Modelling Irish Gauge in 3mm scale?

[DonegalOnTrack]

Could OO Gauge track be used as 5'3 gauge track in 3mm scale?

[WRENNEIRE]

I think it is correct for 3mm
Check out this 3 mm stuff
Compared to 4mm:

 

 

 

Some 3mm stock

And a lap of honour:
 

 

 

 

[David Holman]

The correct gauge for 3mm/ft scale would be 15.75mm (3 x 5.25), so not far out at all. However, it also depends on how the scale is measured. The old TT ran on 12mm gauge track, so about as bad as 00. One foot is just over 300mm, so a scale of 1:100 is pretty realistic and nominally easy to work with. 

 I think the Irish track gauge is quoted now as 1.6m, so that makes 00 track just half a mm too wide and certainly a lot better than 4mm scale.

 The fabulous Ballyconnel Road is 3mm finescale and not sure what gauge is used there, though am guessing 15.75

 Indeed the sums do not always add up, it seems!

[Mayner]

The main issue with modelling Irish 5'3" gauge in 3mm Scale on OO gauge track is that you are modelling the track to a larger scale than the rest of the model, ending up with an effect not unlike the Triang Super-4 track of the 1960s with a heavier railprofile, larger sleepers with a wider sleeper spacing than with 12mm gauge track.

The other complication is that the new generation of British Outline TT models & track systems are to 1:120 Scale as used on the Continent as opposed to 3mm Scale. 5'3" scales out at 13.33mm in 1:120 scale creating another non-standard track gauge for Irish Broad Gauge modellers.

Ballyconnell Road (15.75mm gauge) is worth while checking out for what can be achieved in 3mm, though some of the technology used in building the locomotives is a close to miniature engineering-watchmaking than conventional railway modelling.

 

[DJ Dangerous]

12 hours ago, WRENNEIRE said:

 

 

Mmmmmh, Quality Street...

[David Holman]

Have had the pleasure of operating Ballyconnell Road and it is every bit as good as it looks in the video. The quality of the running is exceptional, aided by correct signalling and reliable uncoupling. All the steam locos have working inside valve gear (yes, really) and there are even a couple of working road vehicles.

 All in all an absolute joy.

Forgot about the new TT being 1:120 - as Mayner rightly says, it is just a further complication to attempting the Irish scene. At the end of the day, it is either a case of accepting compromises of gauge or going the extra mile. Nothing wrong with either of course - it is all about personal choice.

 

[Tullygrainey]

The running quality on Ballyconnell Rd is very evident in that video. The locos are silky smooth and all the rolling stock is rock-steady. No wobbles or lurching. The gold standard. 

[Horsetan]

13 hours ago, Mayner said:

......Ballyconnell Road (15.75mm gauge) is worth while checking out for what can be achieved in 3mm, though some of the technology used in building the locomotives is a close to miniature engineering-watchmaking than conventional railway modelling.

 

I've only seen Ballyconnell Road twice at shows. Everything on it just works, especially the signalling.

The first time I watched it, I spotted something going on between the loco frames. It turned out to be working inside motion....in 3mm scale. If it can be done in 3mm, sure there's no excuse for not having a go in 4mm.

[leslie10646]

When I first saw Ballyconnell Road it was during an intended quick visit to a MR Ex at Guildford.

I spent my entire two hour parking slot just walking round and round it, more amazed each time.

I had to go and repark the car to see the rest of the exhibition!

Mind you Mick and Co are in another League, modelling-wise!

[Mayner]

There was a Model Railway Journal Article featuring the build of a 3mm GNR U Class 4-4-0 for Ballyconnell Road using a Worsley Works set of scratchbuilders parts. The loco was constructed using similar techniques to those used by Tony Mills when he pioneered 4mm on 21mm gauge to fine scale standards during the 1960s with the motor mounted in the tender with the loco driven by a lay shaft drive to the driven axle (Tony Mills developed his own 4mm fine scale standards independently of the Model Railway Study Group who developed P4 standard during the same era--a good example of convergent thinking. 

I cannot find the Journal with the article on the U Class, but I think the builder used "kitchen table" techniques to build the loco without the aid of a lathe or milling machine to produce the crank axle or valve gear parts.

[David Holman]

Correct, he does - and makes it sound easy too. Chimneys, domes etc are turned in a drill chuck, not a lathe. No DCC either, so the control panel is a bit complex at first with lots of section switches, but ultimately adds to the satisfaction.

[StevieB]

More than a few years ago Ballyconnell Road was at Railwells and, just like Leslie, I spent most of my time watching it. It may be small but it is beautifully engineered and, most importantly, operated like the real thing. In particular, there is a lot of shunting of freight trains, something that is missing from many exhibits.

Stephen

[Colin R]

16 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

When I first saw Ballyconnell Road it was during an intended quick visit to a MR Ex at Guildford.

I spent my entire two hour parking slot just walking round and round it, more amazed each time.

I had to go and repark the car to see the rest of the exhibition!

Mind you Mick and Co are in another League, modelling-wise!

I have known Mick man and boy which is more years than I care to remember, but if you think this is good, let me tell you he has also built four Backwoods Miniatures Lynton and Barnstaple 2-6-2T's and the Baldwin 2-4-2T in 009 and they run just as sweet.  

The last time I spoke to him he had just acquired a set of Worsley Works Donegal class 5 etches in 3mm scale and some code 40 rail as an experiment, but I have to admit that was in 2019 just before Covid took hold.

Edited May 11, 2023 by Colin R