Wrenton - an N Gauge Model Railway Layout
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- Опубліковано 6 сер 2024
- This video of my N gauge layout was made for the 2021 N Gauge Forum Virtual Exhibition. My first attempt to build a layout for over forty years, Wrenton took about five years to build, much of that time spent making the many scratch-built buildings. With a total baseboard size of 9'6" x 3'6" (plus a small hinge-down section at one end) I chose to use much of the space for scenery rather than cramming in too much railway. I think a major advantage of N gauge is the ability to create a realistic setting for the railway. The layout appeared in the December 2018 issue of Railway Modeller with a second article describing my method of constructing buildings in April 2019. My website at www.roger-beckwith.co.uk/mr/ contains more information about the layout.
I really didnt want this video to end. Absolutely stunning, a beautifully put together film on a jaw dropping layout. Bravo
Glad you enjoyed it!
The track alignment is exquisite, and so much harder to do in 2mm scale. It's such a giveaway on models when the carriages / wagons bounce around unnaturally, and completely robs the models of any 'weight'. I imagine an enormous amount of time was spent with engineer's 123 blocks or metal rulers to get the track to line up so perfectly!
Thank you. Yes, a two foot metal rule for the straights, the gentle reverse curves were more difficult.
It’s been said before but I could just sit and watch this layout all day. It’s beautiful to the eye and it takes you back in time to when perhaps things were easier and kinder and a slower pace where people took time, made time.
Thanks Dave!
Most out standing N gauge set and craftsmanship I’ve seen to date. I’m a USA citizen but have a passion for British trains as I grew up just outside of London in the mid fifties with steam embedded still in my memories.
Thanks Nick. I also remember the sight and sound of steam engines in London in the 50s!
Stunning. Simply no other word for it - I've spent weeks looking at N gauge layouts on YT, to try and get inspiration for building my own, and yours is far and away the best I've seen. I can't even fathom the amount of work that you've put into this. You can tell it's your pride & joy, and rightly so. Subbed.
Thanks Bil. About five years to build it. The joys of retirement!
A perfect display that doesn't give the appearance of a roundabout but instead of a piece of real railway. The fact that the buildings and the streets have to follow a hilly terrain gives to the whole a superb impression of reality.
Thanks Paolo.
You sir are a master modeler and story teller. You have a very melodic voice like Sir David Attenborough which is soothing to listen to. Watching your video is pure magic. I'm so glad I found your channel. Thank you for sharing!
Many thanks David!
Wrenton one of the best n gauge layouts I've ever seen.
Many thanks Frank!
I love this layout so much, it's my favourite out of all the videos I have watched recently. The way that the trains (the most important part) are brought front and centre, but then given life by that amazingly realistic little village behind it. There's a lot of terrain without it feeling cluttered, and the balance is kept by having the tunnels at each end so the focus on the trains is just while they are in Wrenton itself. I swear, I would live inside this layout if I could.
Please make more videos when you can. What an oasis of peace and calm this place is.
Many thanks! I'll try to shoot some more videos asap.
Roger, Outstanding work. Animated nostalgia. Your sound recording skills to the fore; Betjeman
would have loved it. Congratulations.
Thanks Henry!
As a Norfolk Boy and having visited this village many times on my motorbike, I can say it is a fantastic representation - great modeling that captures its character wonderfully.
Thanks Ian.
What a stunning layout. I just love it. A true work of art.
Thank you!
“Enjoyed my visit to Wrenton”? I didn’t want to leave!
Many thanks!
I live about 15 minutes from finchingfield and can easily say you’ve captured the feel of the village very well. Your station has a nice resemblance to the old Clare railway station - the goods shed and crane gave me this impression. Nice to see what can be achieved in N gauge in a small space when compared to OO
Thanks for that! Clare is, if memory serves, the same design as the one I used. Long time since I was last there. Those 1865 GER stations were built in similar styles but three different sizes and Wrenton's is based on the largest one. I think Clare is, too.
A truly superb layout and a very well produced video to go with it; wonderful! Thanks for posting your efforts.
Thanks very much!
Truly stunning squire, one of the best layouts I have seen.
Many thanks!
Absolutely breathtaking. This is amazing artistry, thank you very much for sharing it with us.
Many thanks Robert!
There is something so wonderfully serene and calming with this video. All of it. It makes me impatient to start my own layout and even want to do two at once!
Glad you enjoyed the video. And good luck with your project(s)!
What a superb layout,, lovely detail and a nice look back at times past
Many thanks Colin.
How absolutely magnificent!! The level of detail in the model is incredible, it looks so real. Fantastic work, well done!
Thank you very much!
What a wonderful piece of story telling! Thank you Roger for sharing your obvious passion and inspiring me with your hard work and the fruits of your labour.
Thanks Mark, happy modelling!
Roger, what a stunning layout and you can tell your passion a mile away.
Thanks Stephen!
Thank you Roger, what a lovely and relaxing video highlighting your layout and English country life. Well done, amazing scratch buildings.
Thanks James.
Excellent, well done, a very realistic depiction, as memories come back to mind of such scenes from those days.
Thanks Mervyn.
Outstanding! The Layout, the Village and of course the way this video is made! I enjoyed every second. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very injoyable, and spoken in an slow manner which adds to the most delightful village. More please
Thanks Jonathan. Will do more when I recover from my 'supercold' - you wouldn't want to hear my croaky voice at present!
Unbelievable, what a beautiful little villagestreet you have made! There is real dedication in this. The model railway as a whole is an absolute feast for the eyes. The local goods tracks provide just that little bit of interesting variety. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
A really stunning railway and beautiful scenes of the village. Certainly one of the most amazing layouts I have seen before.
Many thanks Ednam.
Absolutely superb - the village is quite enchanting and SO East Anglia, and your eclectic mix of trains a delight.
Many thanks!
I enjoyed this video very much and found it relaxing but extremely entertaining. Your narration of the every day activity really brought the village to life. Thank you for sharing your creation
Many thanks D J, glad you enjoyed it!
Incredible layout, so realistic. The buildings and street scenes are like fine art, brilliant layout.
Thanks for the comments! It took about five years.
Simply Stunning. What an inspiration and a lovely soothing video to watch. Really enjoyed that. Thank you.
Thanks Gavin, glad you liked it.
This is by far the most beautiful layout I have seen in any scale. Congratulations.
Thanks Adrian, glad you like the layout!
Wow. What a fabulous layout. One of the best I have ever seen.
Thank you!
What a pleasant, quiet visit to Wrenton! Thank you!
Pleased you enjoyed it!
What an incredible layout. The scenics are amazing.
Many thanks Derek.
This is definitely far and away one of the best layout tour videos out there. I really enjoyed my visit to Wrenton. The production value is superb, and WOW, the small details are amazing. The street signs, for crying out loud. And here I am happy if my trains even manage to make it around the track once on my layout.
Many thanks!
The scenery and buildings are incredible.
Congratulations
Thanks Paul.
What a stunning layout you have created, this is definitely a true testament to what is achievable in a relatively small space with N gauge. Fantastic! 👍
Many thanks!
Thank you for this little look into that haven of peace and quiet during these turbulent times 💟
Thanks Sandor.
Well done Mr Beckwith, what a stunning layout you have. I was researching n gauge trains as my sons and I are looking to get into the hobby. You sir have sealed the deal. I just hope someday we get somewhere close to what you’ve achieved.
Thank you and good luck with building a layout!
This is a fantastic layout. It looks so realistic that I felt when watching this video piece that I was part of the model. What an inspiration.
Thanks very much John.
I am extremely impressed with the level of detail you achieved on your layout. You did a fantastic job. I could watch your videos all day. Nicely done sir!
Thanks David.
VERY lovely piece indeed...beautifully landscaped and the Permanent Way is really well engineered!! LOVE IT!
Thanks Anthony.
For me to watch this beautiful model is sooo satisfying. The beautiful village with the nice hill, the church wow. And the selection of the rolling stock is amazing!
Thanks Reimond. Pleased you enjoyed it!
Having lived in north Essex, and spent much time in the Colne Valley area in particular, you've captured the feel and atmosphere of the county beautifully. A wonderful layout that made me feel homesick it's that good.
I think having some connection to an area makes it easier to model. I've never lived there but my grandfather was born in Finchingfield so I guess it's in the blood!
What a wonderful layout. I'm starting my first layout and this gives me so much more confidence and inspiration. Thanks for taking your time in showing this to us.
Thanks Emmet. Good luck with your project!
Easily one of the most beautifully modelled N Gauge layouts I’ve ever seen. Subscribed.
Many thanks!
Genuinely one of the most entertaining videos I’ve seen to date. Great stuff!
Many thanks Joshua. Glad you enjoyed it.
Simply wonderful, the grass banking and houses are so realisitic.....
Thanks David.
What an amazing layout, one of the most beautiful I have seen and so much detail in N. The video was excellent. Thanks for posting
Many thanks!
Absolutely magnificent, the detail superb considering the scale. The layout is positively charming and I do remember villages like this one.
I had to watch it twice as I found myself transported( no pun intended) back in time. The narration was top notch. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Stephen, glad you enjoyed it.
Absolutely spectacular, without a doubt the best I have ever seen...
Many thanks!
What a setting! Simply perfect!!! And considering the size that's an incredible creation. Greetings from Italy.
Thanks Davide.
Wonderful layout and even better story telling!! (smile) I've always loved the British Trains of this era. As others have said....I could have watched all day.
Thanks Steven, glad you enjoyed it.
Fantastic layout, incredibly realistic. I have subscribed and I am looking forward to seeing more on this beautiful model railway!
Thanks, will do!
One of the best layouts that I’ve ever seen and to achieve it in N gauge is a real feat
Many thanks Luke.
This is fantastic, one of the best I have seen. The photos on your website are outstanding and ultra realistic.
Many thanks Ed!
I love the scale of N gauge model railroading.I had a 4' by 4' layout when I was young, and me and my father worked many a happy hour on it. just seeing your layout brought back so many happy memories for me, even though my layout looked more like an American plains town than anything like yours.
I just find such careful attention to detail so very charming, and I would dearly love to visit Wrenton if I had the chance.
Thank you so very much for sharing the results of your very hard work, it's truly a delight and a wonder to behold.
Your pleasant narration and storytelling made the visit even better.
Happy railroading to you, Mr Beckwith.
Thanks David.
A wonderul model railway in every respect and superbly filmed with an excellent commentray and background music. PERFECTION! Congrtulaions and many thanks.
Many thanks Michael.
One of the finest N gauge models I've seen.
Superb model making.
The essence of the1960s has been well captured and the space created around the layout gives it a natural feel.
It gives the impression of looking down from a hill side and watching the trains go by the village rather than falling into the trap so many others have and just looking at a train set with too much crammed in between the tracks
I shall definately enjoy looking through your other videos
Thanks James. Big advantage of N gauge is the ability to place the railway in a landscape, all in a fairly small area, so pleased to hear that you like the result.
The most realistic model railway I've seen. The lighting enhances it so well. Incredible
Thank you!
One of the finest N Gauge layouts I've seen. The realism of the buildings and the subtle and highly accurate declination of the topography would be commendable in any scale but in 2mm I think it's even more so. I applaud your efforts sir - an enjoyable video with good narration and pleasant music. Thank you!
Many thanks Adam!
I common with many, I'm sure, I spend a lot of time looking at model railway layouts and I would have to say that this is probably my favourite. You have done a wonderful job constructing a little bit of England. Absolutely brilliant.
Many thanks Timothy. Glad you like the layout.
I'm Speechless, absolutely one of if not the best N Gauge layout.
Many thanks! Glad you like it.
It really is a masterpiece Roger, up there with the best I've ever seen including Pendon. The village blends together so believably, in my mind, one of the hardest things to do.
Thanks again Derek. I think the fact that the real buildings are all in the same village helps give the sense of harmony.
Love this. Keep coming back and watching this video. Just think it’s beautiful, probably my age wishing things were like this today.
Thanks Dave. If only we could time travel!
@@rogerdB I think with your beautiful layout, time travel is a distinct possibility. It certainly would be for me.
I am just about to start on my first scenic layout. This video gives me so much inspiration. Thankyou.
Thanks Adrian, and good luck with your layout.
Roger this is stunning! really showing what you can achieve with N gauge, lovely lovely stuff, thank you for taking the time to create this video :)
All the best
Matt :)
Thanks Matt.
Absolute stunning and delightful video. Superb layout.
Thanks very much Mark.
Roger,
Want to congratulate you on a fine video that features your superb attention to detail in every aspect of your layout. From scenery, to structures, to the beautiful engines and wagons! Superbly done. From an admirer in eastern Canada.
Thanks Vince.
Amazing looking village. Absolutely incredible. Nice to hear you follow rule No 1, and run what you like.
Many thanks!
An absolutely exceptional n gauge model railway layout! We fellow modellers can only be awed by such a wonderful rendition of the English countryside. It truly encapsulates the beautiful countryside of East Anglia.
Thanks Robert. Good to know I caught the East Anglian look.
Hi Roger, we lived in Essex for about 15 years before leaving UK for New Zealand and you have captured the village beautifully. Have subscribed and look forward to more excellent videos from you. Good Luck for the New Year
Thanks Andrew. Hope it brought back some memories!
First model railway video i have ever watched. I think it is UNBELIEVABLE the skill involved in this sort of thing.. I am a pretty decent machinist and qualified as a welder, so not too useless, but i could never in a million years make something like that...
Thanks John. Well it did take about six years!
It’s been a good while ago since I dabbled with OO or N but still take a keen interest in videos on UA-cam , this video is delightful, a pleasant trip back in time, a joy to watch, so informative, birds singing in the background, I have subbed and liked, thank you
Thanks Michael. Glad you enjoyed the video!
First saw your superb layout in Railway Modeller, then on your website. Flipping through the pages of the magazine I thought it looked familiar .... until I realised it is the village that I live in. Well, mostly. You have all the main buildings but not necessarily in the right places! Great fun to work along the row of houses and name the house and who lives there!
A bit like Eric Morecambe's 'all the right notes'! There are a couple of buildings that are based on prototypes away from the centre of the village. Howe Cottages on the Spains Hall road and a pair of semis based on some in CHE. One cottage, which featured in the second RM article, is rather loosely based on one in Duck End. The church is a bit smaller than the real one, too.
Very impressive work - beautifully done, Roger
Many thanks Huw.
Wonderful, a complete and utter joy to watch.
Glad you enjoyed it Muso.
A superb layout. I especially like the undulating elevations in land forms, which so many other modellers overlook. Good show.
Thanks Matthew.
Thank you. Beautiful layout. I feel as if I have vacationed in Wrenton and now I want to return and ride a bike through the town and watch the trains come and go. I hope there is a small cafe where I can get a scone and a cup of tea.
Thanks Danny. You'll find a Tea Room appears about 45 seconds into the video!!
A really beautiful model, and very well put together video. Very enjoyable! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Mark.
Beautifully detailed, TY so much for sharing.
Thanks Timothy.
Superb craftsmanship but the video really blew me away. I felt like I was a part of this captivating scene. Narration was spot on and really added a wonderful element to the video. I just loved it. Great job and thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much Robert.
I fell in love with your layout. So beautiful! And your descriptions were the perfect "salad dressing". Congratulations and thank you for sharing this masterpiece!
Many thanks!
Beautiful, interesting model and equally interesting and very well made video. A pleasure to watch.
Thanks John, glad you enjoyed it.
At the beginning, I thought it's a real town. Amazing quality of buildings and gardens, and beautiful trains. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you very much!
Stunning, I don't think I've seen a more integrated/seamless blending between rail and scenery layout before. I think the depth gained from building the village on the side of a hill rather than on a flat area has made all the difference.
Many thanks Matt. I agree - adding some hills does make a difference. Well worth the extra effort of making buildings that sit on a slope.
Awesome - the best N gauge layout I have enjoyed by far. I like that you are not constrained by only running "Essex" trains. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Tony. Glad you enjoyed it.
Wow! All you need is lots of time and lots of talent. You sir have a talent, you have built an amazing layout. The details are wonderful. I especially like the buildings.
Thanks Alan! I've always seen it as a village with trains rather than the other way round; with the buildings as the main feature.
Lovely layout - my wife said that she thought that the houses were real when I first started watching your video! From one Beckwith who models in N gauge to another - very well done! 👏 I can't wait to retire fully and get more time to spend on my layout! 🙂
Thanks Paul. Wonder if there are any other N gauge Beckwiths out there...
Modellers spend the majorty of their time and effort on scenery, and it makes me so cross when layout videos just follow the trains around and the glimpses of the scenery you see are incidental to the trains in the foreground. This, I think, is how it should be done: a balance between looking at track plans and operations, but mainly focussed on the scenery and those little cameos that many modellers put in the scenery to create particular points of interest. This is a brilliant video, Roger, thank you so much.
Thanks Jim, glad you liked the balance of scenery and trains.
What an absolutely delightful layout; it perfectly captures the English countryside so dear to me. The buildings are just superb; I know how difficult N gauge is as I model this myself, and yours are masterfully done. Another hit is that the scenes and the scape are perfectly finished, no flaws nor loose bits; this is nicely rounded off. With permission I’ll borrow some ideas for my own layout.
Thanks for sharing these series; be safe and I send my best from sunny Spain. 🇪🇸
Many thanks. And borrow away!
Lovely layout and great video - haven’t seen anything of Wrenton for a few months. Many thanks for posting.
John (Ashburton and Totnes)
Thanks John. I was watching (for the nth time) the BRM Ashburton video just the other day. Still an inspiration!
Outstanding, when you think its a larger scale than it is in reality you have hit the mark
Thanks Gary.
Wonderful layout amazed by the detail,It looks like a postcard picture
Thanks Raymond.
Greetings Roger, what a fantastic video 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 The modelling is outstanding and the scenic work to die for 😍 The storytelling and sound track put the whole composition on a different level though 👑 Thoroughly entertaining visit to Wrenton 😎 Very best wishes from County Wicklow ☘️
Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful modelling, so convincing it's hard not to think it's real !
Thanks RIchard!
What an absolute delight! Thank you 😊
And thank you too!
Nothing short of stunning!
Thanks very much!