I have had a regular email correspondence with Geoff Forster (of Penhydd, Llangunllo and latterly Bleddfa Road fame) for many years and our topics are varied, to say the least! We recently discussed the simplifications he is making to his layout, and I made the following observation which he thought I should share with you:

I do think that as well as following “less is more”, you are discovering that “more requires less”, i.e. that because you have moved up a couple of scales, it is easy to get an overcrowded feel to a scene in the same space, but on the other hand the extra volume of the model means that you don’t need as much by the way of layout (or models on it).

I have previously touched on selecting a scale (more than once) that suits your own needs, but I thought that brought it together nicely. Also, Geoff said it was about time I provided a new post! I have noticed over the years that many people become wedded to a particular scale simply because they have got used to it. I understand that, but sometimes, it is worth making the leap. As Geoff is interested in minimal operation, and fully understands that you can only drive one train at a time, then moving up two scales has allowed him to put more time and thought into details and texture – not that there was anything wrong with what he achieved in EM. He is also much more interested in modelling than simply buying. Even off-the-shelf RTR gets a critical review and details are added (or removed!) to create a portrayal of an individual example of a loco, coach, wagon or whatever – preferably with reference to a photo that coincides with his time frame for the layout. This may not involve much work, but he does take a bought “good” and turn it into a personalised model. If your motivation is in the finer details, and movement brings the scene to life, then adopting a larger scale has much to offer. And of course, if you wish to recreate the impression of a busy four track mainline, then your own focus may incline towards a smaller scale because the finer details are less important than the overall scene, and you want to get more of the overall scene into your available space. It is also possible that your own interests will change (evolve, even!) over time. The point is, allow yourself to grow and develop, and don’t just accept that maybe something new is a challenge, but a good thing to be embraced with open arms. You never know: you might even enjoy it!