After many years of planning, researching and collecting track and trains, buildings and scenics, odds and ends and all manner of other bits and bobs that would enable me to build an N Gauge model of my own little corner of Switzerland (where total reality would be bypassed in honour of a collation of memories), I have reached the sad conclusion that the 'proper' layout I had planned will now never be built.

Other than a few test tracks and an ad hoc, basic and temporary Christmas themed layout each year, little had been accomplished by the end of 2022, other than the acquisition of a number of additional items that took my fancy - and a few scrapped false starts! To cut a long and tedious story short, since last posting regularly here almost three years ago, health issues, as well as a few exceptional and unexpected demands upon finances, have put paid to further developments and have now led to my decision to retain only a relatively small  amount of my N Gauge collection.

This means that I have a substantial amount of rolling stock, track and other items, almost all of it un-used, mint-in-box condition (many never opened, as is the case with all the kits bar one, various track sets and packs, and the great majority of the rolling stock), that is now looking for a new home.

The items, intended for a DC layout essentially covering Eras V and VI, are currently being sorted and organised ready for sale, and consist of  -

- locomotives - SBB, RhB and a few BLS
- passenger coaches (individual and sets) all SBB or Rhb;
- freight wagons, almost all SBB;
- track - all Kato - sets and rail packs;
- buildings, bridges and other kits;
- road vehicles - UK and European - including farm and construction;
- just a few scenics;
- a few figures;
- sundries;

I accept that the rolling stock will appeal mostly to Continental modellers and fans of Swiss railways, but the track, scenics and many of the vehicles should have a wider appeal.

After all the help I have received here I would of course like to offer sale to interested Forum members in the first instance, and would appreciate any suggestions as to how best to proceed with that.  I note the Forum has a Classifieds section as well as a Sales board. Are there any guidelines  and/or limits for using these?

I have enjoyed collecting and appreciating every item, mostly selected to my taste, experiences, and memories, and will find it hard to let them go. But needs must, and seeing them languishing in display cabinets just reminds me of what might have been. Anyway, as I said, I'm keeping some - the items that I treasure most. So some Swiss trains will still run in my little corner of Lincolnshire. Just not as I had planned.

Thanks for reading this,

That's a great shame, but I'm pleased to hear you're not entirely giving up on N gauge. It's a sad fact of life the majority of railway modellers fall into the more senior age bracket and health issues tend to hit us quite hard.
As for the forum N'Porium Classifieds, I have sold a vast amount on there and would suggest you group items into 'lots', especially if you want to sell full rakes of items rather than splitting them. Each advert will require a photo taken by you of your item(s) but you have to do that with EBay anyway. If there's anything I can do to help, just PM me

Quote from: daffy on January 01, 2026, 03:17:46 PMAfter many years of planning, researching and collecting track and trains, buildings and scenics, odds and ends and all manner of other bits and bobs that would enable me to build an N Gauge model of my own little corner of Switzerland (where total reality would be bypassed in honour of a collation of memories), I have reached the sad conclusion that the 'proper' layout I had planned will now never be built.

[...] I'm keeping some - the items that I treasure most. So some Swiss trains will still run in my little corner of Lincolnshire. Just not as I had planned.

Please think this might actually be for the best. We sort of rebuilt this house in 2008 with a garage-sized train set room. Plan was for '0', '00' and US-outline 'N' in the room.

Forward to 2026. Two 'three by two' (nominal) SuperSilly 'N' gauge layouts. All completely unforced - I simply realised the big layouts weren't giving me much pleasure.

But these little ones are such fun!

Now, back in 1973 or so, there was an absolutely fabulous Swiss layout in Railway Modeller which wasn't very big. An 'N' gauge version of that might be jolly agreeable. I'll look up the 'Digital Archive' and get the reference.

Please take care not to dispose of anything now that you might want later. Things appear to be made of lead when one sells them and made of gold when buying.

All of this waffle goes to show that, in my experience at least, 'proper' layouts can be a bore and improper ones are such fun. Later this evening, I'll sit with Poppingham, glass of Chateau Kangaroo in hand, and watch, transfixed, as my tiny trains run round 'N' round the 'train-setty' layout. Which, of course, contains my own coarse-modelled 'collation of memories' [brilliant phrase, by the way!].





'N' Gauge is Such Fun!

With all good wishes.

John

"Things appear to be made of lead when one sells them and made of gold when buying" - I like that so true! I agree with John's advice but it sounds like you may yet build something that suits.

Tim

Thanks Mick, and thanks to you too John.

I shall be taking my time over this and intend to keep a fair amount of items to allow me to 'keep my hand in' as they say. The idea of a small layout, like Poppingham, is what I have in mind (though it will never match the beautiful eccentricity and style of your colourful creation, John). So at the moment I am trying to decide what to keep and what to move on. I am indeed trying to bear in mind I could end up being the reverse alchemist and turn  my gold into lead, but there is a lot that needs to go to help provide for other things of a more pressing nature.

I shall take your advice Mick and list items in lots where I can. For now I'm just pleased that I have started the ball rolling - or should that be 'trains departing'?

May 1973 Railway Modeller 'Railway of the Month', 'Kussnachterseebahn', 8ft x 4 ft 6 in in H0. Ideal for a 'four by three' (both -ish) project in 'N'.

All the very best.

John

@daffy
Mike - what I did was take a photo of a group (in this case 'non maroon MK1 coaches) and, as they were picked off by buyers, using the 'text box' feature in 'Paint' I marked clearly what had been sold and removed them from the advert description. It was a pain to keep updating the ads but was far easier than having heaps of individuals
@Train Waiting John got Customer of the Year Award for all the LMS stock he purchased

I think of my collection(s) as (1) giving me pleasure in collecting and playing with them, and (2) supplanting my pension when I sell them.  Selling also offsets buying costs!

I'm also quite a heretic because if you look at the prices you can get non-moving models for, they are close to similar prices we expect for the powered DC versions we use, so I adopted the view that with Dapol tender drive locos (Schools class in particular) I was buying a static model for a diorama that sometimes worked. That attitude has certainly helped keep my blood pressure down.

Bob G

Quote from: Bob G on January 02, 2026, 11:49:40 AMI think of my collection(s) as (1) giving me pleasure in collecting and playing with them, and (2) supplanting my pension when I sell them. 

The proceeds may well supplant your pension but you'll get nowhere near what you paid for them in the first place (in the majority of cases)

Quote from: Newportnobby on January 02, 2026, 11:53:37 AM

Quote from: Bob G on January 02, 2026, 11:49:40 AMI think of my collection(s) as (1) giving me pleasure in collecting and playing with them, and (2) supplanting my pension when I sell them. 

The proceeds may well supplant your pension but you'll get nowhere near what you paid for them in the first place (in the majority of cases)

If that's what you tell the taxman that's fine 

I'm happy so say that I do pretty much get what I paid for them, with the exception of wagons, and minus the EBay fee of course.

You just have to choose your time when selling. The periods February to June and September to November are best, while summer, and December and January are out. Sunday evening is a good time to end an auction.

Last year I was very surprised to sell all my old BHE and Worsley MU kits, because I would have thought 3D printing would have taken over, but with the demise of small producers like N-Brass and Worsley (heading to retirement) they have a certain niche value.

Bob
 

@Bob G . I appreciate your comments. I'm now looking into what I can sell items for, individually and collectively. So far I am getting the distinct impression that I'm not going to be boosting my pension, such as it is, by much. Well, at least not to allow me to live a riotous existence of extravagance and care-free indulgence.   


Thanks particularly for your insight into the Spring and Autumn 'best times' as well as reminding me of the last time I sold anything through eBay, over twenty years ago - to end an auction on a Sunday evening.

Quote from: daffy on January 02, 2026, 12:47:10 PMThanks particularly for your insight into the Spring and Autumn 'best times' as well as reminding me of the last time I sold anything through eBay, over twenty years ago - to end an auction on a Sunday evening.

Should you have a Backmann/Kernow OO thumper DEMU, which retailed at around the £200 mark in 2015, this can now be sold for £400+
That's about the only item I have seen that makes you money (and I don't want to sell mine)!

Anything by Union Mills, some Kato sets that for some reason never got re-issued, other oddities like Pullman 73's. Sometimes what goes for silly money is just strange though.

One thing I remember from long ago was the advice (I think from C J  Freezer) that the most fun model railways are the ones that you can actually operate and maintain with the people and time available.

I've always found that true, there's nothing quite so demoralizing is trying to track clean and tidy an exhibition sized layout on your own

Quote from: EtchedPixels on January 02, 2026, 02:22:16 PM...... some Kato sets that for some reason never got re-issued....

  - I think I might have one or two of those, but I'll have to check.

Tempus fugit, and no more so than the last eight months. But at least I have now sorted out much of my collection and know what I shall move on.

Tomorrow I am hoping to list the following Kato Track Sets for sale in the Classifieds section here. All are unused, as new in original boxes.

M2 Master Set - Basic Oval & Passing Track with Kato Power Pack (the controller is the original 22-014 model). The box has been opened but none of the contents have been used.

V1 Mainline Passing Siding Set. Unopened.

V3 Rail Yard Switching Set. Unopened.

V5 Inner Oval Track Set. Unopened.

V6 Outer Oval Track Set. Unopened.

V7 (two of) Double Crossover Track Set. Unopened.

V11 Double Track Set. Unopened.

All are new, unused, in box, and will be priced at about 20% below normal prices offered by the usual retailers.


Other items will follow in due course. Nearly all rolling stock and kits will be Continental, mainly Swiss (SBB and RhB with just a few BLS), reflecting my period of interest Era5/6, with some earlier models. Most are mint in original boxes, many never opened.