T-gauge (3mm) has arrived! What shall I build?

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T-gauge (3mm) has arrived! What shall I build?
Topic Started: 13 Nov 2008, 05:25 PM (993 Views)
Timbo	13 Nov 2008, 05:25 PM Post #1
Timbo Posts: 1,366 Group: Moderators Member #53 Joined: October 24, 2006	So, my T-gauge trains have finally arrived from Japan. This is a set-track based model railway with a gauge of 3mm and a four car DMU powered by tiny tiny motors. It is quite bizarre and has a curve radius of 120mm. 30 curves and 30 straights, which is at 1:450 scale is about 1 mile of track. Not loads, but enough for a decent run. Where it gets interesting (ish) is when I do "a Colin" and use it to make a miniature railway in say, 00 gauge. Or O gauge. In N gauge it becomes 15" - 20". (model of the Ratty railcars or Dudley Zoo APT, anyone?) In OO it becomes 7.25" to 10.25" gauge. I could model a Mardyke... or sit-astride set. In O gauge it becomes 5" gauge. In 1:12 scale (Bekonscot!) it suddenly becomes a Gauge 1 model in a back garden. A pic of similar stock can be found here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7XN3MX4ZrCk It therefore needs to be a basically DMU or railcar based set. What railway and scale do you think I should go for? Note: No points at present, but an end-to-end auto shuttle can be built.
	Tim Dunn MRW Moderator www.bekonscot.com www.meteorite.co.uk


Callum Darraugh	13 Nov 2008, 05:51 PM Post #2
Mug shot master Posts: 1,326 Group: Member Member #239 Joined: September 2, 2007	that looks cool on that video. can you only get T gauge from Japan? what locos do they have in this gauge? Is there a signalling system at beckonscot? Callum
	Your train is cancelled due to the lack of the tea can on the footplate. www.hilcotevalleyrailway.webs.com and www.trenthamfernrailway.webs.com Staffordshires Greatest Little Railways!


colinpeake	13 Nov 2008, 06:38 PM Post #3
MRW Digest Editor Posts: 1,659 Group: MRMT Trustees Member #6 Joined: August 15, 2006	Just to fill a couple of gaps in scales Tim: In 3mm (TT) it is 12" gauge In 'G' it is approx 3" gauge Ratty Railcar in 2mm scale would be interesting.... Colin Edited by colinpeake, 13 Nov 2008, 06:39 PM.
	Colin Peake MRW Digest Editor Miniature Railways - Colin Peake's Photos


Timbo	13 Nov 2008, 09:27 PM Post #4
Timbo Posts: 1,366 Group: Moderators Member #53 Joined: October 24, 2006	At the mo, the only reliable source is Japan. I was considering importing it and merchandising it myself, but after looking at the markup potential, effort involved and the quantity I'd have to sell, I'm not going to pursue it. I knew you'd want me to do Silver Jubilee, Col...
	Tim Dunn MRW Moderator www.bekonscot.com www.meteorite.co.uk


MuzTrem	13 Nov 2008, 10:24 PM Post #5
Operations Manager Posts: 920 Group: Friends of MRMT Member #65 Joined: December 5, 2006	Sounds very interesting However, much as I love 15" gauge prototypes they have already been done in more than one scale/gauge, so perhaps it might be interesting to try a smaller prototype?



Timbo	13 Nov 2008, 10:40 PM Post #6
Timbo Posts: 1,366 Group: Moderators Member #53 Joined: October 24, 2006	You're right Murray and I well remember being aged 8 in Harrow Model Shop gawping at a model of Flying Scotsman and some coaches that had been butchered into a RHDR loco and appropriate coaches. WHY? I thought. But now the T-gauge has arrived, I might as well try something unusual.
	Tim Dunn MRW Moderator www.bekonscot.com www.meteorite.co.uk


glastonrail	13 Nov 2008, 11:14 PM Post #7
Dommo Posts: 2,371 Group: Member Member #85 Joined: January 7, 2007	Timbo 13 Nov 2008, 10:40 PM You're right Murray and I well remember being aged 8 in Harrow Model Shop gawping at a model of Flying Scotsman and some coaches that had been butchered into a RHDR loco and appropriate coaches. WHY? I thought. But now the T-gauge has arrived, I might as well try something unusual. Be vain. Model yourself and TC (and a select few friends of course) in your Mardyke HST. Make a model of it to pitch at hopeful investors on Dragon's Den to fund your plans for its re-furb!! Cheers, Dom
	"There's no such thing as sanity, and that's the sanest fact" M. Knopfler, 1985 Dragon Miniature Railway, Stockport http://www.freewebs.com/dragonrailway


AJcoulls	26 Jan 2009, 12:40 PM Post #8
Operations Manager Posts: 706 Group: MRMT Trustees Member #52 Joined: October 24, 2006	http://www.t-gauge.net/related.htm
	I know where I can get an engine...any time I want


rough-shunter	26 Jan 2009, 01:01 PM Post #9
Director Posts: 1,730 Group: Friends of MRMT Member #121 Joined: April 27, 2007	i like it but yet again it serves no use
	JORDAN ASHLEY LEEDS Trains go into tunnels and come out but locos can go in sheds and never come out


davidward	26 Jan 2009, 01:43 PM Post #10
Coal Bailer Posts: 486 Group: Member Member #71 Joined: December 15, 2006	rough-shunter 26 Jan 2009, 01:01 PM i like it but yet again it serves no use Eh??? Entertainment? So what use are other small scale models then? Looking forward to what you do with it then Tim, certainly interesting potential. Edited by davidward, 26 Jan 2009, 01:44 PM.



colinpeake	26 Jan 2009, 02:05 PM Post #11
MRW Digest Editor Posts: 1,659 Group: MRMT Trustees Member #6 Joined: August 15, 2006	Looks great to me... Oh no, more temptations... Colin
	Colin Peake MRW Digest Editor Miniature Railways - Colin Peake's Photos


Timbo	26 Jan 2009, 02:05 PM Post #12
Timbo Posts: 1,366 Group: Moderators Member #53 Joined: October 24, 2006	Admittedly it hasn't been out of the box since Craig visited before Christmas - sorry! Just don't have time for any 'fun' at the moment. My only plan at the mo is to have a temporary circuit in the back garden of one of the model houses at Bekonscot, where it will be approx Gauge 1 in the 1:12 environment. Of course then there's the scale issue of the model railway at Bekonscot being Gauge 1 and therefore 1:32 scale etc etc etc... Personally, for not a lot more money, one could buy a secondhand 5" gauge loco and "play trains" on a local club track and have a lot more fun, rather than just model it. Horses for courses and all that. Doesn't look too far off an old Southern EMU, really. Or even better, one of those Mersey electrics.
	Tim Dunn MRW Moderator www.bekonscot.com www.meteorite.co.uk


mattscrutton	14 Feb 2009, 01:19 AM Post #13
Guard Posts: 133 Group: Member Member #372 Joined: December 12, 2007	I'd be interested in how it performs. My local model shop is selling these sets for �60 a pop. The videos on the interwebs I have seen of it show it runs appallingly!



Timbo	14 Feb 2009, 12:56 PM Post #14
Timbo Posts: 1,366 Group: Moderators Member #53 Joined: October 24, 2006	�60 a set! Blimey. Perhaps I should have been selling them after all - that's more than a 100% markup... Now combine the basic T-gauge set with the Rapid Prototyping that David Colley mentioned, and you've got a greatr micro-model set. There are new controllers and stock in production soon which will improve the driving experience.
	Tim Dunn MRW Moderator www.bekonscot.com www.meteorite.co.uk


peterl	8 Apr 2009, 09:59 AM Post #15
Ticket Collector Posts: 54 Group: Friends of MRMT Committee Member #929 Joined: February 14, 2009	These were on display at Ally Pally at the London Festival of Railway Modelling. It seems that turnouts (points) are not available for the system which would rather restrict its use for modelling! This may change of course. Peter


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