All about the garden railway hobby
The umbrella of "Garden Railways", in recent years, has come to cover a whole spectrum of scales, gauges and propulsion techniques. These range in general from 32mm(O), 45mm (1), 2 1/2" (3) in terms of gauge. Propulsion can be track power (typically at 24volts), battery electric and live steam. In terms of control systems, track power can be conventional analogue (as the smaller scales of model railways) which in itself can be manual with conventional wiring or even radio control with commercially available equipment right on up to the latest in DCC (digital command control). Live steam and battery electric propulsion can be simple and purely manual or radio control with varying levels of sophistication. Firing of live steam locomotives is typically butane (or butane/propane mix) gas, methylated spirits or even genuine coal firing by those inclined. Scales can appear to be a complex and vexing problem, but in general the garden railway fraternity is very relaxed about how things look or what runs with what. This sector of the hobby is FUN!
I & G Steam fit into this area with selected products. We represent several of the commercial manufacturers each of whom has their own merits and with reference to scale will often be used in several of the "garden scales". To date our main product lines are based on 45mm track (some are designed to be re gauged down to 32mm), the scales ranging from 1:19 (2ft narrow gauge UK or 16mm), 1:22.5 (European metre gauge practice), 1:24 (1/2" to the ft on USA "short line" and industrial) and 1:29 (USA standard gauge practice) We have started to introduce 7/8"(22mm) to the foot under own design and manufacturing banner which enables large models of tiny prototypes to be used with commercially available track. Our ride on railways section ofers 5" gauge and 7 1/4" gauge products from a well respected manufacturer in the field. Away from running stock we have sourced a buildings materials system in styrene which has UV stabilisers and is weatherproof for outdoor use.