The Heybridge Railway, 1889 to 1913

[alastairq]

Even riskier storm raising, I've always viewed 'gauge to be something of a flexible, almost random measurement!
After all, by the time adjustments to gauge for corners have been made, we have 'gauge widening', etc Thus to me, 'Gauge seems to be a somewhat 'average' measurement.
What is important to me, is what it 'looks' like.....Plus, how smoothly wheels traverse crossings, etc.
Thus, the narrower check gauges tick those boxes...and from sideways on, I doubt if half a millimeter [or, gnat's hair?] is going to be noticed in the overall visual effect.
If it looks right, it's gotta be somewhere near right?

 

[Richard Gawler]

I agree entirely that gauge is not terribly important as an absolute value, but I do want it to be consistent at the rail ends on my modules. So I hear but I don't see when trains pass through the joins.

I would try for 32 mm near the tips of the point blades next time I build a turnout. I think it makes life that little bit easier, and if the trackwork is gently flowing with few if any straight rails then the variation in gauge will never show.

I have been told, but I do not know, some Heljan diesels are happier with 0-F flangeways, but this is so far out of my period it doesn't affect me. I am also told, ScaleSeven wheels run fine on 0-MF. If I try them out, I just might forget to mention the detail in the accompanying photos

 

[Dog Star]

Just remember that the late Chris Klein was, as he often would remind me, a S7 modeller in all respects bar track gauge.

 

[Giles]

I too went for 31.5 pointwork, and used a nice 32mm flexi track (it may have been Cliff Barker - I can't remember) on Denton Brook, and it was a very happy combination. I think I transitioned within the turnout itself..?

 

[Andrew Young]

Just remember that the late Chris Klein was, as he often would remind me, a S7 modeller in all respects bar track gauge.

Found that strange (and told Chris so) as Scsle Seven is all about the gauge. The rest is just good 7mm scale modelling!

 

[Dog Star]

Not strange, just good humour to rile the true believers.

 

[simond]

Indeed, Chris was a good sport, and a sad loss. I recall a discussion regarding some S7 trees, I think.

 

[Alan]

Sounds like Chris.

 

[40057]

Just an observation, from someone using historic track.

For decades, 0 gauge was 1 1/4”. That is 31.75 mm — at least, historically, that was the stated gauge. 32 mm is, effectively, a conversion-come-rounding error.

My (Bassett-Lowke) track is notionally 1 1/4” — but as it was laid by hand using chairs nailed to wooden sleepers there’s at least 0.5 mm variation either way from the nominal figure. That doesn’t matter for contemporary wheels. I do aim at 32 mm gauge (+ 0.25 mm gauge widening) when I am making up curves from vintage components because of the small radii involved.

 

[daifly]

Found that strange (and told Chris so) as ScaleSeven is all about the gauge. The rest is just good 7mm scale modelling!

See here:

Cwm Bach

I thought it was time to start a thread about Cwm Bach, my 7mm scale depiction of the South Wales Valleys in the 1950s and early 1960s. It occupies a space of 15' x 2' and is wired for DCC operation.I use a blend of standards, the track and rolling stock are 7mm Finescale and the scenery...

www.westernthunder.co.uk

Dave

 

[Richard Gawler]

Manning Wardles cluttering up the place. PALMERSTON and LADYSMITH at Cwm Bach waiting for the order from Evans-the-Shed to move off for the day's work.

View attachment 110889

I stumbled upon a different photo of 'Ladysmith' during the summer of 2021, and this lead to me buying one of my own. I cannot thank Chris at all, let alone enough, but this whole Heybridge Railway thing started a month or two later. I'm happier in my modelling than ever before

 

[Caggers]

Snap! In my case the decision was between 32 and 33 mm! At home our railway is S7 end to end. When Peter and I started a 7mm layout (for our local club) those who were interested were willing to go S7. Now that Simon @Caggers is up north and the others are at even higher altitude there is no other S7 support. Inevitably "O-something" won the day because club members were buying Dapol. Not so easy once peeps asked about 31.5mm.... so our hand built track is 32mm for plain line and 31.5mm for turnouts (and only over the five or six timbers which support the check rails).

Mind you, the 31.5 and 32 mm gauges live in my track box (alongside my S7 jigs) and I had a difficult moment when I found my 33mm gauges being used for track that was intended for the club layout.

@Dog Star I do find it challenging being so far from other S7 modelers when I need some poking and proding at what I am doing... I do need a visit to the warm climet at some point, so how your layout is coming along...

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

Just remember that the late Chris Klein was, as he often would remind me, a S7 modeller in all respects bar track gauge.

I just wonder how he could fit 0F wheelsets into S7 frames!

 

[bambuko]

32 is the archetypal dog's breakfast.

only in the old Blighty, where you guys insist on using this (very) "archetypal dog's breakfast" of 12"=7mm
there are some places in the world where scale of 1:45 works rather well...
4' 8-1/2" divided by 45=31.9mm (or 32mm as far as I am concerned)

P.S. can someone explain to me where does 31.5mm come from? (sorry for my ignorance)

 

[Osgood]

Narrowing up the 32 m gauge at strategic places to take up most of the built-in side play, which is caused by setting the wheel back-to-backs at (whatever it is - 28.5?).

This allows you to reduce the clearance between rail and check rails and crossing vee to minimise the gap and consequent wheel drop.
It also allows stock to travel in a straight line rather than crab about all over the shop.

 

[bambuko]

Narrowing up the 32 m gauge at strategic places to take up most of the built-in side play, which is caused by setting the wheel back-to-backs...

Thanks for that!

Sounds like another "dog's breakfast"
wouldn't it be easier and better to adjust/correct back back?
I know some people who successfully used 29.5mm BTB (unless one insists on 6ft rad track??)

 

[Osgood]

I don't know the answer to that, but I would like to understand if it is possible.
It allows tightening up of gaps etc as with 31.5, but you move the check rails out, not the running rails in.
Maybe for a line which uses dedicated stock it would be fine.
I suspect the reason might be one of incompatibility with layouts running normal back-to-back stock?

 

[Eastsidepilot]

S7 works for me, one gauge one standard or should I say 'a standard', no faffing about.

I have been told, but I do not know, some Heljan diesels are happier with 0-F flangeways,

Some early Heljan wheels did not have a proper profile to the tyre, just a flat flange, no coning and steam roller width which even caused problems running through sloppy Peco points !. The answer is to re-profile with a F/S profile tool.

Another problem often over looked by modellers is the back to back dimension regardless of what ever gauge your running this dimension has to be maintained with all your stock, and just don't take for granted that your packet of Slaters wagon/coach wheels are set correctly ....not always !

Col.

 

[Osgood]

Sounds like another "dog's breakfast"

S7
A dog can eat like a king

 

[simond]

0-MF or 31.5 is simply a better compromise than 32, which is the accepted fine scale gauge - G0G-F.

As Tony said, it gives better running and improved appearance, but the key point is that it allows the use of standard commercial wheelsets, so is compatible with all G0G-F stock. You can run on your mates track, and he on yours, kit built, RTR, or second hand.

Obviously it will restrict minimum radii on longer stock more than 32 would. Gauge widening is prototypical.

So, whilst you might not start from here, it’s better than 32, and less restrictive than 33.