Going Minimum Gauge

[AndyG]

The all new handbook from the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association has arrived!

Going Minimum Gauge – 76 pages, £12.50

Due for its official launch at Expo Narrow Gauge on Saturday 25th October 2014 at the
White Oak Leisure Centre,
Hilda May Avenue,
Swanley,
Kent
BR8 7BT

Is listed on the Association website
http://7mmnga.org.uk/sales/publication_details.php?ref=HB02

[rue_d_etropal]

I seem to remember the first edition coming out many years ago.

[Si]

I have the first edition - and while it was good to have a dedicated book in the earlier days of O9, it was very much a collection of available articles rather than a designed piece of work (no criticism of the authors/editors - they could only work with what they had).

Looking forward to seeing the new one (apart from the dodgy Lister build which I fear might be a little overshadowed by some of the more advanced examples in there ).

[rue_d_etropal]

Its a pity that it has had to come from one specific scale group, as we have now spread ourselves over many popular scales and any handbook should reflect that, even if its just an appendix at the end.

[Si]

Well, I guess that it should really be called "Going O9" as I'm guessing that it'll have little for the other scales in it. But when the original GMG was written there was even less min gauge than there is now.

Goes back to a thread we had quite some time ago regarding the lack of and need for (or not) a GN15 club. If there were one then it too could do hard publications. Or even a "minimum gauge modelling club" to cover MG in all scales. On the other hand, if you are keen then you can find virtually all you want to know for free on the 'net.

[rue_d_etropal]

Ideal thing would be for minimum gauge sub groups in other scales/gauges similar to the O scale one, but then these groups working together to produce a guide.
I was modelling(as some others were) what became known as O9 before it became O9. For me it was more miniature than minimum gauge, and felt a bit peeved when kits(scale?) were introduced for the Horwich 18in gauge locos. I am no rivet counter but it gets me a bit when some of those who think they are, mix up 18in and 15in gauge. About that time I temporarily moved away from minimum gauge modelling.
I wonder if there is any mention of using 10.5mm gauge to represent 18in gauge in O scale(1/43).

[Thorness]

For me it was more miniature than minimum gauge, and felt a bit peeved when kits(scale?) were introduced for the Horwich 18in gauge locos. I am no rivet counter but it gets me a bit when some of those who think they are, mix up 18in and 15in gauge. About that time I temporarily moved away from minimum gauge modelling.
I wonder if there is any mention of using 10.5mm gauge to represent 18in gauge in O scale(1/43).

I bet these are the same guys quite happily modelling standard gauge 7 inches too narrow!!

[rue_d_etropal]

OO gauge finescale(?) that is a common topic down our club. Always makes me smile to think of how many people model narrow gauge without realising it.

[Si]

Well, my copy came through the door ten mins ago and very nice it looks too on first inspection.

And, yes, there is a section on 'alternative track gauges', covering 12, 10.5, 9 and 6.5.

[Brack]

I was modelling(as some others were) what became known as O9 before it became O9. For me it was more miniature than minimum gauge, and felt a bit peeved when kits(scale?) were introduced for the Horwich 18in gauge locos. I am no rivet counter but it gets me a bit when some of those who think they are, mix up 18in and 15in gauge.

The springside kit has also been lengthened a little I think to fit the motor in. It certainly does make a nice model though. The trouble is that real 18" prototypes vary considerably in loading gauge - without even going to the extremes (kimberly Bagnalls), the Woolwich arsenal stuff was huge compared to Sipat, which makes you understand why the Wooden Box drivers thought their Bagnall (Scout) had no guts - it is about half the size of Jack and Gwen!
I'm more than happy with using 9mm track for 18", but then I feel myself heading towards 1:48 over time...

[rue_d_etropal]

I have no problem rubber scaling, but I don't count rivets. Its when a group lays down rules and guidelines then breaks them when it suits them. Sounds like politics and religion. I won't say more.
Must admit I realised that 1/48 18in gauge is very close to 9mm gauge after I spoke, but still think 10.5mm gauge would be a good option.

[Brack]

10.5mm doesn't get you much though - rtr track and wheelsets, plus some rather expensive chassis none of which would be appropriate for any of the 18" prototypes I know of. You're basically looking at a full scratchbuilt job, so may as well go to 1/48 (which is what peter kazer's sand hutton is, just his track is 0.5mm wider). At least in 9mm gauge there are plenty of good mechanisms to use. Given that O gauge track is almost 1mm out to scale width, 16.5mm is either 2.5mm too wide or 1mm too narrow for most prototypes, I can live with my rails being a 1.5mm narrow.

anyway, back to the booklet. I think there's a nice balance between beginner and more advanced modelling in it, and a good mix of topics (and please don't think I'm biased because I may be one of the perpetrators). As a publication intended to help create or kindle interest in modelling sub 2' I think it does a good job at showing some of the possibilities.

[rue_d_etropal]

Quite a few people now model 14mm gauge rather than 16,5mm gauge, and I think there is about as much as for 10.5mm gauge. Anyway I thought there was quite a bit for 10.5mm gauge in USA.