Can someone explain 7mm NG differences

[Matador]

What are the diffent 7mm NG gauges used in British Modelling . If I used the equivelant of OO track here in the US it would be manufactured by Micro Engineering similar to Peco but much smaller rail profile. I,m building a 7mm O gauge layout but would like a NG add on.

 

David

A Yorkshireman in the USA

[jamie92208]

Hi Dave

 

I don't claim to be an expert on 7mm NG but there was some on my last layout. Over here much of it tends to be 16.5 gauge as the mechanisms are available. However there are plenty of layouts around that use different gauges to fit the prototype. These include 9mm to model 15" gauge prototypes and 21mm for some 3' gauge originals. I suppose the answer is the gauge can be whatever you want as long as can get a mechanism that will run on it. there are also some 14mm gauge layouts based on the welsh slate lines but there are also others that use standard HO/00 mechanisms on 16.5mm track for the same prototype. Certainly the smaller rail would help appearances.

 

Jamie

A Cumbrian exiled in Yorkshire.

[Oldddudders]

What are the diffent 7mm NG gauges used in British Modelling . If I used the equivelant of OO track here in the US it would be manufactured by Micro Engineering similar to Peco but much smaller rail profile. I,m building a 7mm O gauge layout but would like a NG add on.

The two nations have different definitions of O Gauge. In the UK it is 7mm to the foot, equating to 1:43 scale. In the US it is quarter inch to the foot, equating to 1:48 scale. This may or may not bother you. As Jamie says Micro Engineering track would look exquisite - although it has US sleeper spacing, I suspect, not to mention turnout design - but these differences are much less critical in narrow gauge modelling, where prototypes were so varied.

 

I suggest that your choice of NG prototype - or of a freelance railway - will dictate a lot of your standards. Don't forget that the number of NG lines in the UK which interfaced with/met the national network was really quite small.

[Matador]

The two nations have different definitions of O Gauge. In the UK it is 7mm to the foot, equating to 1:43 scale. In the US it is quarter inch to the foot, equating to 1:48 scale. This may or may not bother you. As Jamie says Micro Engineering track would look exquisite - although it has US sleeper spacing, I suspect, not to mention turnout design - but these differences are much less critical in narrow gauge modelling, where prototypes were so varied.

 

I suggest that your choice of NG prototype - or of a freelance railway - will dictate a lot of your standards. Don't forget that the number of NG lines in the UK which interfaced with/met the national network was really quite small.

I am working on an O Gauge Scottish Branch and as I understand it some of the Whisky Distilliaries had there own Loc0 and line I was going to have this in NG

David

A Yorkshirman in the USA

[Mike Bellamy]

David

 

The track that Peco supply is based on their OO range and uses 'Code 100' rail as well as sleepers that many think are oversize. The MicroEngineering track you will have seen in the States has sleepers that are closer together and are much thinner. Track is available in three rail heights, 'Code 100', Code 83' and 'Code 70' - however ready made points are not available in the 'Code 100'

 

Paul Martin of EDM Models imports Mirco Engineering track into UK and has details on this page http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Track/track.htm#ME0n30 if you look you will see the difference between the different types.

 

For a much more detailed explanation of rail height and weight have a look at the work done by John Clutterbuck for Narrow Gauge and Industrial Review - this has been reproduced by permission of Roy Link into a 35 page booklet that can be found by a link from this page http://o14group.org/2008/10/31/finescale-7mm-ng-trackwork/ This is a very comprehensive review and should tell you all you need to know

 

Mike