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New EU Directive on Model Railways

Savoyard

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Savoyard

Savoyard

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  • RMweb Gold
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Whilst searching for something completely unrelated I came across the a new EU Directive 2016/04/EC in Harmonised Standards which will have a major effect on our hobby in here the UK.

 

It appears on first reading that this directive is an attempt to get round the discrepancy caused by the compromise UK OO Scale and the track gauge not being a true scale of the real thing, which is seriously misleading to public and needs to be addressed. This is not a problem with HO as the tack gauge is correct.

 

Therefore they propose to make it illegal to produce 4 mm models that use the current HO Gauge of 16.5 mm. Therefore from 01/01/17 all 4 mm models can only be sold with correctly gauged wheel at 18.83 and it will be illegal to sell any wheels less than this gauge if they are intended for 4 mm models. It will also be illegal to regauge any new models bought after this date.

 

I have not yet read far enough to see how it will affect existing 4 mm models and obviously layouts built to the 16.5 gauge.

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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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And be more original.

 

EC critical of popular hobby

By Avril Poisson

European affairs reporter

 

A new report by the European Commission could affect one of the

Britain's more quirky hobbies, model trains.

 

The EC Enterprise Directorate-General report entitled "Efficiency and

Accountability of European Standardisation under the New Approach"

criticises the UK's use of model train scales which are different to the

rest of Europe.

 

The EU report accuses UK model train manufacturers of violating

Technical Harmonisation Directives and not conforming to standard trade

descriptions. In one example, the report describes some types of model

train track being marketed as both 'HO' and 'OO' scales which it says

are different sizes.

 

The report offers a list of 90 recommendations, including passing

legislation if required to bring UK model train manufacturers into line

with Europe.

 

Another criticism was of small model trains built to 'N' scale.

 

John Emerson, editor of British Railway Modelling magazine, said

"British 'N' scale is standardised to a scale of 1:148, unlike the rest

of the world which uses a ratio of 1:160, while preserving the track

gauge of 9 mm. The inaccuracy of British 'N' offends some purists, but

that's how it is."

 

Emerson also said this is why American and European 'HO' scale trains

use a ratio of 1:87 whereas British 'OO' scale trains use a ratio of

1:76, on the same 16.5 mm track gauge.

 

EC Standardisation Unit spokesman Aout Premier said the situation was

confusing and the UK should meet European standards.

 

He said that technical harmonisation standards were approved by the "New

Approach" Council Resolution in 1985 and enacted by the European

Commission after consultation with member states.

 

In Britain, the prominent anti-Europe MP Sir Peter Tapsell called on the

Department of Trade and Industry to reject the European directives. He

said "The nation that invented railways should not change its unique

identity and bow to petty directives which the EU did not have the power

to enforce."

 

But Premier said the EU can enforce common standards through several

Directives concerning the design, manufacture and marketing of consumer

products.

 

Premier said that Directive 378/1988 on toy safety and Directive 68/1993

on low-voltage electrical equipment could be applied to model trains.

 

If the UK failed to meet standards, Premier said that EU could revoke

the right of UK model manufacturers to display the 'CE' conformity mark.

 

The models could then be deemed non-conforming and measures could be

taken to stop their manufacture and make their sale illegal.

 

Emerson rejected the claims saying "We are not talking about toys. We

are talking about very high quality detailed models."

 

A spokesman for the Union Européenne des Modélistes Ferroviaires des

Chemins de Fer, a Swiss-based group that represents national federations

of railroad modellers in 18 European countries, said he hoped the UK

would accept the EC standards and adopt European scales.

- The Guardian, 1 April 2005

 

Cheers

David

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  • RMweb Gold
Savoyard

Savoyard

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  • RMweb Gold
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'And be more original'

 

Sadly I haven't got a complete mental index of RMWeb postings especially from 11 years ago! I thought I might add a little light hearted fun and I hadn't seen the original posting, I'll not waste my time in future.

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BG John

BG John

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Oh heck - this could lead to yet another debate about track standards and gauges :jester:  :jester:

Don't you mean the same debate held yet again? :stinker: 

Anyway, if it leads to a frantic dumping of OO gauge stuff before the ban is imposed, I can grab some cheap stuff to convert to EM or P4, and O-16.5 :sungum:

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