PECO REVEALS 1:120 SCALE TRACK AND ACCESSORIES

Launching into this once-loved scale by the Beer-based manufacturer is said to be backed by a surge in demand from collectors and the passion of its Managing Director, Ben Arnold, who comments “I’ve always wanted us to offer a true 1:120/2.54mm scale 12mm gauge track and accessories, to fill this gap in the market and bring back the true-to-scale format. As we have our own UK-based manufacturing operation, we are able to do this to the highest standards that we require and within a relatively short space of time.”

‘TT’, an historic acronym for ‘Table-Top’ was designed to meet the demands of true-scale railway modelling within the space restrictions that many enthusiasts encounter when building their layouts. Peco’s reintroduction of 1:120 scale factors in all of the detail of much larger scales, yet with the smaller scale assembly benefits of moderate spaces, and simplified scale benefits of 1/10th in:1ft. A significant benefit of TT 1:120 is that it provides an accurate scale-to-gauge ratio for British outline models compared to more popular commercially available scales on the market.

TT was first introduced in the USA by Hal Joyce of H.P Products in 1945, a year before Peco was founded in the UK, by Sydney and Claudine Pritchard. Indeed, Claudine had also conducted experiments in producing British outline models in 1:120 scale, but in 1957, Tri-ang launched its own version of TT employing the same gauge of 12mm, but with an increased scale of 1:101.6 (3mm to 1ft).

The decision to adopt a larger scale was taken to accommodate the larger mechanisms of the time, owing to the smaller size of British prototypes. It grew in popularity over the next several decades and became popular in Central and Eastern Europe, before being eclipsed by the smaller N gauge.

The Peco TT product range will initially include Streamline flexible track and medium radius turn-outs, a signal box kit, a GWR Country Station kit, a GWR Goods Shed kit, platform kits and buffer stops. All are available to order now, with additional lineside components, accessories and rolling stock set to follow.