THE TEN AND A QUARTER
RAILWAY SOCIETy

Guide to railway construction standard dimensions

This is intended as a helpful guide to those who want to construct railways or rolling stock and is based on experience with UK railways of these track gauges.

Wheel  Standards

To avoid recreating work already done we suggest the following draft standards published originally by Britain's Great Little Railways

 

10.25 inch gauge
	Fine Scale	Course Scale	Minimum Gauge (Heavy Duty)
Back to Back	9 5/8	9 1/2	9 1/4
Min Wheel Width	1 5/16	1 19/32	2 3/8
Root Radius	5/32	5/32	1/4
Flange depth	3/8	7/16	1/2
Flange Thickness	3/16		3/8
Flange tip radius	5/64	1/8
Flange angle	20 degrees	20 degrees	20 degrees
Tread coning Angle	3 degrees	3 degrees	3 degrees

 

Track Standards

	Fine Scale	Course Scale	Heavy Duty 10.25 & 12.25 inch gauge
Flange ways	3/8
Gauge widening	3/16	1/4	1/4
Rail weight -light duty	6 lb/yard	9 lb/yard	-
-heavy duty	9 lb/yard	13.5  lb/yard (S7)	20 lb/yard
Sleepers	20X3X2	24X4X3	24X4X5 (longer for 12.25)

Sleeper spacing should be adjusted to take account of train loads, speeds and sleeper sizes.

 

Clearance Standards

Minimum Distance from rolling stock to structures = 750mm

Minimum Clearance between vehicles on adjacent tracks = 850mm

Height clearance= 2.35 metres

Rolling stock

The maximum width for any vehicle is suggested as 36 inches for any vehicle. However the key essential is for as low centre of gravity ( COG) as possible and a vehicle of that width should be designed with the COG very low .

The maximum known width of any locomotive known to be in use is 41.25 inches but this is a very heavy locomotive with a low cOG

Useful Information

Information on building your own locomotives at Giles Favell's private site is recommended

 

Membership enquiries email:  membership@ten-and-a-quarter-railway-society.co.uk

for other information email: info@ten-and-a-quarter-railway-society.co.uk

or write to
The Ten and a Quarter Railway Society
6A New Park Gardens
Trentham
Stoke on Trent
ST4 8LW