Eric’s been in touch with his very British N gauge layout:
“Hi Al.
I thought members might like to see the update from the bare minimum in my previous video to the slightly revised and slowly taking shape layout.
Below is a plan showing the overall ( revised layout ) I have coloured the four tracks a little to show where they go and at what height.
Picture 1 shows what problem I have to work with, both my hands are more or less the same, the fingers shown are at full stretch and can’t be straightened. Working in N gauge means they have to fiddle sometimes for a long time before something gets done so building is slow progress but it keeps them working
Picture 2 Shows the old farm level with a few improvements above the helix to the right of the layout. Flower seller, larger pub/ B&B and the slightly altered building land now with floodlights so they can work at night (slave labour). Ignore the bodies on the road a bulldozer will bury them later after all it is a work in progress.
Picture 3. This is another view of the farm section.
Shows the slowly growing land around the helix area, of course this has got to be properly painted and sown with grass.
Shows the rest of the board with some covers temporally in place to take the village when I decide how I want it, on the video I showed the engine shed but decided that this would take up half the village space so decided to hide the three sidings in tunnels rather than have them open.
A long view back to the wall and a closer view of the main road that passes along the top of the village again a lot more trees and bushes to be sown there and I think the hot dog seller would enjoy more traffic and people visiting. The garages hide wiring I couldn’t conceal below the boards. The two back shelves there are both removable to get to the track below. I hope you like the progress to date.
Happy modelling folks.
Eric”
A big thanks to Eric for sharing his British N gauge. You can see his previous post here.
It’s all gone very quiet from our friends across the Atlantic, so please do keep ’em coming. In fact, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world…
And if you’re still sitting on the sidelines and looking for inspiration, you can get the Beginners Guide here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Looking Good. I have this Hot Dog Caravan.
I am building a 4×8 HO scale layout and would love to share my pics with what I have done so far. This layout will be for my grandkids. Where do I send my pictures?
You are doing a great job looksbgreat. Christian Tasmania
that is looking good. I see you have a major accident on the road with lots of people flat out and the driver didn’t even stop
Fantastic! ….. I’ve just retired at 62 and am about to embark on a Z gauge layout, my hands are working fine and I find it a fiddle, so I take my hat off to you sir for your determination and patience. Great layout, can’t wait to see the finished article.
Keith.
Eric, I struggle to work as neatly and consistently as that with two fully working hands, and even then I thought seriously about taking up stamp collecting instead the other night when trying to put some pointwork together that needed to have four plastic fishplates all lined up and engaging at once! Well done mate, Rod.
Could you PLEASE provide overall dimnsions? Thanks
bob
N scale handicapped. Great work with the disability. The people pileup must be a normal thing for layout’s. I have a bunch that lay around as well.Keep up the great work Eric. love to see more as you go. thanks.
I have to agree with what everyone else is saying. The pictures are fantastic. Once I get a bit further on with my layout, I’d like to share some pictures as well, if I knew how and where to send them
Yo Eric: My hands are both in fine shape but I wish my work was half as nice as yours. Great layout !!!!! Paul
Amazing work. Thanks for sharing
Very impressive track plan and scenery is looking great. I admire your tenacity, workmanship and patience. Hang in there.
Wayne – Pittsburgh
I like it, and will at some stage place pics of mine on here, no Laughter please. I have decided to make a section of my layout the Waterloo Station in the 1940 era, I can’t make it to scale because the length of platforms would be about 10ft, This is going to take quite some time and I’m already past my sell by date so watch this space!!
Hi Eric.
Well done, your layout achievement makes me envious!
It is obvious that your determination and patience has overcome more than just the normal ‘challenges’ of modelling, especially in small gauges. You should be congratulated and held as an example to us all.
BobT
Very inspirational! Well done! I really like the background – the washout effect looks very realistic.
Coming along nicely.
Hi Rod. Yes it is OK to do stamp collecting and model railroading. I have been collecting stamps for 60 years, and N gauge for almost 35 years. Old retired Bruce.
Hi all and thanks for you comments. Bob the layout is around 7 ft 6 ins by 4 ft 6 ins with the wall blocking straight lines and the reason for my helix which fits snuggly behind the wall. The backgrounds are Peco and look like real scenery rather than the photo backgrounds and a spring summer grass mix blends in well with them, or I think so. Send pictures in your e-mails to Al with a resume of your layout, it’s that easy but make sure the images are not too big or the e-mail may not get through. Hope this helps.
Eric (Leeds. West Yorkshire).
Excellent workmanship, Sir! To do what you do, with what you have been handed is absolutely amazing. Thank you for the inspiration!
For sending info or picture’s.Send them to Alastair. So send an email to Al and attach your work to the email and send.
Thanks for sharing with us…. can you tell me what the dimensions of your benchwork or table are.
Thanks, John Yuma, AZ USA
Eric. Fantastic layout. It looks huge and you’ve done a lot of work so far. I love the detail you’ve put in, including the people on the roadway!! Are you running all this on DCC? Would love to learn about your wiring.
Pete-San Jose U.S.
I am not certain I would have the strength of character to accomplish what you have done. I admire your tenacity and the what you have accomplished. I am not a model railroader, but I do enjoy seeing the work of others. Please continue on and remember that in disparity there is frequently strength available not given to others.
Excellent . Loved what you did with your layout. Go go to show what you can do with an idea and perseverance
Great work Eric You certainly have tenacity and patience. Most people would have thrown in the towel. I’m having trouble just with HO. Truth be told, I’m having trouble typing this reply. The Ol’ Sausage Fingers are slow to react (The wife says that the brain is even worse)……………………………………
……………………………………………….Fitz from near Phila PA. US.
wow wotta great little layout and the economy of space is just what i am planning too….in my studio apt….
I need to show my layout plan to Alistair
great post!!
keep em runnin fellas!!
quick question here fellas and Alistair
is there a website or softwear that does the graphics of the layout plan above..?
I would love to have that….if anybody knows
thanks
Mark StJohn from Long Beach Cal.
amazing
Eric, you are truly an inspiration. Just a thought: Assuming you own the house, would it not be possible to knock a tunnel through that intruding wall, even a small one so as not to affect its structural integrity? Great work and hope to see more as you get on. All the best
Great work Eric! I enjoyed your pictures and looking at your track layout. Thanks for sharing. Cheers Rossco Adelaide, Australia
Loves the builder’s portakabins next to the unfinished houses. 🙂
As someone else said, I struggle to build in 1:144, N, & 1:700 with two normal working hands, i duinno how you manage any of this!
Fantastic stuff, Ian. C, Tasmania.
From Eric
Unfortunately I am in a rented flat so can’t knock through the wall and I have had to keep everything so I can put the wardrobe back together when needed. The plan was basically drawn on Paint Shop Pro 8 which I prefer to use but there must be easier ways available. Pete I use analogue controls and do basic wiring under the boards as required no high tech work involved anyone can do it. Thank you all for your kind comments and hopefully I will try update in a month or two.
Hi Eric, great layout and fare size too, I had one like yours where you crawl under neath and up though the middle, but it was to much for me ended up in hospital. Well got a horse shoe shape now layout far easy now just walk to the centra. I work with n gauge and have done for 50 yrs now, don’t need a lot of space where 16 X 12 would taken the ground floor of this house. In OO that is, well you keep the good work coming, it does help you to relax more I think, well works for me. You take care now. Roy
Brilliant, I couldn’t do this with two good hands. One question, what software or method did Eric use to produce the layout diagram (Picture 1)?
Great work you have managed there Eric , not easy in N scale and then problems with your hand , so top marks all round …Dangerous Dave
Hi Eric – Great job on the progress with your layout. Kudos to you for all you planned and accomplished; especially given your somewhat uncooperative hands. I too work in N scale and even without any physical restrictions the work is a best time consuming and sometimes downright frustrating. Look forward to seeing your continued progress. Arnie
Excellent work!
Note: One of the best modelers I ever knew had hands that trembled like a leaf in a gale… He scratchbuilt everything… His models were in HO scale but many of his work pieces bordered on the microscopic…. Wish I had pictures to share…
I just plain do not have the patience or fine motor skills…
My work is a lot like I measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, and cut with an axe…. Not intentionally! It is just my perception of the result!
John
Brilliant work Eric, it is very nice to see a “work in progress” item and it will be just great to see some more pictures in a few months time. You have set yourself very high standards and I, for one, applaud you loudly. Well done indeed. Would be good also to see a video when you get some train movements organised.
Best wishes. Norman (UK).