You may well have stood at model railway exhibitions and watched larger scale trains rush around and thought how impressive are those sights and sounds. It is almost certain that the largest scale you have seen will have been Gauge 1 (10mm to 1 foot scale).

If you think those models have 'presence' then be prepared for the shock of being introduced to models of a scale more than one-third larger (and that equates to 2½ times the volume or mass of those Gauge 1 models).

If you have admired the 'clackety-clack' of those smaller scale wheels, then just imagine the roar of these giants of the model railway world as their huge mass pounds along the track, over bridges and through tunnels.

At this point, you are probably thinking, 'Yes, very nice but I could never afford that nor do I have the ability to build such models'. We aim to convince you that these widely-held views are not reliable and that Gauge '3' is a scale which has moved forward in the past few years and is fast becoming the choice of modellers graduating from the smaller scales.

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Since you have ventured this far, it is to be assumed that you may be a willing convert to Gauge '3' but we expect you will have a lot of questions to which you require answers.

1) Wouldn't I need to win the Lottery to afford it?  No, think again!  Locomotive kits start from as little as a few hundred pounds and are easy to construct with nothing more than basic modelling skills and hand tools. If you have a 3D Printer, the costs can be even less.    

2) Isn't my garden far too small?   No, If you have a garden, then you have space!  Obviously, if you own a country estate then your railway can be as large as you can afford but most Gauge '3' Society members do not fall in that category. One member built a fully-featured line in an area just 25 ft square and some Members have no garden at all - either running at GTGs, helping with Exhibition layouts or operating a micro-layout indoors.

3) Don't  I need to be an experienced model engineer?  No! Many of today's Gauge '3' kits are easier to build than a 4mm scale kit!  Traders offer a range of locomotive kits which are easily built using little more than files, a saw, screwdrivers, small spanners and a soldering iron! There is no wrestling with tiny parts and you won't normally need a magnifying glass in this scale!  

4) Won't the English climate ruin my track and stock?  No! Modern trackwork is robust, made of rot-proof material while the locos and stock are large & able to operate in almost any weather. Buildings and accessories are constructed of weatherproof resins and similar materials.

5) What if I move house and cannot keep the railway?  There is a ready market for good quality, well-cared-for models in Gauge '3'.  The value of quality items holds up well, aided to some extent by the limited supply (unlike smaller gauges where 'ready-to run' items can be bought from numerous outlets).

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If you've read this far and you would like to learn a bit more, have a look at the history of Gauge 3 or alternatively, have a look through the site. But most importantly, come and get involved.

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