The D-loco has had its glazing fitted, and was on static display at The French Railways Society “Winter Rendezvous & Exhibition” at Lenham, where the Scandinavian Railways’ Society had a stand! There were no other D-locos there, only a Da-loco, which was in use on the DCC track, so nothing to compare it with! Since that event, the buffers have also been fitted. This required more than just pushing them into place because they were a little wider than the shafts, so some drilling and filing was necessary; but they’re in! The only remaining items that we have and intend to use are the roof insulators, but it is better to wait until we can fit the wire and pantographs at the same time (we have some ‘piano’ wire already in stock). We’re not going to use the headlight blanks, as working lights are more favourable. So, an order is being prepared for hooters/whistles, windscreen wipers, end doors with gates and fall-plates, lamp lenses, handrails, etched plates and number transfers, and pantographs.

HNoll has added a second brown restaurant coach to their proposed range, so the FLMJ will not need to purchase a red one (in order to have two), which would have been slightly too modern!

There seems to be a bizarre situation on the Swedish railways presently, where the Norwegian railway company, Vy (formerly NSB) has won the contract for the Stockholm to Narvik sleeper trains from mid-December. SJ retaliated at this loss by announcing the withdrawal of the Stockholm to Göteborg section for the sleeper trains, and the Jämtland sleeper trains; effectively “throwing their toys out of the pram”! Vy didn’t bid for the Stockholm to Göteborg section because there were already too many trains along that route, but with SJ’s withdrawal, they are going to put in a bid, apparently! Maybe, the Jämtland trains will get a bid, also? SJ, more recently, came to its senses after a petition signed by 23,000 people, and declared that the Jämtland to Göteborg services will remain during high season, but that hasn’t prevented Snälltåget now taking an interest in that route, also!

Having mentioned above, the Da-loco on DCC, it was amusing (in a cynical way) to be able to listen to the sound of the diesel engine ticking over in an electric loco. Long Live Analogue!

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