do my own in “N” scale. Looking at your layout gives me some ideas of just how much space I need! You have a bunch of very fine detail in a small space (compared to my fathers “O” scale). I like that!!! Kudos for a fantastic job.
Fabulous layout. Keep up the good work. Love the detail that you’ve put into it.
Amazing detail, great work.
Superb.
Great looking layout! But as all of this is packed into only 72″x 30″, I’d love
to see a picture of the entire board to judge size and the relation of all
the sections pictured here to each other. Thanks.
Well done Barry, really nice layout with great attention to detail. Colin.
Very good! I cant believe the detail!!!
Awesome. I especially like the downtown with the city block occupied by a single structure. The lite bicycle light really cook!
Charles from Kansas
The detailing is superb
Hi Barry – the layout is very attractive and well thought out. Love the countryside theme. The backdrops are well suited to the scenes and blend in perfectly. Nice job.
Arnie
Nice layout you have Barry
Fantastic layout, really well done. I am building my own N gauge layout at the moment and this gave me some ideas, already have a Metcalf station and several other building by them.
THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL LAYOUT.
Fantastic detail. Also very colorful.
Hi Barry,
WoW! Nice job, I forgot how much one culd place into an N-Scale Layout, as I’ve been contemplating building a layout, as I left the hobby in the early 80’s, like yourself. Well I want to thank you for assisting me to make a decision about my future reinvolvement with this hobby. As I like you was very much involved in this hobby back in the 70’s, but my lack of free time due to my family and the establishing of my career and business, I slowly saw my Hobby loose out. But over the past few months I’ve been reading all those old books from the 70’s, about all the aspects of the commencment stages, of the hobby. But after reading your email to Al and veiwing all the photos, I decided to put the books down and go to my local Bunnings store (Hardware) for some benchwork material, pls other bits and pieces to get me started, so thanks for the kick in the A—, I needed.
Stemar, (Downunder)
Nice to see you are back in British outline – and with an excellebt layout too. Where did you get the cleretories? nice sceneics and buildings too. You really wouold be a loss to the hobby. great work.
Speak to you soon Barry W
Great job blending the backdrop in with the reset of your layout
Jeff
Nicely done and I like all the detailed that
you put on the layout. Great Job!
Bob Mamie USA
Where is the pub? Great layout, and wonderful modeling.
What a great layout. You’ve done a wonderful job.
Jack in PA
Love your layout. You’ve done a great job with blending your background into the rest of the scenery. Also the attention to details is very nice.
Smashing job Barry. Quite inspirational.
Yes Alastair, these are clickable.
Not sure what happened with the 2 previous posts
Outstanding!
Weldon looks fantastic I’m working on road and rail layout
Hi, Barry,
So glad you shared your beautiful n scale RR and town,etc. Wedding in the churchyard is a real nice touch. As well, the waterfall… Your scenery’s great and your backdrop fits perfect. This is certainly an incentive to me, in the planning stages of my mini n scale layout.
Ramsey (Colorado, USA)
Hi Barry,
Al said it was stunning and he was right on point. Wonderful blend of background into the life in Meadow Falls. Loved digging into the scenes to see what is there. Loved the smoke coming from the chimneys. Wonderful job.
Mn Dan
Hi Barry, Great work! I’m interested in the engine house building that you have on the layout. What is the source and would there be one available in HO gauge?
Wow that’s an awesome layout i like how you made the houses and the landscape blend in with the background of the moutains very very cool!!!!! Very in inspiring makes me want start making mine. Thanks for sharing the pics and the story Chris
Very well made Thanks for showing.
Loverly to see English countryside so well represented. You have captured the essence brilliantly. Excellent work.
Extremely well done. It looks like a beer delivery wagon in front of the church. Thanks for the inspiration. Cheers! NJ Mark
A truly beautiful and balanced lifescape! Broad scenes, and delicate details to be studied everywhere. …and tucked away in a corner near the church, a leader quietly mentoring a young scout is observed by another young lad.
Beautiful layout Barry. I’m impressed by how much detail you’ve been able to create in N scale. Your modeling of the English countryside and the lovely backdrops look so idyllic it almost makes me want to live there.
Exceptional attention to detail well done Barry an inspiration
Looking good.
An absolute beauty!
Looks great, I like it.
I like how it’s busy, but not crowded and cramped. That’s hard to do planning.
Barry’s description of his fine layout does not mention the church, but it is remarkably like the All Saints Church (circa 900) in Cawood, Yorkshire, and I would like to model it. Do you sell such, or can anyone advise me of a source for a kit like this(presuming that it was not scratchbuilt)?
Nicely done. As was noted several times, the background blends really well with the hard scape. Thanks for sharing.
Jim AZ
Barry Alistair says stunning I say awe inspiring. Great great layout.
awesome workmanship
Too many look what I’ve done or what I’m going to do’s today… These photo’s today say ENGLAND, Everything with this RR is just not seen in USofA. (this country my worst nightmare these days). Museum quality, can’t distinguish between actual operations and backdrop, maybe that 1 square corner lol. The circa- buildings especially are mind boggling and autos just aren’t seen here with the RR’s. We have little plastic body, windowless and plastic wheel wonders for N scale.
Isn’t it grass always greener other side of fence. This entire blog seems to of transformed into very high quality presentations, great to see what’s really out there. Yes, thought too I saw everything… stand corrected. Humility a really good trait to retain.
Regards Again, Rich
Beautiful Detail and great pictures of a fantastic layout. I love it.
i really like this layout. i have ho and n scale. i wish i could do some of these things, my habds wont let me, arthritis. i always wanted a z scale, just couldnt afford it. the last i check the ebgine alone was 200+
Wonderful attention to detail in the various “scenes” on this layout.
Beautiful layout Barry- you’ve packed a great deal into a small space without making it look overcrowded or unrealistic. Your modeling skills are excellent and I love the way you blended animosity background into the foreground scenery. Excellent work!
Nice layout, excellent detailing
Beautifully done, Barry! Such a nice walk through “anywhere” in the UK. Enjoyed it. I love your sidewalks and road beds. Would like you to show us your system.
Nancy, newly of Lilliwaup
Wow!!!Great job on the layout and the scenery well done !!!