Gauge 3 Great Western Prairie Tank

[main131]

Picture and Video taken at a Gauge 3 get-together this last summer at a members garden railway in Bedfordshire.
Gauge 3 is a convenient size for live steam and the Society run coal, spirit and gas fired models.
The gauge is similar to gscale. All you need is to do is to lay an extras rail at 64mm next to your 45mm.
The Prairie shown was made up from a kit purchased from GRS.
I am told that you do not have to be an engineer to assemble.

http://youtu.be/SPNcnhZrc0I [...12/c188182da8314ce4a5ffa0f6aac125cd.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Moonraker]

I think that the key thing about Gauge 3 is that it is the same scale as G Scale. Therefore you can mix standard gauge models (Gauge 3) with narrow gauge models (G Scale) in the same garden and the only difference (just like the real thing) is the track gauge. All the buildings and other infrastructure work with both.

My garden railway is mainly G scale battery powered and live steam. However, I also have a simple Gauge 3 line as shown in the photos. The steam railmotor is a kit bash using a GRS autocoach kit and mainly Roundhouse live steam components.

 

[Martino]

Lovely prairie Main, although I'm not sure about the colour of the coach! Superb rail motor, pannier and viaduct Moonraker.

Just goes to prove there's no such thing as G Scale! Various gauges all fall into the G camp, and various scales too.

 

[Tony]

Just to be picky and i know we've been over this a dozen times....There isnt such a thing as g scale except in the name of this forum.... you can have "A" G scale.... meaning "A" scale (any number of different ones )that runs on G gauge track which represents narrow gauge or standard (mainline) etc
G gauge is just that it refers to the gauge (width) of the track =45mm.... and nothing more
if we are talking Mainline trains on 45mm (g gauge) track then the "scale" of the rolling stock is roughly 1:32 (gauge 1)
but most g gauge trains sold are approx 1:22 which is a "narrow gauge"

Gauge 3 is roughly the same scale for the rolling stock at 1:22 so the same size people and accesorries can be used on both but the track has a larger Gauge to represent mainline and is 63mm wide

So if i try and simplify it and i know there are different sizes of narrow gauge and measurements are approx


Stuff running on 64mm track (Gauge 3) -----
Standard (mainline) = 1:22 scale
------------------------------------------------
Narrow gauge = 1:22 scale
Stuff running on 45mm track (G gauge)-------
Standard (mainline) = 1:32 scale (also known as Gauge 1)

Sorry to be picky but i say this for any new people reading this cos it took me ages to understand the difference

Tony

 

[hornbeam]

These are ready to run of brass construction. Outside cylinders are dummy as its powered by a twin cylinder steam motor. However, they come unpainted. Also there have been reports of various issues. Solder joints failing and the steam ports needing work as they are under powered. Also I don't think it's possible to fit a water top up valve for the boiler. I've got a 'B set' coach from the same also in brass and had to go over a few joints as they were comming apart. However am very happy with it and at a meter long has real presence!

 

[yb281]

Thanks for posting the video.

Having recently begun dabbling in gauge 3, I've got to say that it is a fantastic gauge. As already mentioned the trains have real a presence. Of course it can cost a small fortune to put a train together and a full sized layout is going to require a big garden as well as a big wallet (min curve around 8 foot RADIUS!!), but a more modest set-up is well within many people's reach - especially since Bachmann's Thomas range of wagons and coaches is so cheap and easy to convert to 64mm gauge.