Menu

Diary: 2008

Track

Locomotives

Rolling stock

Workshop

For sale & wanted

Photo galleries

Books

Railway Humour

Links

The Railway Discussion Forum

7¼" gauge in the garden

Introduction

I have been fascinated by narrow gauge railways almost for as long as I can remember. I remember going to the museum at Brockham in the UK with my father when I was a lad, and later exploring the 2' gauge railways of North Wales. I cannot really explain why I find them more interesting than standard gauge railways, but for years I have endeavored to reproduce them in a number of different scales. Other interests came and went, but in the background there was always narrow gauge. I also have fond memories of the miniature railway at Weymouth Miniature Railway in Dorset and the East African Railways class 59 Garratt at Crystal Palace.

What is the difference between narrow gauge and miniature railways? A "miniature" is a scaled-down model of something else, whereas a narrow gauge loco is not a model of something else, it just happens to be small. For instance, a 15" gauge version of a Gresley pacific (such as those on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch) would be a scaled-down miniature of the real thing. However, Sir Arthur Heywood's 15" gauge locomotives are just small; they are narrow-gauge locomotives in their own right. Heywood suggested that 15" gauge was the minimum practical gauge that would provide a practical (or commercial) service. For instance, the line he built for Eaton Hall was intended to carry 5000-6000 tons of materials per year. Recent developments by Ken Swan and Jim Haylock (say in the last 20 years) have shown that in many ways, 7¼" narrow gauge can also provide such a service, at least as a passenger-carrying pleasure railway. A perfect example of what can be accomplished in 7¼" narrow gauge is the Moors Valley Railway.

I used to have a 5" gauge railway around my garden in England which was not really stable enough for young children - as they fidgeted the trains had a habit of derailing. It was a good start though and I learnt a lot and thoroughly enjoyed building it. When my wife and I moved to New Zealand in 2005 I sold the 5" gauge equipment and said that if I was to build anything here it would be 7¼" gauge or larger.

10¼" gauge and upward is frightfully expensive, so that only really leaves 7¼" gauge. Interestingly, if you choose to go up to 2' gauge, the prices are not that much more than 7¼", it's just that they are so big they are impractical for most individuals - and you have legislation to comply with. I helped build a 7¼", narrow gauge style line back in England in 1989 so I have a good idea of what I am letting myself in for and also what is possible.

I studied engineering at college back in the 1980s and know my way around a workshop - though I'd hardly call myself an expert machinist. I am also updating my skills and studying CAD at college in evening classes so I hope to be able to start turning out some rolling-stock using my profile-cut designs. Watch this space to see how I get on.

I have been without a garden railway for three years now whilst we got settled in New Zealand. We're now looking for that perfect piece of land suitable for building a line on, so I have "turned up the heat" on my interests from a slow-simmer to a fast-boil. I also recently bought a narrow-gauge outline 2-8-0 to run on public tracks whilst I get going on my own line.

Please select one of the links on the left to follow me on my exploits in building a miniature railway here in New Zealand.

John Oxlade

Narrow-minded and proud of it