On e-bay this week a nice LMS Class 5 sold for just £450. It was dismantled though and sold unseen. In general quality Gauge 3 models seem to sell quickly, a number of model engineering dealers listing 2½in gauge engines as ‘SOLD’, whereas some of their larger models stay on their books for many months.
The Gauge 3 Society’s garden railway operating season gets underway on 24th April. For details to go www.gauge3.co.uk and you would almost certainly be welcome as a visitor. Who knows - you may even get hooked on Gauge 3.
We have finished the body for our first Private Owner wagon kit and are now on with the brakegear. This will be available separately and consist of laser cut steel V hangers and push rods, cast whitemetal brake blocks and cast brass crosshaft and cranks. The brake lever will be laser cut steel and the lever rack cast brass with all the holes in both sides and a lug for the chain to hold the pin. All these bits are held together with small brass rivets - just like the real thing. The laser cutting has held this job up, but progress is now being made.
The sale on e-bay of a Fazeley Models wagon was noted last time merely because Gauge 3 rolling stock is seen for sale so rarely. There are quite a few 2½in gauge steam engines on e-bay from time to time, but very little rolling stock.
The Gauge 3 Society’s web site was down for many months, but is now back with a flourish and well worth a look. At their recent AGM sales of their new plastic-sleepered track parts looked to be brisk, which has to be good news for all Gauge 3 enthusiasts.
It has amazed me how many variations there are in RCH supposedly ‘standard’ Private Owner wagons. As the pattern for our 1907 kit progresses choices have been made about overall size, types of catches, handles, even which way round the bolts go! Since GRS already make a kit for the 1923 standard coal wagon we have in general used earlier features on our wagon so as to avoid duplication as much as possible.
Finally, we will be at the Gauge 0 meeting at Barrow-on-Soar on 17th April (not 18th), so come and have a chat about Gauge 3. We will be in the sports hall round the back with all the other LNWR bits ‘n bobs.
We are awaiting the first test resin body castings for our LNWR timber wagon, and if these are satisfactory we will go ahead with a production batch. An attractive and small vehicle, they were very common and usually ran in multiples - 2, 3, 4, 5 or even a maximum of 6 being used for very long loads such as rails.
We are also well under way with patterns for an RCH 1907 private owner wagon. Patterns for two alternative axleboxes have been finished and the first (brass) castings expected any day now. We are talking to “POW Sides” about possible transfers from their 7mm scale range being suitable for this kit.
Elsewhere we note that a new Fazeley Models scratchbuilt Gauge 3 wagon has just been sold on e-bay for £87. Although finished and painted with an attractive load, the underframe was a whitemetal kit and it was in plain all-over grey. It was an unusual vehicle though.
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