Cheshire Railway Modellers

A selection of societies dealing with specific prototypes, scales, gauges or manufacturers.

The N Gauge Society and The 2mm Scale Association. N scale is the popular small scale choice for layouts featuring trains running through the countryside and is also useful in confined spaces. The 2mm scale association deals with the finescale version of N.

The 3mm Society deals with TT scale and it's finescale equivalent.

British 1:87 Scale Modelling, while HO scale is popular for modelling foreign trains it is not so common for British prototypes, this organisation deals with just that.

British Railway Modellers of Australia serves the many Australian modellers following the British prototype railways.

Diesel and Electric Modellers United (DEMU) caters for those interested in diesel and electric traction, this can include historic as well as modern prototypes.

Double O Gauge Association OO is by far and away the most popular British modelling scale, well supported by the trade and an easy scale for beginners and experts alike to work in.

The EM gauge society and Scalefour. For historical reasons OO is not an accurate scale to gauge ratio, these two societies deal with the correct standard gauge in 4mm scale.

The OO9 society. A popular narrow gauge medium, OO9 uses 9mm gauge track and OO scale to give a two foot three inch narrow gauge (also used to represent other similar gauges).

S Scale Model Railway Society. S scale is 1:64 ratio, popular with diecast road vehicle collectors but not so much with railway modellers, it does however have some followers. More popular in the United States where HO track and S scale are combined to give three foot gauge, a common US narrow gauge.

ScaleSeven and Gauge O Guild Gauge O was the smallest commercially available scale many years ago. The scale lost some favour when reliable smaller scales became available but over the last few years there has been a considerable increase in popularity.

The 7mm Narrow Gauge Association A hybrid of OO track and O scale models gives a popular medium for narrow gauge modelling.

Gauges O & 1 (Modern Image) Mainly O scale but some gauge 1, dealing exclusively with modern image modelling.

Gauge 1 Large scale models, often using live steam for indoor and outdoor layouts.

G Scale LGB is the well known manufacturer in this scale but there are growing numbers of other firms entering the market. Mainly used for garden railways but it can be used indoors.

Gn15 A relative newcomer to the scene, this hybrid scale to gauge ratio represents 15 inch gauge prototypes. This is largely the domain of kitbashers using OO and HO scale mechanisms to build delightful little trains but there is growing trade support in the form of loco and rolling stock kits. 

Gnine The latest idea in large scale/small space modelling. Miniature railways in g scale using 9mm track to represent park and garden style railways.

16mm scale Garden railways, often using live steam.

Hornby Railway Collectors Association and The Tri-ang Society. The older generation of modellers will have fond memories of Hornby's tinplate O scale, three rail and clockwork, and OO three rail trains from the famous Liverpool factory. Tri-ang were based in Kent and manufactured early plastic bodied trains. Many of us started in the hobby with Christmas or birthday present train sets made by these two firms. In later years Tri-ang's owners, Rovex, took over the Hornby brand name and it still goes on with today's excellent models. The original models from both firms are now highly collectable.

National Model Railroad Association (British Region). The British Region of the NMRA caters for modellers of American and Canadian prototypes. (See also the Calder Northern Division page here on CRM's website.)

National Model Railroad Association (Australian Region). We have a few members in Australia who model US prototypes.

A selection of model railway discussion groups. Most allow free readership but only registered members may post, though in some cases you may need to register in order to read parts the forum which are set aside for members only.

Like C.R.M. some of these forums are, in effect, virtual model railway clubs and sometimes organise meetings and trips to shows.

Cheshire Railway Modellers (our own forum)

Gnatterbox (minimum gauge in large scale)

Taw Vale Garden Railway (also including indoor models and real railways)

All Model Railroading (UK based, but international)

Model Rail Forum (UK based, but international)

New Railway Modellers (UK based, mainly aimed at new starters in the hobby)

Trainboard (US based)

Railroad Line (US based)