Current status of 3mm for finescale modelling

[Lacathedrale]

Hi all,

 

I'm planning a new railway model and unfortunately my desired space (loft) just doesn't look like it'll work out, so I'm limited to a smaller garden office for my iron horses. I dabble in RTR N gauge and built a few layouts in it, but now I want to do some kit building and laying a layouts worth of finescale track complete with bespoke geometry. I've experience with building single points in EM and S7 so broadly know what to expect.

 

Right now my desires for squarely into two camps: ~1900 SECR (and I see the 3msr has the C, D and H class etches) and very early diesels in the BR(S) (and it seems with "modified" - just what does that mean? - Piko Taurus chassis I have 33, 73 and 37's covered).

 

My main questions are around sourcing parts. The society webpage seems very out of date with missing pages, the 3SMR shop looks like it hasn't been updated in years with formatting errors and very unspecific points.

 

My questions are:

 

1) what is the current supported finescale standard? 13.5 or 14.2 fine? I am not worried about compatibility with other layouts, just sourcing wheels, axles and gauges.

 

2) are there any holes in the range which would preclude large swathes? I.e. vendors mentioned in various sites but otherwise discontinued?

 

3) is there anything I need to know before jumping in and getting a membership of the 3mm society?

[Joseph_Pestell]

I'm no expert in 3mm scale although it has always tempted me.

 

Apart from 3SMR, you may like to take a look at Worsley Works (Allan Doherty). He has a decent range and is willing to rescale other products.

[Lacathedrale]

Ok, will do! My concern is that even within the small microcosm of this subforum there is bickering and back chat, and a such if that is representative of the vendors and average Joe's (for example upon joining the 3mm society) then I wonder if I might be better going alone!

[NCB]

There's a wide range of finescale wheels. The price list can be downloaded from this page:

https://sites.google.com/site/3mmpublic/products/price-list

Go to pages 19/20 and look for finescale wheels under the heading Stapleton. They all come with the appropriate axles; for driving wheels you'll need to specify 13.5mm or 14.2mm when ordering.

 

For track supplies and gauges, look under pages 22 onwards; the gauges are listed on page 24.

 

By the way, there was a slight error in formatting the price-list (a few blank pages inserted near the end), but this seems to have been corrected today.

 

13.5mm or 14.2mm? Of the two, most people use 14.2mm. 13.5mm has advantages in tight situations such as when crossheads of outside cylinders pass in front of the coupling rods, or prototypes where the distance between the inner faces of splashers are tight, but otherwise 14.2mm is fine.

 

When you say the Society web page seems very out of date, which page were you referring to? The current Society website is a new one and most of the stuff in it is new, although it's currently work in progress so things are still being added. The address is:

https://sites.google.com/site/3mmpublic/3mm-society

 

Diesels aren't my thing, but I do have a Taurus chassis (very nice). From memory for things like class 25s I think you just need to chop bits off the end. However, I gather any such mods are not easy due to the metal used. The chassis is 12mm gauge only. There are other possible solutions, such as motor bogies from Hollywood Foundry.

 

By the nature of things, some products appear or disappear. I think the current price-list is up-to-date as regards what is available from the Society. The two main vendors are Worsley Works and 3SMR; with either you need to check what the stocks are before ordering.

 

Wasn't aware of any bickering in this sub-section :-)

 

Cheers

Nigel

Edited December 20, 2017 by NCB

[Dava]

With any scale-specific society, there is the 'official' offer of what they do and there is the informal support from other modellers with expertise, materials and stuff. It's many years since I modelled in 3mm scale and was a teenage member of the society, but in that scale, then 009, 7mm narrow gauge and now Gauge 0 SG it's always been well worth while having the membership because you get access to a lot more advice and resources than you ever would going it alone. There are 'limited run' models which never get advertised publicly for example. A member of this thread has benefited from some I had recently, you try finding a 3mm scale pre-group salt or fish van!

 

Dava

[Lacathedrale]

Understood all, thank you - I have the welcome pack (nice van and some plain track) so while I'm a little worried about my ability to put together a big/perfect layout it does seem ideal for a shunting layout. I'll see what I can put together! 

 

Many thanks!

[Crusty30]

Dependent on where live you can always join your local area group. The Kingsbury do in March is also worth going to as is the AGM in May which will be in Swindon.

Steve