Railex 2024 Aylesbury, Sat 25th, Sun 26th May

There are many, many Narrow Gauge/Scale combinations. In fact there is probably a scale/gauge combination being used by someone for every scale in combination with almost every commercial track gauge and with many non-commercial ones. There are also scale/gauge combinations that use scales that don’t really exist in any form in standard gauge modelling.

To understand what is meant by a particular narrow gauge title it is worth looking at the typical notation used. In most cases, and there are some exceptions to complicated the matter, in is described, as an example, as 09, so the scale followed by the gauge of the track. In many cases small letter n is inserted between the two, but not always. To complicate matters the gauge of the track sometimes refers to the model gauge, certainly the most common in the UK, and sometimes the gauge of the prototype track, more common in the USA and Europe.

Here we will look at the three main scale/gauge combinations in use in the UK, based around O Scale and OO Scale. The table below also includes the larger narrow gauge combinations, often used in garden railways.

On16.5 is , with 009, a very widely used scale/gauge combination in the UK. Benefiting from the vast array of OO mechanism there is a very wide range of specialist support. It scales to a 2’ 4” prototype but is commonly used for 2’ to 2’ 6” and beyond with much success. Supported by the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association there is a lot of support available in terms of advice and parts.

On9 is not as common as the other two scales covered here but due to the commercially available mechanisms from N gauge, and good specialist support through the trade and the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association. The biggest restricting factor is probably the fact that it represents a 1’ 3” prototype and there were not so many of them and certainly not as well known as the wider gauge prototypes.

009 is, with O-16.5, the most common narrow gauge combination in the UK. Strictly 4mm scale on 9mm track provides for a prototype of 2’ 3” gauge. However, it is often used to cover 2’ to 2’ 6” prototypes, and often larger still. Historically it has been a kit and scratch builders scale, albeit able to call on N scale mechanisms, but in the last few years number of the major commercial suppliers have released ready-to-run locomotives and rolling stock, increasing the take up considerably. The 009 Society is well established and provides a lot of support via the forum and the kits and parts it makes available to members.