G Scale (Garden) Railway - where to start

[Donal C]

Hey guys, I bought a bachmann Thomas G scale for my young son, looking to build a garden railway. Looks to be hard to find bits and pieces here, looking for track, controller, rolling stock, everything really! Looks like Canada or Germany is the option for getting bits otherwise, thanks for any tips or if anyone knows anybody selling bits thanks!! 

[skinner75]

You could try Marks Models - they have an LGB section listed on their website

[Donal C]

I never even thought of checking with the guys actually! 

Will give them a shout thanks! 

 

[Hawkerhellfire]

This Channel on Youtube is excellent, its a chap who used LGB trains to kit bash his way to an extensive Garden railway. Well worth a look. 

[skinner75]

Irish locos in 1:32 scale / 45mm track:

https://shop.bowatersmodels.co.uk/collections/coras-iompair-eireann

No idea whether this is G scale compatable!

[LRJohn]

I have some G scale LGB for sale in N.Ireland. Mainly wagons and track. I will be at the Wexford show on Sunday.

[Donal C]

Amazing LR John! I'll drop you a pm!

[Mayner]

LGB is probably the best long term option as much for its investment value and its robustness for use on a garden railway, though its pretty expensive.

Best to go for the R3 large radius track and points which will allow you to run larger locos and stock in the long term or decide to try live steam  https://www.maerklinshop.de/en/detail/index/sArticle/7/number/L16000?__country=28

It might be worth checking out some of the specialist Garden Railway shops in the UK to get an idea of what's potentially available Bachmann Big Haulier American narrow gauge loco and stock were good value and reasonably priced, but the highly detailed "Spectrum' locos expensive and rather fragile.

Many Garden railway modellers are tending to switch to battery radio remote control and abandon track power, there may be a battery RC kit available for the Bachmann Thomas from one of the Specialist Garden railway shops/suppliers in the UK, Canada or the States

[Killian Keane]

On 29/4/2024 at 3:25 PM, Hawkerhellfire said:

This Channel on Youtube is excellent, its a chap who used LGB trains to kit bash his way to an extensive Garden railway. Well worth a look. 

not forgetting this essential piece of viewing;