Left - The first signs of a Swedish model railway. Here are the first models laid out in the garden at the parents' home in Chertsey!
Right - A 'promotional picture' featuring an 'Rc' locomotive and two very Swedish houses!
Information
Adnalms Järnvägar. | The FLMJ | Köpingsvik
Steninge | Publications
Adnalms Järnvägar.
Adnalms Järnvägar is a voluntary organisation dedicated to the promotion of an interest in the railways of Sweden, and especially to modelling the railways of Sweden in H0 scale. Adnalms Järnvägar is also the legal owner of the FLMJ. Following the formation of the Scandinavian Railways Society, Adnalms Järnvägar has taken a ‘back seat’ in its activities, allowing the SRS greater potential in the realisation of its aims and objectives.
Left - The first signs of a Swedish model railway. Here are the first models laid out in the garden at the parents' home in Chertsey!
Right - A 'promotional picture' featuring an 'Rc' locomotive and two very Swedish houses!
A sub-division of Adnalms Järnvägar is "Adnalms Förlag (Järnvägar)," responsible for publishing all material in relation to Adnalms Järnvägar and its subsidiaries and associates, such as "FLMJ-Nytt," etc.
The FLMJ.
In July 1992, work started on the construction of a Swedish model railway at the Director General's home. The KRBJ (as it was then known) opened about a year later. Following devastating vandalism in late-1996, the whole railway was rebuilt and renamed during 1997, and became the FLMJ. At the end of 2000, the park home around which the railway was located, was replaced by a newer, wider unit. The new FLMJ was started in May 2001, and officially opened in May 2002.
Fjällnäs is a name taken from the north of Sweden, and our model will reflect the northern environment. Lövhöjden is taken from the central area, and Månstorp from the south; and our models are being designed to reflect those areas. As is so typical in Sweden, there is a mixture of traditional Swedish design, alongside other European and American influences. The FLMJ is designed primarily as a working railway, and work is in hand to extend the line to Fjällnäs, as well as install overhead power cables (catenary) and a fully working and interlocked signalling system.
Left - The start of the garden railway at the new home. This is Köpingsvik on the day the track was laid.
Right - The very first open day featured Röjeråsen built on old floor-boards. Here is the inaugural train.
Why Swedish?
Having modelled the modern British scene for many years, and then ventured into freelance Narrow-Gauge, a visit to Sweden inspired a new direction for the owner’s modelling interests. With the invaluable assistance of suitably knowledgeable friends both within Sweden and without, the projection and development of this railway has been possible. The railways of Sweden are not as popular among modellers as some other countries ... and that makes the appeal even greater! We also maintain and operate two small H0 scale Swedish layouts for exhibition use.
This is the original route to Röjeråsen on the old floor-boards - c/w a 90º turn!
Right - A more serious attempt at Röjeråsen, using second-hand baseboards donated to the railway.
Why the Garden?
There is not a lot of room inside a Park Home for a model railway. Having spent many years in a large bedroom in the parents’ house, with a railway around the perimeter, the prospect of down-sizing was gloomy! Also, the lack of gardening skills enabled "two birds to be killed with one stone," to coin a popular saying!
Left - A third attempt - this time building the super-structure up on old pallets!
Right - Scenery is limited, due to the outdoor nature of the layout. But scenes like this are very pleasing!
Why H0?
H0 scale (1:87) is undoubtedly the most popular scale on the European continent, and despite a fair temptation to venture into a larger scale, the prospect of having to build all rolling stock from scratch or kits put an end to that idea. Most of the major European model manufacturers do produce variable quantities of models for the Swedish scene, and thus the decision was made.
"Rc 1010" on the Södra Stambanan between Ålunden and Månstorp, working in connection with the placement of the masts for the overhead cables on the new FLMJ
Why AJK?
In order to keep the FLMJ in working condition, it is maintained and operated by the members of a small club, AJK (Adnalms Järnvägsklubb). There is no fee for membership of AJK, but members are required to make a commitment to the railway, and to comply with the instructions in our comprehensive rulebook.
From time to time, non-Swedish models are permitted upon the railway. But it must be remembered that as a Swedish railway, we would rather see Swedish trains (and others that authentically work into Sweden) in preference to anything else. We do permit visiting models from time to time, but these should be booked in advance and will be subject to a thorough mechanical and electrical examination before being permitted to operate. Guest Operators are also welcome, but they will need to be supervised (in accordance with the rules) until we are satisfied that they are competent in and conversant with the operational procedures upon this railway.
Köpingsvik.
N.B… The Köpingsvik model is presently out of commission, pending a thorough rebuild.
Representing the railways of Sweden as they are seen today, Köpingsvik is an ‘H0’ scale model, set on the island of Öland. Öland is now without a railway, but Köpingsvik shows what could be expected if a standard gauge railway were to be provided, connected to the mainland through a tunnel. Trains are an authentic mixture of services by SJ (Statens Järnvägar – the national operator), KLT (Kalmar LänsTrafik – the local operator) and the fictitious ÖJ (Ölands Järnväg – the island’s own transport committee). Modern trains such as the X2-2 (derived from the X2000) work alongside older preserved trains, many of which are former TGOJ-owned, and still in the various TGOJ liveries.
Köpingsvik on display at the London Transport Museum - its first outing!
Köpingsvik station building in the garden - after a fall of snow.
Steninge
A Swedish Secondary line station set in the period post-1990.
At the end of May 2008, the decision was made to part company with the Steninge layout (see the relevant news article). However, here is the information about the layout ... unchanged at present!
In most respects, Steninge could represent the period 1930 - 1987. Many secondary lines didn't really change until the late 1980's when the traditional railbus was replaced by modern Fiat DMUs and many were closed due to short term bus subsidies. Time would have stood quite still in the close environs to the station. New signalling and more substantial ballast (where needed) give away its modern epoch!
The layout was developed to provide a small layout for Patrick Grace's collection of stock. Originally the intention was to have a circuit, but problems in fitting the return loops into a reasonable area caused a re-think and so the current terminus to fiddle yard design evolved. As the design of the layout still has traces of the original layout (the two station boards have been incorporated into the new design), a degree of historical and geographical justification was needed. This has been achieved by changing the geography of western Halland by creating a peninsula and large mountain between Halmstad & Falkenberg.
Click thumbnails for large images
Left - The K24 steam locomotive at Steninge.
Right - The Sa steam locomotive at Steninge.
[Photos: A. Allum.]
The actual design is based upon Anderstorp on the former Halmstad & Nässjö Railway with a quayside area based on typical local practice. Swedish Railways were generally developed by the state constructing the main lines and private companies constructing branch lines. Nationalisation began early and was completed effectively by 1950. The nature of the country with a small scattered population encouraged the use of railbuses from 1912 with lightweight machines coming into service by 1937.
Click thumbnails for large images
Left - V803 shunting at the dock.
Right - TMX 1012 at Steninge's dock.
[Photos: A. Allum.]
Fictional History:
When the railway came to Halland the main line came down the coast from Göteborg to Malmö. The main line inland was the Halmstad Nässjö Railway (HNJ). Secondary lines ran inland from Falkenberg and Varberg. This left the Västra Hamn peninsula and Västra Åsen mountain without a line. The result was the Westra Hallands Railway (WHJ) running from the main line at Harplinge to Västra Hamn with a branch to the mountain via Steninge. The line up the mountain proved uneconomic and difficult to maintain and was cut back to the small port of Steninge from which a bus service runs up the mountain. The fictional history concludes with nationalisation in the forties and closure in 1987, when subsidies encouraged the replacement of many secondary lines with bus services. Then in 1990, the line was reopened by the local train operator for weekday peak hour services, with the local preservation group jumping at the chance to operate along the line at weekends!
An HNJ (Halmstad Nässjö Järnväg) connecting bus at Steninge station in this 1930's night scene. Note the antiquarian telephone box in the foreground! (Click for larger image)
Track plan of Steninge
Our Publications.
All pictures on this page by Adrian Allum.