Track in a CD case by Ian Redman

This is an exercise in minimalism even by N Gauge standards. A light hearted display of working N in what might seem impossibly small spaces.

Fitting in with our concept of trying to show off N gauge modelling in its widest variety, Dowdam International is set in the Netherlands in the 1990-2000 period. Dutch railways have always been interestingly different in the stock used, and this is well represented and includes international services between the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France. A notable feature is the section of airport, loosely based on Schipol, although the knowledgeable may find some details reminiscent of either Gatwick or Heathrow.

This is the first public appearance for this layout. A novelty for N Gauge is it being set in 1906. Not the biggest layout in the world, but more than makes up for it by the interesting features and details.

Cajon Pass (pronounced Ka-hone) is one of THE trainwatching (or railfanning) locations in the USA. Tracks of both the ATSF (Santa Fe) and Union Pacific go through the pass en route from Arizona to California. On the layout both lines have a passing loop and that of the UP has a helper (banker) siding being the more steeply graded of the two, and there is no level track on the visible part of it. Terrain and structures are typical of the area.

One of several layouts at theshow, which are of a size that could be fairly comfortably accommodated in the 'average house'. Claydon (a fictional Cotswold village) is set in the winter of 1960 and is served by a branch from the Oxford to Worcester main line. Buildings are mostly SD Mouldings with some Ratio and Kestrel kits. Locos and rolling stock are from Graham Farish, Dapol, Peco, and N Gauge Society kits, and the Ready-to-Run stock has been repainted or weathered to suit.

Drem by the East Neuk Model Railway Club

This highly regarded layout features a stretch of the ECML 'North of the Border', where it runs close to the coast on the approach to Edinburgh. This layout has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of locomotives and stock used in the succession of prototypical trains that pass through the pastoral scenery. The station area has been accurately modelled from the prototype and the layout is set in the period from electrification to the present day. The overhead electrification equipment is non functional but the colour light signals are. Buildings and structures are scratch built.

Inglenook Sidings by the North East Lincolnshire Area Group

Inglenook sidings is an interactive shunting puzzle using automatic couplings just to prove that shunting is practical in N. Visitors were invited to 'have a go'..

Kings Green Wharf by the St Neots Model Railway Club

A canal basin, and industrial buildings set the scene for this model railway set in the popular steam/diesel transition era of the 1960s with an East Anglian theme. There is a boat repair yard, timber yard, and the impressive warehouse of Rawlings Fabrications amongst others, and all the buildings are either scratch-built or heavily modified kits. To the rear, the branch disappears through Abbotslow Tunnel to join the main line at Pelham St Edmunds.

Moorcock Junction by Graham Smith and the late Andy Calvert

Five years ago, Moorcock Junction had its first major exhibition appearance at our 35th Anniversary exhibition. Its owner/builder Andy Calvert was sadly too ill to pay more than a token visit to see his layout at a dedicated N Gauge show for the first time, and he passed away a couple of months later. We hope that its presence at our 40th Anniversary exhibition served as a reminder, for all those who knew or knew of Andy, of just how influential he was in N Gauge circles for many years. The layout is based on the Settle and Carlisle line in the early 60s and is exhibited in pretty much the same condition that Andy left it.

N Club International modular layout by the N Club International-Modul Gruppe

This impressive modular layout from Germany operates German stock from the 1960s to the present day. Whilst we tend to think of N Gauge largely in British terms, the N gauge Society is an international one and has many links with groups in other countries having an interest in N, and NCI's participation this weekend is a demonstration of that.

Newcastle by the Water by the Alsager Railway Association

This large and impressive layout has consistently won awards at exhibitions for the past six years. It has a for track main line with dedicated freight and passenger tracks and the large station is the junction with a single track branch which weaves its way across the scenery at a higher level past a castle overlooking a river and camp site. The era is the 1980s to the present and there are no prizes for spotting the layout's most unusual/original feature.

Nuts Lane by Barry Harvey

This is another layout at the show with a difference. This time it is a complete lack of trains. Instead we have trams. Set in the 1920s a pleasant urban scene with the trams mixing with horse drawn traffic. They use N Gauge mechanisms and run on N gauge track with working overhead poles. Detail abounds and the careful observer will be able to deduce the precise time, day, and date, that is being modelled.

Stahlwerk by Pauline McKenna

A modern German layout dominated by the steelworks, which gives it its name. The idea behind the model is to show a railway system serving an industrial complex with raw materials 'in' and finished product 'out'. The steelworks also has its own internal railway. In addition to stock typical of the period on the main line, some of the specialist vehicles used in a steelworks can be seen including Torpedo and Ladle wagons working in the blast furnace area.

Temple Falls by Ron Upton

A demonstration of modern Japanese N Gauge, Temple Falls (Tera-to-Taki) is a non-prototypical location with the railway running past an octagonal temple; Yumendomo (House of Dreams); close by a waterfall set in rocky terrain. As well as the multitude of trains; which may include a Bullet Train (or cho-tokkyu, the more commonly used Shikansen referring to the tracks or network rather than the trains) from time to time; other features such as a working level crossing, factory with smoking chimney, working lighthouse, etc, are worthy of note.

Trisannabrucke by Paul Hannant and the TEN Group

This layout features a bridge on the East-West route crossing the Alps linking Switzerland with Austria. As well as the magnificent bridge, the famous castle of Weisberg is also featured and both are set in typical Alpine scenery. The layout sets out to capture the atmosphere of the location and the trains that pass through it. Double-headed freights share the line with the 'Arlberg Express', Orient express', and the 'Transalpin'. Motive power is from Roco, Fleischmann, Arnold, and Kato.

West Sussex Modular Layout by the West Sussex Area Group

An extensive collection or modular boards which come together to demonstrate on a single layout a considerable variety of N Gauge modelling and operation, as well as the modular concept. The West Sussex Area Group has been in the forefront of establishing the concept of modular layouts building in the UK.