Are we over the Golden Age of N Gauge?

[Train Waiting]

Fowler 4P tanks could be seen from Thurso to Bournemouth for over 40 years (1923 - 1966)

The Fowler '4P' tanks were introduced in 1927.  I didn't know that they were found at Thurso (not as late as 1966, though). 

I should certainly be very grateful if you could kindly advise me of any of the 'Fowler' 2-6-4Ts that you know that were allocated to ex-Highland sheds in either LMS or BR days.

40150 was shedded at Wick for a while and used on the Thurso branch, but she was a Stanier 'Class 3' 2-6-2T.  40151 was briefly at Aviemore which also had 'Fairburn' 2-6-4s Nos. 42168/202/269 at various times from 1957 to 1962.  The 'Fairburns' were allocated widely in the BR (ScR).  At Ayr shed in my former part of the world they were known as 'The Passenger Pugs'!

With many thanks and best wishes.

John

[Newportnobby]

@Train Waiting
Hi John, BR Database lists the odd one or so on Greenock Ladyburn and Corkerhill sheds in the later years of their life.................
http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=class&id=111&type=S&page=alloc

[Train Waiting]

Thank you very much, Mick.

That's very helpful.   

Up until now I had been unaware that they were used on the Highland Section although, as you say, they had limited use in southern Scotland.

All the best.

John

[TalyllynJon]

Going back to the original question, I possibly have a different perspective, as somebody who is just getting back into model railways after a gap of 30 years. Two things that immediately struck me are:

1. There seems to be a greater range of models available now than at any time in the past.

2. The quality of current models totally surpasses anything we had in the past.

Which all seems pretty good - however.... N gauge is clearly still a small niche in the railway modelling world. Just look at the limited range of locomotives and rolling stock from the Big Four era for example - clearly the market just isn't big enough to make it worth producing a really comprehensive range of models.

As for the quality - well all that detail is amazing - but my 50 year old eyes can't actually see it as well as when I was a kid - maybe the appeal of O gauge is that you don't need to reach for your glasses every time you want to look at your models!

N gauge seems to be in a pretty good place to me - but it is clearly a niche market. I'm not sure what the overall health of the model railway industry is, but if the market as a whole were to contract (we're not getting any younger after all!) then I suspect N gauge (and other niches including 0 Gauge, 009 etc) might shrink to the point where manufacturers no longer consider them viable.

Jon

[Rowlie]

I'm not convinced we have passed a golden age in n gauge.  I have only been in n gauge for the last 12 years and the finesse of the commercial offering has increased annually during this period and doesn't look like ending.  There are more companies offering RTR than when I started.  Added to this is the availability of components for detailing is really amazing.  Personally I can't see radical changes in the near future.  We have quite good 3d printers at work that produce really nice colour prints (0.014mm layers) but they still need cleaning and smoothing so until the technology allows parts to be used without cleaning or another  preparation I can't see their use in volume production.  However the technology is moving quickly so who knows?  We are fortunate to be involved in n gauge at this time.

[PLD]

however.... N gauge is clearly still a small niche in the railway modelling world. Just look at the limited range of locomotives and rolling stock from the Big Four era for example - clearly the market just isn't big enough to make it worth producing a really comprehensive range of models.

Not really sure that is the case - the range available has at least trebled in the last 15 years.
Just to take the LNER as historically the worst represented, We've gone from just having A3 and A4s RTR to J25, J26, J39 (x2), B1 (x2), D20, B17, A1, A2, A3, A4 (with new high spec versions of the last 2). The main thing missing is a tank loco (not holding by breach for the long promised J72 from either Farish or Dapol!)

I suspect N gauge (and other niches including 0 Gauge, 009 etc) might shrink to the point where manufacturers no longer consider them viable.

Actually 009 is currently enjoying a boom, with the first mass-produced RTR UK locos ever in the shape of Heljan's Lynton and Barnstaple Manning Wardles and Bachman's WD Baldwin, plus a growing range of appropriate stock from both Bachman and Peco...

[TalyllynJon]

Think you misunderstood me PLD - yes, N gauge is in a great place right now (and so is 009 - never thought I'd see British RTR 009 locomotives) - but compared with 00 gauge our market share is tiny. Just flick through the ads in a typical copy of Railway Modeller - pages and pages of 00, with N gauge rarely getting more than half a column tucked away in the corner.

[martyn]

With most of the first generation 'Modernisation plan' diesels now available, there is limited scope for new models (Cl15+16, the Co-Bo? I'm not counting kits which I know are available).
However, with regards to missing steam locos, I do think there is a lack of tank engines, for freight/shunting/passenger use. Again, I know of Atso's efforts to change this; but the LNER is lacking any tanks RTR, and other regions, except the (G)WR also have few. Perhaps this may be rectified soon?

Having been modelling in N for forty years, when I started, a new livery was regarded as a breakthrough, let alone a completely new model, steam or diesel!

Martyn

[emjaybee]

I'm with you. I'd like to see more shunting tank engine's. There's only really the Jinty on offer for LMS region shunting and the Fairburn. They had a huge array of tank loco's throughout their history so there's plenty to work with.

[red_death]

As I said earlier if people have great ideas of which tank locos are missing and likely to be decent sellers i.e. minimum 1000 then please suggest them!

I can't remember if it was Ben or I that put up 2-3 years ago some ideas of criteria to make a loco viable.

Cheers Mike

[martyn]

Mike;

See my post on
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=44069.msg547667#msg547667

for my personal thoughts on the LNER locos.

A manufacturer's choice-crowdfunding or otherwise-would be very difficult to achieve, I think.

Martyn

[BobB]

1) I think we are in the golden age of N gauge !

2) The N G S Hunslett shunter shows the way for making small tank engines (and other small locomotives) dcc fitted with stay alive practical.

3) Maybe we should be asking is the "platinum" age of N gauge approaching ?

[grumbeast]

I had a thought (they come slowly now I'm getting older

I think things are still getting much better in N, and while people say its a niche market, that is true in the UK, but if you are greedy like me and love all trains, just look at the Japanese N market and see if its niche

I model stuff from all over the world now and its an embarrassment of riches.  So I'd encourage people to look at N from a world wide perspective, cause its amazing

[Webbo]

I agree 100% with Graham.

I'm mainly North American, but have a some British and a miniscule amount of Australian stuff. North American  N scale seems to be rolling along very nicely with more and more locos, rolling stock, and building kits produced every year. UK also seems to be making steady progress, but with fewer new items every year as you would expect with a smaller market. Australia is struggling with its range of equipment remaining limited unfortunately. I look at the Japanese and European threads and note that they are continuing to produce very nice models.

As time goes on I have witnessed steady improvements in the detail and running properties in the markets I'm most familiar with as well as the introduction of DCC, computer control, and sound - all good things at least for some. If I have a complaint about where things are going, it is the propensity of manufacturers to take longer to produce the goods after product announcement.

So, it may be that we have arrived at the Golden Age of N Gauge, but I certainly don't thing we've passed it.

Webbo

[railsquid]

Arguably this thread should be titled "Are we over the Golden Age of British N Gauge?".

Japanese N gauge certainly goes from strength to strength in all areas (except maybe DCC, where the emphasis seems to be coming up with non-DCC systems which replicate some parts of DCC functionality).