This blog is the second in a series about a model railway project I’m working on.

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Switching from OO to British N scale has been an eye-opening experience for me, and I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the extra space this smaller scale allows. But one question keeps coming up: how small is N scale, really?

It’s not something I thought about much before I started. I’d seen N scale models at shows and on store shelves, but it’s hard to truly grasp the size without seeing them in action. The typical ratio used for British N scale — 1:148 — isn’t exactly easy to visualise. If you’re coming from OO gauge, the difference is quite striking: an N scale model is less than half the size of its OO counterpart. A coach that’s 30cm long in OO might be just 13cm in N scale. That kind of reduction makes a huge difference when you’re trying to build a layout in limited space.

But what if you’ve never built a layout and just want a more relatable comparison? Think of it like this: an N scale figure is about 12mm tall — roughly the height of a drawing pin or a stack of three £1 coins. A typical British N scale locomotive is about the length of a smartphone — but much thinner, lower, and far more detailed than you might expect from something so small.

Why size matters (in a good way)

One of the biggest benefits of N scale is how much railway you can fit into a relatively small area. With OO scale, even a basic oval can take up a surprising amount of room — and if you want anything more complex, you're often looking at needing a spare room, garage, or loft.

N scale gives you a lot more freedom. A simple loop might only need 2ft by 3ft (about 60cm by 90cm) — small enough to fit on a coffee table or a fold-away board. That makes it a great choice if you’re short on space or just want something more manageable to get started with.

Because the models are smaller, it’s also much easier to run longer, more realistic trains. For example, the GWR Class 800 trains running through Didcot can be either five or nine coaches long. A full nine-car N scale model comes in at around a metre and a half — not including space for couplings. In OO scale, each coach would be roughly 34cm, so a full-length train would stretch just over three metres. That’s a huge difference when you’re planning a layout.

To put things into perspective, here’s a quick side-by-side look:

Note: These are rough averages and may vary depending on the manufacturer.

Attention to detail

The models may be small, but they don’t skimp on detail. Every model I own so far has matched — and in some cases exceeded — the level of detail I was used to with OO scale.

For example, the flatbed wagons I have feature crisp decals, accurate company logos, and finely moulded details like tiny pipes running between the bogie wheels. It’s the kind of thing you’d expect to get lost at this size, but somehow it’s all still there.

What’s surprised me most is how much detail comes as standard with many N scale models. Features like directional lighting — something you often have to pay extra for in OO — are built in by default. My driving cars have tiny switches underneath to control the lighting, which is really useful if you want to couple two units together, as is sometimes done in real life. The passenger coaches can even be fitted with optional clip-in interior lighting, which really brings them to life.

Contrast that with my experience in OO gauge, where adding lighting usually meant fiddling with electrical pickups and gluing in tiny bulbs — not exactly beginner-friendly!

Looking ahead

Switching to N scale has definitely opened up new possibilities for me. While the smaller size comes with its own learning curve, the creative freedom it offers is worth it. Being able to build something realistic in a modest footprint has been a big confidence boost — especially after a few false starts in the past.

I’m still in the layout planning stage, and I’ll be sharing how I approach that within the constraints of the space I have — including how I’m trying to balance realism with playability.

This blog is the first in a series about a model railway project I’m working on.

Next post: Modelling in N scale | All posts on it

A few years ago, I started working on a project to restore and re-imagine my childhood model railway layout. But to be honest, it didn’t get very far. When the COVID-19 lockdown hit, I ended up burning out, trying to tackle everything all at once. In my last post about it in 2022, I said I’d try to finish it if I found the motivation, but at that point I was in the middle of packing up the models and the layout board I’d built. I kind of thought that was it; that I’d given up. But, as it turns out, I’m still that little kid at heart when it comes to model trains—and here I am, looking at the project again.

Now that everything’s cleared away and the layout board I built is tucked into storage, I’ve had some time to rethink my ideas. Looking back, I think I know what really led me to give up last time, and it comes down to a few key things:

1. Lack of realism: I ended up with a mishmash of model trains from different eras and places that wouldn’t ever realistically be seen together. Many of these models are ones I’ve had since childhood, and I think nostalgia played a big role in wanting to run them all—even if they didn’t really belong together.
2. Taking on too much: I had far too many vehicles in my collection and wanted to run them all at once. This wasn’t helped by the fact that I’d chosen OO scale (1:76.2), which, in hindsight, didn’t leave much room to showcase everything without it all looking crowded and chaotic.
3. The layout got stale: Because of space limits, the whole layout ended up being basically just a double oval—nothing really exciting or dynamic.
4. It was just too big: The layout board itself was massive—almost 2 meters squared. It took up a huge chunk of space, which could’ve been used for other things.

It’s been nice to take a step back and reflect on all of this. Feels like I’m in a better place to figure out where to go next.

When I was a kid, I’d go to model railway shows with my dad, who probably got tired of taking me after a while! I was always fascinated by the smaller-scale layouts. N scale setups were my absolute favourite—they’re about half the size of the OO trains I have and can fit a lot more detail in a much smaller space (UK N scale is 1:148, which is just over half the size of OO). Now, as an adult (well, mostly) and looking back on those shows, I’ve realised that the best way forward might be to give up on running my OO scale locomotives and switch to N scale. If everything goes well, I’ll end up with a layout that takes up way less room in my house. If not, at least I’ll have an excuse to break out the power tools and cut up the board I built! I’m also planning to sell some of my OO scale trains to help fund the change, so I’ll be diving back into the wonderful world of eBay again soon!

The plan going forward

So, what’s the plan this time around to avoid the burnout I’ve hit before?

Well, I’m starting fresh—with a brand-new scale, no leftover mistakes from past layouts, and a better plan from the get-go. I’ve decided to switch to N scale, and I’ve also settled on a location and era: the modern-day GWR Didcot Parkway Station (UK era 11). It’s a practical choice—not only does it ground the layout in realism, but it’s also right down the road from me. If I need inspiration (or an excuse for a little field trip), I can just pop over and take a look in person.

Now, I get that the modern railway scene doesn’t have the same nostalgic glamour as the steam era, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun to model. In some ways, it’s actually more manageable—diesel and electric locomotives are simpler, with fewer moving parts compared to their steam-era counterparts—a.k.a. less parts to stop working. Simpler doesn’t mean worse though, as many models of modern locomotives have much more details on them than some of my OO scale steam ones. Plus, most new models come ready for Digital Command Control (DCC), which means I could eventually have independent control over multiple trains, lights, and sound effects. I’m not planning to dive into DCC right away, but knowing it’s an option for the future is a nice bonus.

And this brings me to another passion of mine: software engineering. I’ve got a few Raspberry Pi machines lying around, and I’ve already tinkered with getting them to interact with the world. Why not bring that into the layout? I’m thinking small automation tricks—street lights that turn on at real-life sunset, or real-time station announcements triggered when a train pulls into the platform. It’s a rabbit hole of possibilities, and honestly, that’s part of what makes this new attempt so exciting.

Starting off

Kato Precision Railroad Models, a Japanese manufacturer, has released a GWR Class 800 Intercity Express Train in GWR livery—and I know these pass through Didcot Parkway station as I regularly travel on them. The plain GWR livery one is no longer sold, but a depiction of the named Class 800 “Michael Bond and Paddington Bear” is available with an oval of N gauge track. The Class 800 is partially manufactured in Japan, so I figured that a Japanese model company would have the best representation of this train.

I also know that a Class 66 diesel locomotive “66017” in DB Cargo livery works around the Didcot Parkway station, and there’s evidence that it has been stationed there back in 2018. Revolution Trains are currently taking pre-orders for N scale Class 66 models in several liveries, where you can choose the running number. Needless to say, having a bespoke model of the train that has actually been in the station I’m modelling was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Limiting myself to these two should help me stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed. They’re a solid representation of both passenger and freight traffic through my chosen location, which makes them a great starting point. Now, the challenge is working out the best layout I can create within the board space I have, using a small selection of track pieces.

Beyond the trains themselves, I’m also starting to explore how I can integrate some Raspberry Pi magic into the layout using the hardware I already have tucked away in my desk drawers. There are so many small but exciting possibilities, and I’ve been taking inspiration from videos online. As I refine my plans, I’ll be sure to share updates here!

There’s a lot to think about, but I feel like the pieces are finally coming together. I’ll try to post regular updates on this blog and hopefully, in the coming months, I’ll have something interesting to show. Stay tuned!

Credit to ChatGPT for helping refine my writing and make it less technical.