Hi all,

Been trying to find a ferry and can't. There is a 1:400 liner which is over half a metre long. Can't visualise the scale but does anyone think it might do as a ferry in N scale or am I barking mad?

Woof weave

Have you looked at the 3D printed stuff at Shapeways?  Somebody there has a 1:148 model of the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry MV Loch Linnhe.  It is a bit pricey though...

https://www.shapeways.com/model/737037/mv-loch-linnhe-1-148.html

Quote from: martink on February 10, 2014, 06:18:11 AM
Have you looked at the 3D printed stuff at Shapeways?  Somebody there has a 1:148 model of the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry MV Loch Linnhe.  It is a bit pricey though...

https://www.shapeways.com/model/737037/mv-loch-linnhe-1-148.html

Pricey! He's having a laugh 288 euros, must have got the decimal point wrong

Quote from: shandy on February 10, 2014, 06:32:46 AM
Pricey! He's having a laugh 288 euros, must have got the decimal point wrong

It does seem a little 'away with the ferries' but the technology isn't particularly cheap yet.

www.vintagetransportinminiature.co.uk have an N Gauge CalMac ferry for £25. The make them and they are hand finished.

I googled "N gauge ships" and it's the first item to appear. It was so easy I didn't even look any further. There might be loads more. Forget about starting via eBay. Just google "N gauge ships"

Thanks guys but mean't a liner like this that could possibly look like a small ferry.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-image.html?adId=210960148&enableSearchNavigationFlag=false&image=0

As I said, can't visualise the scale. It's 520mm x 65mm wide and 100mm tall. Would it look ridiculously out of scale?

Will wait for tonight's moon to start barking again!

Cheers weave

Quote from: weave on February 10, 2014, 11:21:28 AM
Thanks guys but mean't a liner like this that could possibly look like a small ferry.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-image.html?adId=210960148&enableSearchNavigationFlag=false&image=0

As I said, can't visualise the scale. It's 520mm x 65mm wide and 100mm tall. Would it look ridiculously out of scale?

Will wait for tonight's moon to start barking again!

Cheers weave

520mm is N Gauge for 252 feet.

This would look pretty big on your layout - kinda hard to ignore. It doesn't look much like a ferry either - not one you would see in Britain anyway. It looks like a liner.

If you want a small ferry why not buy a small ferry?  If you are modelling Southampton Docks then it would look perfect - as a liner.

Thanks ParkeNd,

Sorry, I don't explain myself very well.

Firstly, the layout is set in a fictional principality on the french/spanish border. (forget the fact the ship's finnish).

Secondly, I really want a big ferry but wondered if the 1:400 scale model would look like a big, small or medium ferry/liner (whatever) or look totally out of scale.

Thanks for the interest.

Cheers weave

Hi Weave,

I would guess the things that are likely to look out of scale would be windows, hatches, lifeboats and the superstructure height.
have you considered going the other way by using something in 1:72 or dare I say it...OO! it might at least provide you a hull and some basic superstructure that you could then work on.
I'm assuming it's a boat train that you're modelling? If not a couple of 1:72 or 1:76 landing craft cut and shut could make a fairly passable roll on/roll off ferry?

Good luck with the search

Regards

Jason