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Gauge Decisions...

alanbuttler

Entry posted by alanbuttler in DETAILING

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I've previously given which gauge to model some thought, when starting out again last January with a couple of small diorama's to get myself back into modelling. I'd toyed with the idea of going to EM but was a little put off initially, not thinking I'd be up to the challenge of re-gauging, or chassis building or all the other tasks finescale modelling presents, so I stuck with OO. That was a year ago now and I've gained some confidence in modelling, some good tools and a little more experience. So now I'm reviewing the decision again, prompted by the detailing projects and the prospect of building new chassis for various locos. The same thoughts have come back: if I'm going to go to the trouble of building a new chassis, then I might as well go for EM gauge as detail and precision are my main drivers for dioramas.

 

A couple of things make the decision a easier - For the foreseeable future I'll only have enough room for small diorama's with limited operation, so any conversions can have a little more room for error (hopefully?!) than ones destined for larger layouts with lots of points. The Works doesn't have any points at all, just the traverser, so if I make some beginners errors I'm hoping the simple track diagram should be a little forgiving! I could be taking utter rubbish as it's all new to me, but these thoughts make me feel a little less daunted. If I'm deluding myself, put me out of my misery :)

 

I'm also hoping that some of the newer Bachmann locos won't need new frames, just need new wheels, or maybe even having their existing wheels pushed out... which is something I keep reading about, but have no idea how to do, or what locos are capable of having it done.

 

Before committing fully I decided to build up a panel of EM and OO track, get them side by side, take a few photos and compare the difference. By chance, I saw in the classifieds on here that Mallard60022 was selling a Comet framed EM gauge 57xx Pannier at a decent price, so I bought it. I've been on the look out for a cheapish 57xx to be a candidate for conversion to no.5700, an Oswestry based Pannier, this one in particular without a top feed, so this will do the job nicely. It also allows me to properly compare OO with EM and to see if it the effort and cash is really worth it to my eyes and tastes.

 

Here's the outcomes:

 

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The track just looks better and more in proportion, though the OO gauge can be improved by trimming down the sleepers (as per Mikkel's blog), this is a test stretch of OO I made and weathered last year:

 

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Adding the Panniers to the test tracks next:

 

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And finally, two shots of 5726 on each chassis side by side:

 

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The finer frames of the Comet chassis look much more realistic and the near prototypical width looks great. So that pretty much decides it! Next step though before I take the plunge is to gauge (!) how much of a task ahead of me I have. In theory I'm looking at the following conversions:

 

New chassis - Manors, Moguls, Dean Goods, 14xx

New wheels (or pushed out wheels?) - Panniers, Prairies, Collett Goods, 4MT, Ivatt 2MT's

 

Any advice on the above would be greatly appreciated! I'm off to the London Festival of Railway Modelling on Sunday so I'll stop by the EMGS and see what I can find out :)

 

Many thanks to Mallard60022, Andy M and Geoff of "Chronicles of Penhydd/Rails to Llangunllo" for their advice!

Edited by alanbuttler

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Mikkel
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An interesting comparison, Alan. As an OO modeller I have to look twice, but when I do I can see the difference. Things just look more in proportion, especially looking at the relation between rail, sleepers and buffers.

 

Sounds like you're already well on your way into EM, will be interesting to follow the journey!

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PaternosterRow
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Agree with Mikkel about looking twice, but the difference is definitely brought home in the last shot.  I agree with your decision to go EM regarding this layout simply because it is of such a high standard and therefore kind of dictates the choice.  Good luck with re gauging the stock as I shudder at the thought of ever having to do it myself!

 

By the way, that test stretch of 00 is superb and is definitely Mikkel standard track.

 

Already looking forward to the next entry.

 

Mike

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alanbuttler

Many thanks for your comments Mikkel and Mike, I really appreciate your feedback.  It's a big commitment but I think its the right decision, the Works will be under the camera lens for a lot of close up photography and having EM track will complete the picture I think! 

 

I met some of the nice gents of the EMGS yesterday at the London Festival of Railway Modelling, they offered some good advice and plenty of encouragement! This pannier will probably be my first conversion using Ultrascale drop ins, at some point at least, they've been on order since October so might not be too long now.

 

Next job though is to finish detailing 5726 and get her off to the paint shop - the correct whistles arrived Friday so I'll get them fitted tonight

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