I realise that it is some time since a comment in this thread was last posted. My posting was back in February... However, perhaps I may be permitted to have a second bite of this particular cherry, after a lapse of some six months; maybe these three choices could be called my "second division"? My apologies to all those who think that I'm stretching too far the "minimal list" concept...

Locomotives - ex-GWR 2251 0-6-0 Collett goods: I know that Peco killed theirs but that was more than 15 years ago, and it's such a useful mixed-traffic loco for both mainline and branch use.

Passenger Coaches - ex-GWR pre-1935 Collett gangwayed stock, having a door to every passenger compartment. Very many of these coaches lasted well into the 1960s, well into the diesel-hydraulic era. If a range was under consideration, I'd suggest BTK/BSK, CK, TK/SK, and BCK, as a minimum to form basic passenger rakes..

Goods/non-passenger stock - ex-GWR/BR inside framed Siphon G. The (very occasionally available) Dapol example is a pre-1925 gas-lit vehicle. If anyone thinks that my inclusion of  an NPCCS example is inappropriate for the Goods category, may I instead suggest the INSIXFISH van, 80 of which were built at Swindon at the time of Nationalisation?

This has proved to be a very interesting thread, as it does reveal how very diverse are the tastes of N-Gauge modellers - one may not agree with many of these deep-felt wants, but it does show how much the manufacturers still have to do to satisfy their client base - even with our more "main-stream" wishes!

It was a lot of ballasting for sure. 24 lanes full length of two 1.2 m boards, plus the extra for the points. And a lot of dropper wires and point motors and frog wires. It's like spaghetti underneath

It is! Maybe having it out in the open could be good!

Strewth!!
That's one helluva fiddle yard 

I've over 700 items of rolling stock so dragging them all up and down depending on temperature is a no go. Had no issues with track, all laid with 0.5mm gap between lengths last summer nothing has moved despite -8 to +50.
One day I will get the wiring finished and start running stock at last

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/160/5079-120726094526-1607962474.jpeg

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/160/5079-120726094522-160795837.jpeg

I don't see anything bizarre about it at all, but we'll leave it at that.

You either experience them or you don't. I'm not sure you can say they're exaggerated, people are literally posting photos of the damage which has resulted from temperature related expansion. Bizarre comment.

I agree with post #1 above.

Here in Australia my layout in the garage experiences large temperature differences, but the effects on the layout are minimal. Keeping track clean is the biggest problem out there.

As @PLD says, I think expansion problems are exaggerated.

It is my unscientific observation that Farish diesel loco gears tend to split more if the layout room is hot. I used to have a lot of problems in NZ summers when my layout was in a shed in the garden.
A lot fewer since we moved house and the layout moved into a room in the house, double glazed and well insulated.

Not too bad here today - I was out on the water training yesterday and today ( Dragon Boat ) - only 30degrees and nicely overcast today ( yesterday was warmer around 32 with direct sunshine ). We have a big race next week in Osaka however the forecast there is still nice and low at 32C. It doesn't really get super hot hear until next month. Last year it got over 41C in several places.