or a long time, I have really liked the idea of maximising space with N gauge and taking advantage of the ability to run realistic-length trains. As space becomes ever more prevalent, even a modest-sized N gauge layout can take up more room than you might expect. After a few years of playing around with second-hand layouts, I finally decided to go for a bespoke layout that would fulfil my needs. The main build credit must go to Steve Hornsey, who was able to translate my design idea into a reality. While my DIY skills are slowly improving (although wiring scares me!), I decided a professionally-built layout would give me much less to worry about and let me concentrate on adding my own details. Once I had figured out my space available for both storage and transportation, I had to try and work out compromises such as train lengths desired, operational interest, and space available to decide what I
