Area Groups
The NGS has a national network of local area groups which provide the opportunity to meet and discuss N Gauge and general railway matters (or any other topic!). Group activities are varied, with many groups actively building group layouts, or helping group members exhibit their privately owned layouts. We also have a number of special interest groups, focusing on specific eras, regions or types of railway.
Whether you are a seasoned modeller, or a beginner, perhaps a local group of like-minded enthusiasts is just what you need to help move your own projects along. Even if there is not a convenient Area Group locally, why not talk to the our Area Groups coordinator about setting up a new group yourself? It isn't too difficult, and the NGS can offer help and guidance.
Regional Area Groups
Your local NGS group can offer practical help, as well as the opportunity to talk to fellow N gaugers. In additon, many groups have built layouts for group and / or exhibition use. It can be very useful to have a group layout to run your stock while taking time over your own layout at home!
If you want to know more about your local Area Group(s), search our online listing and contact the group concerned. Most groups encourage new members, and many even run Open Days to give modellers a chance to see what they are up to. The NGS 2nd hand shop is also often a feature of Area Group Open Days, as signified by "NGS" in the list below.
Area Group Open Days
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To find your local Area Group, look through our on-line NGS Area Group listing.
Special interest Area Groups
In addition to the regional groups, there are also several special interest groups, which provide a convenient source of detailed information on particular styles of N gauge modelling. Click on the name below to jump to their information, or scroll down the page:
Era 1 and 2 Group
The Era 1 & 2 Group exists to raise awareness of the possibility for modelling the pre-grouping era in N gauge. Membership is free to all NGS members who have an interest in the railways which existed in Britain before the Groupng of 1923, whether or not they are currently modelling this period.
Many people think that it is not possible to model the pre-grouping period in N because "the trade doesn't support it". They may be surprised to learn that over a hundred different pre-grouping locomotive types have been produced as RTR models or kits for British N gauge, and that over sixty of these are either current production items, or recently discontinued items which are still readily obtainable on the second-hand market.
The Era 1 & 2 Group operates primarily as an e-newsletter group. The newsletter is produced three times a year and either e-mailed to members, or sent to them in hard copy if they do not have an e-mail address. The newsletter contains product news on items of interest to pre-grouping modellers, articles by group members describing their modelling and modelling ideas, photographs, editorial comment - in fact, pretty much everything that you would expect to see in an N Gauge Journal which was exclusively devoted to the pre-grouping period.
If you want to know more, email Jeremy Burrows by clicking below:
Modern Area Group
This group is for N Gauge modellers interested in diesel and electric traction regardless of age or period. So whether you're into pre-TOPS blue, post-TOPS blue, blue/grey, Intercity, sectorisation, post-privatisation or even overseas, this area group aims to cater for you.
As with all Area Groups, you will need to be a member of the N Gauge Society to join the Modern Area Group..
The dedicated Modern Area Group website currently has some problems (mid October 2010), but a direct link will be added once the site is functioning again. A number of members are working to revive the Modern area group, so if you want to see this happen, why not offer to help? Send an email to Neal Mansell via the link below.
Nn3 Group
This group is for N Gauge modellers interested in the narrow gauge scene, whether it be a feeder line to your standard N Gauge layout or a full-blown, stand-alone narrow gauge set up. Group members generally use Z gauge trackwork but some experiments are being undertaken with the use of the new T Gauge track.
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Membership of the Group brings you a quarterly newsletter “Narrow Minded”, containing layout articles, advice, “how to” projects, and the latest on new products of use to the narrow gauge modeller in N.
We are hoping to stage our first annual convention in 2012 for like-minded modellers to get together and exchange ideas.
The first year’s membership is FREE! As with all Area Groups, you will need to be a member of the N Gauge Society to join the Nn3 Area Group
Interested? Contact details are published in the NGS Supplement or you can write to the address in the NGS advert in the model railway press quoting Dept Nn3. Alternatively, email Ian via the link below:
WorldWide Area Group
This group is for N Gauge modellers interested in modelling railways outside Great Britain, regardless of age or period. This includes steam, diesel, and electric traction. As a member of the WorldWide Group you can follow your own interests while benefiting from the advantages of a larger international society.
The WorldWide group offers:
- A bi-monthly Newsletter: 'The Globe'
- A monthly Globe Supplement
- A dedicated website
- An annual convention dedicated to Worldwide N Gauge modelling
The bi-monthly Newsletter ('The Globe') includes articles of general interest, modelling tips, prototype news, product reviews, sales, wants, etc. This is normally delivered by e-mail but other options are available at a premium. Our monthly Globe Supplement gives news from real railways around the world. This is deliverable by e-mail or CD only.
Our dedicated WorldWide group website features pictures and stories of members’ layouts, useful documents, and links to other societies. We also have a newsletter exchange programme with other overseas societies, so that information can be exchanged with various organisations. Click the link below to see a summary of some of the reference material currently available to WorldWide area group members, in the "members only" section of their website (you need the free Acrobat Reader software to read this summary).
A summary of WorldWide area group on-line documents
Whether you are new to modelling or a seasoned modeller, if you have an interest in modelling the railways of other countries then why not join a group of like-minded people. For those starting out and wanting to model something a bit different, then this group is where you may find a lot of answers
Our annual WorldWide Convention brings together modellers, layouts and traders across the range of global prototypes. The most recent event was 25th June 2011, at St. Stephens Church Hall, Watling Street, St. Albans. NGS Worlwide Group convention details are here.
Or contact the Secretary by email: