Grahame wrote:--------------- Presumably you mean they are not built with modern materials and techniques and to the latest quality standards?
--------------------------------However, it would be interesting to hear feedback and suggestions as to how it (the building of a new generation of better N gauge layouts) can be encouraged and achieved.
G.
Dear Grahame,
Yes to the first point. It does look as though the NGS Journal is still short of modern material at the moment.
On the wider question about how to suggest to a new generation that they build a new and better generation of N gauge layouts. I think that the following points have influenced me, and I dare to suggest that they could also influence a new generation as well :-
1. Showing completed high grade layouts can be intimidating rather than inspiring. Especially if they are clearly very old. People need to believe that
they can do it too.
2.
Speed is todays issue. It needs to be stressed that the journey is as exciting as the arrival. But getting results need not take forever if looked on in a particular way.
3. N gauge products have matured beyond all belief. Stressing it's major strength is a must - the ability to show a railway in it's environment.
4. Compared with other hobbies model railways are really quite inexpensive. A whole layout costs less than one mid priced DSLR and one lens.
What persuaded me to get started was :-
1. A Hornby Magazine series of articles that showed a layout (which hadn't already been completed) being made bit by bit with simple tools.
2. The awful predictability of weather which meant I needed something to do indoors on bad days - both too wet and too hot.
3. I could combine it with my other hobbies of photography and cycling.
Now some photos building on the points above :-
This is my N gauge layout which is work in progress over the last 10 months - so far. It is based on a real location and all but one of the buildings is scratch built.
Tackling the modern issue of speed in everything. I am building it in modules rather than have a gigantic mess of a building site on my hands for months and months with no results. Each small area of the layout is built substantially to completion before moving onto the next. A series of small successes that show results every month or so - during which time the trains can be run around the whole board.
Continue with articles already starting to be published in the NGS Journal like the recent one on the scale of trees on a layout - which has inspired me to change trees already planted - and use better ones in future - with good results on the layout.
