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As is the case with most layouts it will probably never be completed but that is half the fun. I am currently adding detail such as figures and road vehicles (suitable Swiss ones are sadly lacking in “N” gauge but the situation could well be improving.....see the photo at the bottom of this page) and attempting to improve the appearance of the many trees. You will also notice on some of the later photos in the gallery that signals have started to appear. They are made by Kyodo and distributed by Lemaco in Switzerland. Because of their small size the wiring is a little fiddly but I think the results are well worth the effort. It has always been my intention to operate the layout to a timetable and I am currently planning one. It will probably be an extended version of the actual timetable for the Spiez - Interlaken line although there will have to be provision to slot in some extra trains, such as the Talgo and any others which do not have an equivalent currently running on this line. I have recently obtained one of the superb "Fast Clocks" from Logic Rail Technologies and after carrying out a number of tests it looks like a clock speed of 9 x Realtime will best suit my timetable requirements.

The locos and rolling stock are mainly from Kato/Hobbytrain, Arnold/Minitrain, Roco, Fleischmann, Electrotren and Minitrix with a small number of the excellent Lemaco brass models. Stock from SBB, BLS, FS, DB, OBB and even RENFE in the form of a Talgo set can be seen in regular use on the layout. If the prototype runs or has run in Switzerland then it can run on the Sustenbahn. Its as simple as that ! If given a choice I will generally purchase models of prototypes that I have actually seen. (Yet another way of prolonging memories !) I have models of most SBB loco types that have operated in the 1990’s including a number of “Museum Loks” which are given the occasional run at the head of special trains. Passenger stock is usually kept in fixed sets but that’s not to say that the odd coach or wagon cannot be added if required. Freight stock includes various examples of the brightly liveried Swiss vans together with HUPAC swap-body, container and HGV rolling-road sets. A Hobbytrain BLS car-carrying set is used to provide the winter service when the Susten Pass is closed.

I obtain most of my stock from Switzerland with the odd item being purchased in the UK. Buying in Switzerland is usually more expensive but I tend to be rather impatient and can’t wait for a new item to appear in the UK. In fact some of the models are exclusive to the Swiss market and therefore must be purchased locally or by mail-order. Over the last few years I have dealt with a number of retailers, both at home and abroad and you can find a list of my favourite ones in the model shops section.

Pictured on the left is one of the new n-scale Swiss Postbuses from the German firm of Rietze Automodelle. Although the livery has changed somewhat during the last two years I have seen a few vehicles which have not been re-painted. A Swiss layout would hardly be complete without at least one of these vehicles waiting at the station for the arrival of the train. Rietze also produce a number of other models based on this same Mercedes coach but in the liveries of various German and Austrian tour operators. These too would be very much in keeping with a Swiss layout.

The Swiss loco graphics are based on originals by Georges Huber and used with his kind permission.