Our News
Through June, our primary task was to modify the two Pocher carriages so that they can be brought into service. The work required both to be retrofitted with NEM couplings. But the DF5 needed some extra work including repainting the roof to a satin finish, putting a correct interior inside, and turning down the wheels; and it needed a new box. Both models had already been heavily modified before we bought them, so doing this work wasn’t invalidating any heritage value that they may have had.
Our versions of the models are from the mid-1960s, but the body-moulds go back to 1958 and 1959. The C3b dates from 1904, and in 1911, 20 C3c carriages supplemented the 99 C3b. The C3c had a toilet at one end. Curiously, Pocher’s model is number 1449 and correctly has the C3b interior, but the markings are clearly C3c (which we will change when we can get suitable decals). The DF5 dates from 1929 and 30 were built. Differences within the fleet were slight, but Pocher’s model, number 2884, comes with passenger seating which is totally wrong, hence the extra work required!
Also during June, we assembled our model kit of a Skånska farmhouse. This was an old kit from Heljan, so it didn’t go together very well and the instructions were quite hopeless; but job done and it actually looks quite nice. It is a little under-scale, but for an old Skåne farm, that is probably not much of an issue!
Manufacturer News
In an update from HNoll, sales of the B4, BF4 and BF7 have been slower than desired (obviously due to the economy and modellers not having as much money to spare as previously) and need a real boost. There have been issues with the labels on the BF7 carriages being wrong and new ones were to be manufactured. Unfortunately, this has dragged on and will not be continued. Quite simply, the carriages are correctly marked but the labels (on the boxes) were wrong. Labels have also been wrong on some earlier carriages.
Other News
At the end of May, a large part of the board at the heritage railway at Nora resigned after a protracted conflict with the foundation that owns the tracks. At an extraordinary meeting on Saturday 29 June, the association’s future was discussed and a new board was elected. Their three main aims now are to work for a better cooperative climate with the Foundation, to improve their economy, and to restart museum traffic as soon as possible.
The association Nora Bergslags Veteranjärnväg (NBVJ) and the foundation Nora Järnvägsmuseum och Veteranjärnväg (NJOV) jointly manage the Nora-Järle and Nora-Pershyttan railway lines. The Nora-Ervalla railway was the first standard gauge line in Sweden for public traffic, inaugurated in 1856. NBVJ is a non-profit association that owns most of the vehicles and runs the traffic itself. NJOV is a foundation that owns the track. The foundation was started by Region Örebro County and Nora Municipality, among others.
Behind the Scenes
Mini-Series about the new railway; 7: Zätaspåret
When we selected H0e for the Fenixås Jernväg, this was because our preferred industrial gauge, 600mm would have been much more difficult to model, especially the different gauge crossings. Nevertheless, space permitting, Kållstorp (along the H0n3 Stuverydsbäckens Järnväg) could have a narrow gauge line using H0n2 (7mm gauge) to represent Sweden’s 600mm gauge (not exactly, but close enough). 600mm was certainly the most popular gauge for industrial railways, and it ought to be represented if possible. But for Epoch-IV, its industrial use should probably, quite authentically, give way to tourist traffic! Train models for this gauge all seem to be American-influenced, so some modifications to make them acceptable, would be necessary. This narrow-gauge line is probably the least likely to be built (of the ones discussed so far), but it will ‘remain on paper’ until development of the RTJ has reached a stage where a firm decision can be made. The name has a local reference, and should not be confused with ‘Z’-gauge, which is actually 6½mm.
Next Month: Trams?