Newbie/G1/45mm track advice please

B

Bonky

Active Member
First post:
I've been modelling 'O' Gauge for the last 15 years and also have a 16mm garden railway running on Peco 32 mm track.

My knowledge of G1 started only a few days ago. I was a little shocked at the number of different standards.

I have two 16mm/32mm steam locos (A Roundhouse 'Lady Ann' and an Acccucraft 'Caradoc') I believe one or both of these could be adjusted to run on 45mm Garden Rail standard.

My question is: what track should I buy so that I can run - say- a Barrett (10mm) kit loco AND the above two locos? (Marcways is a 40 min drive away).

Many thanks,

Richard.
 
Steve Cook

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Hi Richard.
I would say you are free to choose any track that counts as 'standard', rather than any finescale alternatives.
The key point is that your Barrett loco and your narrow gauge engines will both run with a 40mm back to back (both 16mm engines can be converted to 45mm), so you'll be OK to use Peco G1 or G45 track, Tenmille, LGB, Cliff Barker, Aristocraft or Marcway.
All of those are 45mm gauge, although I'm sure that Peco G1 is actually 44.5mm between inner rail faces.
Cliff Barker track is also available in a gauge widened size of 45.5mm for tight radii, most useful for G1 locos with large wheelbase arrangements.
Wheel flanges also used to be a factor, certainly some of the early garden railway stuff came with pretty large flanges, but I think that anything recent with a rail height at or over Code 200 rail should give adequate clearance over the chairs.
I run Code 180 stuff from Cliff Barker and modern G1 and 16mm engines run fine with no bumping, although most things drop a little into the point crossing Vee with standard 45mm track (irrespective of brand) - I can live with it, it bothers others more.
ATB
Steve
 
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