Happy New Year from N Gauge News! We hope that 2024 brings you all good health and plenty of N Gauge modelling! Thank you once again to all those who read, follow, like NGN across the various platforms and we hope you continue to find the content interesting and useful! During 2024 we're hoping to bring you more news, reviews and interesting N Gauge content, and hopefully more video content once the relocation of NGN HQ is complete!
Continuing with NGN tradition, here's a look back at some of the N Gauge highlights from 2023, and what we can look forward too in 2024!
January
It was a relatively slow start to 2023 and the first big arrivals were the Revolution Trains MTV/ZKV Zander wagons. Check out our review of these useful little wagons here
Kernow Model Centre continued to cater for modellers of the Cornish scene with two exclusive Scenecraft buildings, the China Clay Dries and Truro Signal box, both of which are still available for purchase.
February
The first Graham Farish announcements of the year saw Freight stock take centre stage, with numerous wagon re-liveries announced along with the return of the popular engineers bogie hopper wagons in the form of Sea Lions and Stingrays. More Class 08s and the Freightliner 'Powerhaul' Class 90 were also announced.
We also saw delivery of the Revolution Trains N Gauge IIA-D biomass hopper wagons, exclusively available from Rails of Sheffield. You can read the NGN review of these impressive pieces of rolling stock here
We also got our first look at the Revolution Class 175 and 180 multiple units during the Model Rail Scotland exhibition in Glasgow, but more on those later!
March
The big news in March was the announcement from Dapol of a newly tooled N Gauge Class 66. Following on from their soon to be released N Gauge class 59, the model will share many of the features from their next generation model.
During the London Festival of Railway Modelling at Alexandra Palace, NGN managed an exclusive first look at the long awaited N Gauge class 450 and Transpennine Express Class 350 Desiro units which should finally hit the shelves in 2024. You can see all the images for these here
Rapido Trains UK also got in on the act during March, with the first images of the 3D printed test sample from their N Gauge Class 44 model. The order book for these is now open and you can see the liveries available and more images here
April
April was a quite month, with Sonic Models announcing their N Gauge Newton Chambers Car Carriers, again available exclusively from Rails of Sheffield. These are now at the EP and livery sample stage with release expected later in 2024.
May
May saw Bachmann answer the prayers of many N Gauge modellers with a raft of coaching stock being announced. Re-liveries on Mk.1s and Mk.2fs featured primarily, along with a few not previously released schemes such as WCRC, Virgin and Scotrail. Most of these are now in the shops and available to purchase.
One of the largest announcements for the Farish range for some time, it also featured sound fitted Ivatt 2MTs, additional BR Standard 5MTs and a newly tooled N Gauge MXA Lobster wagon.
Also announced from EFE were 'PBA' Tiger China Clay Wagons for N Gauge. We'll have a review of these coming very soon!
Revolution Trains debuted the EP samples for the 1938 stock during the N Gauge Societies celebration of N Gauge modelling held at the NRM in York, along with the first livery samples for their Class 313/314 EMU
The Class 313 order book is now closed, but you can still pre-order from Revolution Trains stockists.
Dapol also had livery samples to show for their N Gauge Class 59
June
After the excitement of May, June was somewhat quieter with just the the arrival of the Sonic Models/Rails of Sheffield N Gauge J50 tank locomotive. Check out the NGN review of these lovely little tank engines here
Rails have since begun offering weathered versions in their custom weathered range.
July
The first of a few surprises from Dapol came in the shape of a newly tool N Gauge Class 87 announcement. Check out the full details here
Rails of Sheffield also announced two exclusive versions of the Revolution Trains Class 313, one in Network Rail livery and the second two barrier vehicle conversions in use by Arlington Fleet Services.
August
Like many we thought the Bachmann Autumn announcements would be light on N Gauge following the bumper May set. We were wrong! EFE Rail stole the headlines with a brand new N Gauge J94 0-6-0 tank locomotive, and the NGN review is coming very soon!
The Graham Farish range saw more Class 158 liveries added to line up, with the GWR version just hitting the shelves a few days before Christmas. The ever useful Black 5 also made a return to the range, along with more Class 90 numbers. Check out the full announcements here
Revolution Trains announced the IHA Sfhimmns covered steel carriers for N Gauge, with the model at CAD stage and the order book open. Full details on planned liveries can be seen here
In their second surprise announcement of the year, Dapol announced they were retooling their N Gauge class 56 diesel locomotive, utilising the existing chassis. See full details on that here
September
At the International N Gauge Show in September, we got our first look at the Revolution Trains N Gauge Class 175 and Class 180 EP samples, having seen the first test shots earlier in the year. There is no doubt that these are going to be very impressive models when they are released!
We also saw livery samples for the impressive Cartic-4 wagons which are now about to enter production. There are more images of those here
Also at TINGS, Dapol had a range of livery samples on display many for their forthcoming releases, along with announcing a new run of A4 and A3 models.
October
At the Great Electric Train Show in Milton Keynes, we got our first look at livery samples for Revolution Trains highly anticipated N Caroline inspection Saloon. There are more images of the three samples on display here
Revolution Trains also delivered the highly anticipated Class 128 parcels DMU during October and you can read what NGN made of it here
October also saw Dapol reveal the livery samples of their Blue Pullman HST set. Available as an 11 car book set, this is sure to be an impressive train on any layout!
Hitting the shelves at Rails of Sheffield in October were the really quite excellent Cavalex PGA hopper wagons. These stunning little models have been well worth the wait and we'll have an in-depth review of them on the site very soon.
November
In probably the busiest month of the year for N Gauge during 2023, we saw the final set of Graham Farish announcements, bringing new Class 47s, two further Class 158 liveries, more Ivatt 2MTs and a new tool HRA hopper wagon to name a few. Check out the announcements here
Just hitting the shelves before Christmas, you can read our review of the HRA 'shorty' hopper wagons here
3 Exclusive Class 47s were also announced, with Rails of Sheffield releasing 47628 'Sir Daniel Gooch', Kernow Model Railway Centre announcing 47 799 'Prince Henry' and in their first and welcome move into the N Gauge market place, Locomotion Models announced 47798 'Prince William'
In EFE Rail range there were more J94 liveries announced, and further running numbers for the PBA clay tiger wagons.
The Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC brought a few surprises. KATO revealed the first sample of the additional coaches with new inside bearing bogies for the 9 car Class 800/1 due during 2024
Rapido Trains UK also had EP samples for their SECR freight stock on display, with work now pushing ahead quickly on these.
But perhaps one of the worst kept secrets in N Gauge finally became official during November, with the reveal of the Revolution Trains N Gauge Class 66. One big surprise however, was the presence of the first livery samples at Warley, and NGN was able to take a close up look!
November also saw a new range of 3D printed wagon kits introduced by Three Peaks Models, with their first being the L&Y Low Goods.
And finally, we got our first look at the livery samples for the Sonic Models N Gauge Large Prairie, now due later in 2024. This model is again available exclusively from Rails of Sheffield.
December
Sonic Models & Rails of Sheffield were also first off the bat in December, with the announcement of the 12T 'Vanwide' ventilated vans.
Rapido Trains UK owned the final two big announcements in December, first with the news they were brining the GWR 'Mink' (and not-quite-minks!) to N Gauge, and secondly that their Class 44 was now available to pre-order
Finally, and just sneaking in at the very last minute, the first of the Graham Farish Class 158's made it out into the shops. Sadly it wasn't the version on NGN pre-order, but rest assured as soon as ours does arrive we'll have a full and in-depth review up for what could well be the best N Gauge DMU release to date!
2024.....2023 V2?
In the 2022 review, we said we thought it had been a bumper year for N gauge, and it certainly feels like 2023 has surpassed that. With a resurgent Graham Farish, new models announced by Dapol, Revolution continuing to produce some much needed and really quite excellent products things are certainly looking bright. At the same time, Sonic Models expanding their range and new entrants like Rapido Trains UK and Cavalex starting to make their presence felt, we believe N Gauge will continue to go from strength to strength.
We're certainly looking forward to what 2024 might bring, and NGN will continue to bring you all the latest UK outline N Gauge news! Thanks for reading and we hope you have a great 2024!