Royal Commission on Railway Gauges


The Royal Commission on Railway Gauges was held in the United Kingdom in 1845 to choose between the Broad Gauge of the Great Western Railway and its allies, and the so-called narrow gauge used by most of the rest of the country. The situation in Ireland where there were three gauges was also considered.
Following the Royal Commission in August 1846 the Gauge Act was passed which mandated all new railways be constructed to in England, Scotland and Wales, and to in Ireland. The Great Western Railway was allowed to continue with.

Narrow gauges

Really narrow gauges such as of the Ffestiniog Railway appear to have been overlooked.
Unlike Italy and France, which regulated the choice of narrow gauge gauges, Britain did not, which resulted in a large number of narrow gauges, including: