Letters Miniature Railway, 19 West Park, Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7DB atob@onetel.com

Welcome I welcome this new magazine.I hope it will appeal to the many people who would not consider themselves railway enthusiasts,but who love the glamour of a full-size steam locomotive,but also the charm of its reduced replica. ‘Replica’ is not the right word,though,because while many miniature engines are just that - copies (often exquisitely engineered) of their big brothers - they are increasingly being designed on the principal of being as large as possible for the rail gauge on which they run. Scale miniatures,on all but the 15-inch gauge, require the driver to sit on the tender or a special driving truck and reach into the cab to control the tiny levers and feed the little firebox.Modern locomotives,even on the narrow 7 1 / 4 " gauge can be 24" wide - large enough for the driver to sit in a cab.A standard gauge locomotive built to these proportions would be 15 feet wide and 25 feet tall! Victor Johnson London

Scale can cause all sorts of problems.This line-up of locomotives at the Weston Park Railway in Shropshire are all 7 1 / 4 ”gauge,but built to very different scales.More on gauges and scales elsewhere,but not,we hope,too much of it!

Trevor Heath

PHOTO:

Thanks! I have been enthusiastic about miniature railways for many years,but found the coverage in the mainstream railway press most unhelpful.It is comparatively hard to find where the railways are,when they are open,and what to expect on arrival,so I'm delighted to find a new publication devoted to miniature railways. Weights and measures are a problem,and I wonder whether you intend to stick with the long-established imperial conventions or move over to exclusively metric measurements? My personal feeling is that metric will be needed to attract a new generation,for whom feet,inches,yards and pounds are a foreign language. John Holroyd Halifax,West Yorkshire

When and where to use metric measurements, imperial measurements or both is a big problem. We’ve decided to use metric in most cases, except with certain historical items, and the imperial miniature railway gauges, which are so widely known and understood. But we intend to stay flexible on this issue, so that may change. (Eds)

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Miniature Railway 1 Cycle Service I’ve always thought that miniature railways are an excellent answer to the problem of providing cycle tracks on disused railway trackbeds.Surely one of the larger gauges could provide a commercial service on these trackbeds,while still leaving room for a decent cycle track alongside.With cycles and railways meeting,it could even make the basis of a truly integrated transport system! Richard Burchell Chelmsford

Although several miniature railways have been laid on redundant standard gauge trackbeds, we can think of no examples where the formation has been shared for any distance with a cycle path. But several standard and two-foot gauge preserved lines share a formation with cycle paths, so it would not be a problem.Another interesting matter is cycle carriage by miniature railway.As far as we know, no 7 1 / 4 " or 10 1 / 4 " line regularly carries bicycles, but the bigger 15inch lines do:The Ravenglass &Eskdale carries bicycles free. Space is limited, but extra wagons can be marshalled into a train as required.The Romney Hythe &Dymchurch says space is limited, but again, an extra vehicle can be marshalled into the train, carrying up to four bicycles at a nominal 50p each.The Bure Valley charges £2 per bike, but will convey parties of up to 15 with advance notice.We’d like to hear of more examples (Eds)

Not too bland What great news to hear of a new magazine about small railways.I have to admit that I know very little about them,but I love the whole concept.My only concern is whether you will be able to strike that delicate balance between being overly technical on the one hand,and a bland ‘coffee table’ type magazine on the other.I’m sure there are lots of people like me,who would like to know more about small railways,but aren’t really interested in the technical minutiae.My wife says she’d like to read it too,as long as you include things like the personalities involved,and a sense of the surrounding countryside. Richard Glanville Cardiff

A delicate balance indeed. Railways are notorious for attracting a club-minded and slightly technical following.We’re determined to avoid this, but without going too far to the other extreme and insulting our readers intelligence.We hope to provide enough technical information for the knowledgeable, without putting off ordinary folk! (Eds)

Deltic Developments I am attempting to scratch-build a locomotive for my ten-year-old child suitable for 7 1 / 4 " gauge.I hope to model the looks on the classic Deltic and intend to use a pair of fourwheeled bogies.I would like to use a 4hp Briggs and Stratton electric-start engine, coupled to a car alternator,the output of the generator being varied to suit speed and power requirements.What distance should the flanges on the wheels be spaced? What is a reasonable maximum top speed should I be gearing it for? Is there any general information or build guidelines you could point towards? Tim Earle-Marsh Wells,Somerset A Deltic is rather a serious project.There aren’t many lines with curves of sufficient radius to accommodate this sort of thing, but the power unit sounds right and will have no difficulties propelling a locomotive of this size to 10mph or so. Both the top speed and wheel spacing depend on the quality of your track. On really fine track, the gap between flanges can be 182mm, but where tolerances are less exacting, a wider wheel gauge might be safer.Try calling the East Somerset Society of Model & Experimental Engineers and asking their advice on spacings. If you're lucky they will allow you to try the engine on their new Bath & West track! (Eds)

www.miniature-railway.com

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Miniature Railway 1