What's 2.5mm between friends...

So recently I've started to play with some minimum gauge models using the Busch feldbahn chassis that use 6.5mm gauge track to represent 2ft in H0, but work out about 18" in 00...

I thought it might be interesting to compare sizes with other 009 locomotives, and show that difference 2.5mm in gauge makes to the prototypes. So from top to bottom:

• Ruston Proctor 18" prototype - future Narrow Planet kit, Busch Feldbahn chassis - 6.5mm gauge
• Hunslet 'Heywood' (fictional) 15-18" prototype - scratchbuild on Busch Decauville chassis - 6.5mm gauge
• Bagnall IST 2' prototype - scratchbuild on Minitrains Krauss chassis - 9mm gauge
• Hunslet 'Waril' 18" prototype - scratchbuild on Minitrains F&C chassis - 9mm (despite being 18" prototype)
• Kerr Stuart Sirdar 2' prototype - scratchbuild on Minitrains F&C chassis - 9mm gauge

The first thing to note is HOW SMALL the Ruston Proctor is compared to the Sand Hutton Hunslet! Less obvious is that the new small Hunslet is about a scale 6" narrower than the Bagnall and Waril, and 9" than the Kerr Stuart.

Here you can see the new small Hunslet is shorter than the Bagnall, which is tiny. However I added a slightly dropped footplate to the Hunslet which gives Sir James Goddard (the driver) a bit more headroom...

Here it's really dwarfed by the Sirdar - however this is quite a large locomotive compared to other small engines - and is to scale.

With the Waril, it's big brother, you can see it's a lot shorter in length, a touch lower cab height - but hopefully a family shape...

and the same comparison from above - the cab is narrower and shorter in length too. This overhead view shows that the new small Hunslet's boiler is only a thin section of 10mm plastic tube over the mechanism - there just isn't space for anything else with the Busch mechnaism. I've built the body so that the chassis should be removable, with care - but I've been building with it in situ so I am sure it fits!

The last photo shows it compared to the Ruston Proctor, which is a scale representation of the 18" gauge prototype. It is longer, narrower and a lot shorter in height - but a seated driver should fit in the tiny cab. I hope this comparison helps to illustrate the potential of 006.5 as a concept for industrial and estate projects in 1:76. More soon...