The story of popular O Gauge begins between the two world wars. It was pioneered during the 1920s and 1930s by Hornby and Bassett-Lowke. By the time of the late 1940s and early 1950s there was a considerable amount of equipment from these two manufacturers available on the second-hand market plus some new products. However, by 1960 the production of and the market for O Gauge was rapidly being lost and there was grave danger of the scale disappearing.
Letters appeared in the model press urging O gauge modellers to get together and form an association to further the cause. The first meeting took place in 1956 in railway owned offices in Euston Square, London. From this the Gauge 0 Guild came into being in August 1956. The main aim was to convince the trade that there was still a viable market for the scale.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s 7mm modelling continued to grow modestly and slowly the trade responded with an ever-increasing range of products. The 21st century now sees O Gauge firmly established with a range of kits and components, plastic, resin and lost wax castings covering every aspect of 7mm railway modelling. More recently traders such as Bachmann and Skytrex have started to offer ready to run equipment. A visit to Guildex at Telford each year gives a choice of over 150 traders offering almost everything the 0 gauge modeller could possibly want.
The Gauge O Guild itself provides its Members with a quality quarterly magazine, an in-house newsletter, probably the best technical manual on railway modelling that is available, three exhibitions a year and a membership of friendly expertise shared between beginner and expert, young and old.
