N Gauge Railway Modelling

I recently decided I needed a hobby away from the computer. When I was a boy I created a OO Gauge model railway layout in my bedroom on shelving one foot deep around the entire room with a removable section across the door. My dear old Dad helped me with the shelving but I created the layout and all the added accessories myself. It was a double track layout with sidings, two stations, moulded cuttings made from gyproc coving adhesive and a tunnel. I made many buildings from card kits, had a road system, farm and a helicopter pad with working helicopter (well the blades were motorised but it didn't fly). I also completely lit the layout with small lampposts and Christmas fairy light bulbs.

When my sons were younger, I created a smaller OO Gauge layout for them and me to enjoy, which included many of the locomotives, coaches and accessories from my own childhood layout but on a single board which could be slid under their bunk beds.

Now much older but still a boy at heart I thought that I would give railway modelling another go. Not having so much space I decided that N Gauge might be better as it is roughly half the size of OO Gauge.

I have now bought a Graham Farish junior starter set to get the size required for my baseboard. I plan to start building the actual layout when the weather gets a bit warmer as I will be creating it in the garage on a pasting table. In the meantime I am creating some model buildings from card kits and my own scratch built creations.

So far I have built the Metcalfe PN109 N Gauge card kit red brick style station buildings and the platform kit . I created my own newspaper kiosk, benches and telephone boxes seen in the photos below.

Some careful water colour brush work covers the white corners shown when the card is bent. I also made the steps up to the station as none were included with the platform kit. Close up photos don't really do N Gauge justice as the models viewed in real size by the naked eye give a much better impression. Zoomed in photos seem to just highlight errors and glue streaks :)