Hi All and thanks for letting me join.

I have a been a member for a few months so about time I stopped lurking in the background.

I have been wanting to return to model railways for about 10 years now. My last layout was built with my Dad about 50 years ago

Anyway to cut a very long story short I now have a 5' x 8' space in a spare bedroom in which to build a layout. I also have quite a lot of Hornby Dublo / Triang stuff from 50 years + ago . Whilst I know its entirely possible to build a OO layout in that space I think it might be a bit limiting as I'm hoping my new layout will be something to keep me entertained for the rest of my days. So I've decided that I'll try to find a local club where I can run my OO stuff and go for a smaller scale.

I did look very hard at TT120. It does appear to be the ideal compromise. Trouble is my main interest is in pre 1948 GWR and SR and I cant see Hornby ever making enough of these types of models in TT120 if they ever make any at all. So following a long discussion some months ago with the guys in Compass Models in Rotherfield E. Sussex I've pretty much decided on N, although I havent bought any yet. I'm well past plan Z in layout design but I will try to post the latest one in the relevant section once I've worked out how to do it lol

Hi Nick, welcome to the club.

Looking forward to seeing your plans.




Ed

N scale is my scale and, rapidly approaching 60, is still manageable for me. One indispensable bit of kit required for N scale to my mind is an optivisor or some kind of wearable magnifying spectacles. It just makes everything that little bit easier.

Enjoy and welcome aboard.

Another welcome. As Marty says, glasses and magnifiers. Blimey, I use them for OO.  :wub:

Cheers for the welcome chaps - been away for a couple of days

Ed said

Hi Nick, welcome to the club.

Looking forward to seeing your plans.




Ed

From “Post #288,811”, 16th October 2023, 10:00 am

Me too!

Cheers,
Claus

Hi Nick

Welcome to the club - or should that be well done for co,ming out of the shadows ……………..

If I were starting again, - I'm much closer to 80 than to 70 - I'd certainly look at TT120.  Whilst I don't like the way Hornby are marketing it, it's a fantastic scale as one gets older ……………….

I certainly couldn't manage "N" scale and wonder how on earth modellers like Marty can churn out such fantastic layouts - but then he's just admitted he's still just a child.

You have to remember TT120 is very young.  Given time (if it does succeed), they will hopefully produce models more suited to your region and period.

There is also the 3mm gauge society - home for fans of the old "TT" gauge but I think much of their stuff is kit or scratch built rather than RTR.  A great pity because the scale is absolutely ideal in so many ways.  If Hornby get their ideas right, I'm sure they're onto a winner with TT120.

How true, Peter. When I were a lad I had an uncle that had a TT layout and I always thought it was ideal. As you, I can't swap over now, but I hope it takes off.

Hi Nick and welcome to the forum. You are amoung many like minded modellers who have returned to our hobby a generation later on in life, myself included.

Your 8' x 5' space may be limiting for an 00 continuous layout, but can more easilly house a GWR branch terminal with some useful operational potential, while your club layout can still satisfy running of your mainline stock.

I'm also an advocate of the Optivisor magnifier, as to put it simply, if you see it, you can build it, not to mention paint it!

Best,

Bill