29.06.08 Due to a number of other commitments, the work carried out upon the railway this week, was not as much as expected. Nevertheless, the relocated 12v power supply was disconnected, and a new transformer wired into the same master power switch as the 16v power supply. (The Triang transformer will be sent away for overhaul; it works perfectly well, but the mains lead would probably fail a safety test!) Of the six 16v outputs from the disconnection box, only two are currently in use, and these supply power to Lövhöjden. The cable run was replaced with a new one that conforms to our new colour and weight specification. Work was started on the Bell Wire mentioned in the last update, but in order to do a really neat job, we need to buy some components; quite cheap ones, so we will go ahead with this. The Bell Wire will have 'terminations' where meter cables can be attached, and each termination will have two contacts, either side of a simple on-off switch. Therefore, the bell wire can be used in more than one area at any one time (it will be a ring circuit) with the switches Open, or long test runs can be made with the switches closed.
With the line through Kopparberg rationalised to single-track, and plans to redevelop Lövhöjden being considered, some spare cork was laid to shew a 'possible' diversion for the main line; well, it looks impressive ... see the picture! Not many trains were run this week, and X10 3149 was only brought out for the photograph!

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X10 3149 on the former down line near Kopparberg. Underlay shews where the track is 'likely' to be slewed as part of a major redevelopment programme.
[Photo: A. Allum]

23.06.08 With the FLMJ's July Open Day only a few weeks away, work is in hand to bring the railway up to scratch. Continuing unemployment has prevented investment being made, but between job searching, time is available to get some work done. Subject to the obvious more important matters, work will be done on the FLMJ every weekday between now and the Open Day.
The first job was to fit a master power switch to the railway's transformers. Almost all of the 16v circuits come from a 'disconnection box' near Ålunden, but since this has also become the 'route' for the power to the second shed, the box cannot be simply switched off. Now, the transformers can, without affecting the second shed.
During the week, the 12v and 16v input from Månstorp were relocated. The 12v supply (for the block signalling) is now inside Ålunden, and the 16v comes from Lövhöjden (ultimately from the Disconnection box). The 12v supply is still the old Triang transformer, but we are building a new more modern unit to replace it; which will also be wired into the master switch, mentioned above. Not having to put any transformers under the baseboards at Månstorp is most certainly an improvement, and it frees up two extension leads that had been semi-permanently fitted into place!
Continuing problems with the Siljansbanan were looked at, and part of the loom between Lövhöjden and the relay rack at Siljansnäs was replaced. This has made an improvement; we now have some of the indicators working again!
During the evenings, a train service was provided, so that we could find the faults. However, Rc6 1353 failed during testing (not picking up at all from one of the bogies)! Also we brought out T43 DLL 226 with a Gbs wagon to use the loop on the latter's coupling to pull cables through Månstorp's tunnel! This was for the 16v circuits there.
Next week, we plan to fit a 'bell wire' around the layout for testing purposes, and then to continue the investigation with the Siljansbanan. Then, point motors and polarity switches will be the key issue for that week!

 

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Top Left - The 'Disconnection Box' at the Up end of Månstorp station, shewing the CDU (Capacitor Discharge Unit) for powering the point motors and cables coming in, being linked, and going out through the box. The newly installed brown cable is barely visible - 'ac' circuits have had orange wires upon the FLMJ, but there is now a brown wire also so that the supply doesn't get crossed.
Top Right - Rc6 1324 awaits departure from Lövhöjden following the failure of Rc6 1353. By providing an hourly train service, there was always a break from the intensive work being carried out upon the railway.
Bottom - The 'Gbs' van with, just visible, a brown wire attached to its coupling; this was the easiest way of getting the wires through the tunnel! T43 DLL 226 provided the traction.
[Photos: A. Allum]

 
 
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Top Left - The road between the up and down lines was removed for repairs.
Top Right - IORE (101+)102 came to grief at Lövhöjden on its first journey of the year!
Bottom Left - Our anonymous Z65 diesel with the works train tests the crossing for 'clearance!'
Bottom Right - Y7 1136 rushes towards Lövhöjden, over the re-laid crossing, later in the day.
[Photos: A. Allum]

01.06.08 Steninge appeared at a model railway exhibition at Ewell (near Epsom) on May 31st. The new signals presented a problem in that they wouldn't work, and after some investigating, we found that their 'common' wire is the opposite 'pole' to the wiring and therefore to the panel indicators! So, we didn't use them. We also found the cause of point 101 not working, the Peco detector (switch) on this Peco point motor was creating too much friction to allow the motor to change! So, with the signals switched off, we removed the switch and the motor worked very well! One of the other troublesome point motors was found to have a burnt out coil, so the motor was removed and the point operated by hand! We also had to hot-wire the farthest baseboard because for an undiscovered reason, there was no power to the track through the correct cabling!
Problems aside, we were able to provide a train service eventually. All three T43 locomotives saw some service, as well as both T44 and one TMY diesel. The V5 completed the diesel locomotive line-up, but not much. The Y7 railbus saw some service at the beginning and end of the day, but the main passenger services were provided by the wooden bodied 2-axle coaches and a modern loco-hauled train of two Märklin 'short' coaches. The 'ABBA' set made only one run. Goods trains were low in number, but a bright yellow ballast train made a few trips as well as the set of O wagons and a baggage train! The Sa steam loco actually spent more time on goods workings than on passenger. There were a few visiting models also, not least the SSLidJ loco that was formerly on the FLMJ's own roster! A Ga steam loco made a few false starts, and a German DMU made a few trips also.
Due to all the technical problems that the layout presents every time we wish to run it, the decision was made to withdraw it completely; it would be easier (given time money and space constraints) to build a new small layout than to do all the work that this one needs. Immediately, one of the day's helpers asked about buying it, and by the end of the day, a sale figure had been agreed, and two friends (one a former member of AJK - and still a good friend) will work on the layout together. Once repaired, it will re-enter the exhibition circuit, still as a Swedish layout with very few factual changes. We are going to build a new similar (but quite different) layout instead!

 
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Left - T44 269 is an unlikely loco for passenger duties, but no others had compatible couplings (bad planning)!
Right - T43 233 with a short passenger train, one of the last at Steninge under FLMJ ownership.
[Photos: A. Allum]

25.05.08 On Sunday May 25th, two club members set to work replacing the signals on Steninge. You may remember that last year, we had problems with these signals, and due to very slow-drying paint and an urgency to finish their installation (so that the railway would be fit to be inspected by none other than the King of Sweden), we got rather sticky fingers trying to replace blown LEDs. Whilst on holiday in Sweden a few weeks after the King's visit, four new signals - ready assembled - were purchased specifically to replace them. Steninge goes to another exhibition next weekend!

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With the newly replaced signals in the foreground, a T43 loco arrives at Steninge with a short goods train. [Photo: D. Hill]

18.05.08 Five AJK members and two friends visited Roger Elkin's O-gauge garden railway, the BSLR on May 17th. Although the weather was poor, our spirits were certainly not dampened, and we managed to run a properly timetabled service along this remarkable railway (well, two trains were late; one requiring another service to use a different platform than that shewn in the timetable)! One of our team also brought some suitable locomotives along to augment the BSLR's line-up. An enjoyable day, one which will hopefully fire up our enthusiasm for the FLMJ this year ... if only for better weather!

 
 
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Top Left - This Brush Type 4 at Backford gives a good impression of the weather on the day of our visit! [Photo: D. Hill]
Top Right - Royal Scot class loco awaits departure from Bunbury. [Photo: A. Allum]
Bottom Left - The Metropolitan EMU at Stanton. [Photo: D. Hill]
Bottom Right - A small diesel loco at Holitry. [Photo: A. Allum]

14.04.08 AJK maintenance sessions have returned to their usual slot, but the weather came with it! Nevertheless, some track repairs were done, and some ballast applied to part of the re-laid mainline through Kopparberg. The new platforms at Lövhöjden were fitted, and the station building and kiosk were both repositioned at the same time. On the Sunday the weather was foul, but having repositioned Lövhöjden's kiosk, we decided that it was time for a repaint. This couldn't be completed in the one day, but we hope that it will be finished before the next club weekend. The sighting mirror (for Månstorp operators to see Siljansnäs) was taken down off the fence so that the neighbours can replace the fence; but whether or not this gets done remains to be seen due to the irrational belligerence of the Park landlord!

 

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Top Left - Overall view of the Industrial Area.
Top Right - Lövhöjden's station building has been relocated a little way along the platform.
Bottom - The news kiosk has also been moved slightly; but since this photo was taken (on the Saturday), the kiosk has been taken in for repainting.
[Photos: A. Allum.]

31.03.08 AJK's March session was late in the month due to the usual weekend being taken up by the Modelling Weekend at the Depot Museum and associated Acton Miniature Railway, where the FLMJ's Director General is also General Manager!
Inclement weather prevented many of the proposed jobs being done (jobs that can only be done in dry weather conditions), and lack of materials also caused a problem! (Whilst the Director General is still "Between Jobs," there is no money available to buy components!)
A booking has been received for Steninge for the end of May, and full details will be posted later.

10.02.08 February's AJK weekend was a busy one, with a great development finally realised, that of the provision of the Industrial Area near Siljansnäs. The board is an off-cut from a previous job, and the track is recycled from old but refurbished components, some dating back to the old KRBJ! All electrical connections were completed and point motors tested, but track sections will be tested at a later date, once other work has been completed here.

 
 
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Top Left - The track finally reaches the Industrial Area (but the right-hand curved point has not been deployed here)!
Top Right - Overall view of the layout. The short siding to the right will be a loco line (with small shed) for probably the TGOJ V-803 shunting loco. The centre track will probably have a loading dock alongside, with the other track as a siding, but we will see how well we can use the area before making a final decision.
Bottom Left - A second modern industrial unit (in blue) joins the existing unit here. They are shewn in their proposed positions, but everything here (almost) is subject to alteration.
Bottom Right - This small hut is covering a point motor. The other point motor will be inside the tunnel and therefore under cover. [Photo: S. Davison.]
[Photos: A. Allum unless shewn otherwise.]

Other jobs include the electrical installation of the re-laid line through Kopparberg, the building of a kit to go onto the new Industrial Area, and the fitting of the new platform at Månstorp. A decision was also made to the rationalisation of the track layout at Ålunden, replacing 10 points with 4, but in doing so, removing the possibility of parallel moves. A great saving on time and resources in return for only a minor inconvenience!

3.12.07 A few AJK members and a few friends made the journey up to Birmingham to the Warley Model Railway Exhibition at the beginning of December. This is one of the largest shows in England, with many inspiring layouts on show, and a huge variety of traders to cater for almost every taste. This year, however, there were no Scandinavian layouts on show, and the only Swedish models that we could find were the Roco TMY and some Heljan coaches. Adrian did come away with a Swedish railway DVD and model car, but only because he met former AJK-member Thomas, who had bought them for him whilst in Sweden, recently!

28.11.07 AJK's first session in the non-operating season started with a meeting to outline the proposals for the winter work. One important item was the consideration of concrete baseboards raised on brick piers for the extension of the railway. This would effectively 'shut-up' the belligerent landlord who claims the existing boards are a 'Fire Risk,' though in actual fact, the risk is very low. (And in any case, he'll just look for something else to be unpleasant about ... he's like that!) However, there would be problems with siting point motors (although we're going to experiment with Peco's new PL-11 motor, to test it for outdoor use, it does not have detectors (an auxiliary switch),) and with fixing the track down. We also discussed the club outing for 2008 and the open days, which will be notified in the usual manner, probably in early January.
After the meeting, we set to work lifting all of the track through Kopparberg. Although this is one of the areas under threat of rationalisation (to single track) it will be relaid double, for now! The reason for lifting it was the kinks that had formed at some of the track joins, and these needed to be sorted out. The down line was re-laid to a slightly changed alignment, using two new lengths of track (the rest was recycled). A start was made on the up line, but failing light and workable temperature prevented us from continuing. All of the track on the FLMJ is bonded (short wires that enable the current to bypass the fishplates), and the soldering is very difficult when the weather is cold. Also, point 107 at Lövhöjden was replaced with an Insulfrog type, as part of a programme to replace all Electrofrogs with Insulfrog. Platforms at Månstorp and Lövhöjden were also worked upon, but again, temperature (or lack of it) stopped progress!

 

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Top Left - Matt working on the 'new' down line. Works train with unpowered loco on what's left of the up line!
Top Right - Tracksetta templates are used for making the curve as smooth as possible. By using different radii, we get good transitions!
Bottom - Point 107 at Lövhöjden is now Insulfrog, and therefore less likely to cause problems.
[Photos: A. Allum]

14.10.07 On October 13th & 14th, the FLMJ was open for invited guests (in the usual manner). We had a special celebration, that of the 40th anniversary of the Swedish Rc-loco design. For this event, we spent many hours during the preceding week, preparing two new locomotives, both type Rc4, converted from Rc6. (One of them was to have been converted to type Rm, but the modifications to the bogies were beyond the abilities of the engineer involved!) One of these locos (and one owned by another AJK member) was repainted from SJ orange into Green Cargo green livery, complete with awkward transfers, and we will have to get some spares to improve the present appearance! So, having done all this, Saturday's event started with a loco parade, featuring all designs from Rc1 through to Rc7, plus Rc-derived models in the shape of Norwegian El.16 and American AEM7! After that normal running took over, and these new locomotives were joined not only by other regular models, but also the two new T44 locomotives, now fitted with all the extra handrails and other accessories.
We should also record that before trains were in operation, most of the point springs at Ålunden were replaced, and a whole point was replaced at Siljansnäs, thus improving performance there considerably. As a result of this, a decision has been made that all future point installations will be Peco Insulfrog instead of the Electrofrog type that we are using presently! Further modifications were made during the Saturday at Ålunden, but it looks as if the whole junction point arrangement there will need to be re-laid this winter! Following damage to a locomotive recently, the warped wooden platforms at Månstorp and Lövhöjden were removed prior to this event ... but we ran out of time to fit the new plastic ones!
On the Sunday, there were fewer members present (but more guests), and Månstorp station was switched 'out' (though we put some extra buses in the forecourt for disgruntled passengers). We managed to put on a good show and a regular train service.

 
 
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Top Left - Rc4 1277 enters Lövhöjden during the Rc-parade. Time ran out with this conversion (from Rc6) and the roof fittings will be added later!
Top Right - The other two conversions, Rc4 1174 (from Rc6 1407 ... was to have been Rm 1257, but see text!) and the Webmaster's Lima Rc2 1027, both on shed at Lövhöjden.
Bottom Left - Two locos shunting, GC RC4 1174 and GC T44 269; the latter a Jeco model.
Bottom Right - SJ T44 349, another new model, poses alongside two Da-locos, one by Märklin, the other by Fleischmann!
[Photos: A. Allum]

14.10.07 This was our last 'official' event for this year. Consideration is now being given to a major change to the railway; to rationalise the main line between Ålunden and Lövhöjden to single-track with limited passing facilities at Månstorp. The FLMJ requires a lot of maintenance, and we do not have enough regular members to keep up with the workload. Even when we did have a good turnout of members, the double-track nature of the railway was so rarely used, that when the new Månstorp panel was fitted, the second controller was not wired in! Our website question for November will ask for your views on the matter. You are welcome to email your views to us also. It is unlikely that any track will be lifted before the end of the year, but the present Down line is closed to all traffic!

 
 
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Top Left - Visiting T43 241 with a train of 'O' wagons.
Top Right - Another visiting loco, this beautiful Finnish loco is seen on shed at Lövhöjden.
Bottom Left - The Custom Car Rally was set up at Kopparberg, as usual.
Bottom Right - Månstorp's cinema shews the latest films ... we understand that two of these advertised, actually had their Swedish premieres this weekend!
[Photos: A. Allum]

30.9.07 On 29th & 30th September, AJK members were allowed to run their British 00-scale trains upon the railway (something that is usually arranged once a year)! This year, we also acknowledged Sir Edward Elgar's 150th anniversary (the great composer had been a regular railway passenger), so we invited a few guests to join us. We had the usual minor problems, but the Siljansbanan worked much better than it usually does! One of the track sections at Lövhöjden stopped working completely, and this was eventually traced to a faulty switch on the main control panel. All of these switches were bought new, so to avoid this sort of problem! We managed to do a "bodge" repair by connecting the wires to the other 'throw' of the switch (as this is not yet in use), but a replacement switch will need to be fitted before our October event. On the Saturday, a special train was run, comprising a steam locomotive named "Sir Edward Elgar," and a rake of coaches including two Mk.3 'royal train' coaches. On the Sunday, an electric loco appropriately named took this service. Also, on the Sunday, this 'special' was driven by the daughter of one of our members as a Birthday Treat for her!

 
 
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Top Left - The steam special arriving at Lövhöjden ... Stephen filming the train's progress in the background!
Top Right - Despite being a British train, this one is in H0 scale; Fleischmann coaches and Lima loco.
Bottom Left - Sunday's Special passing through Månstorp.
Bottom Right - Could this be a S&DJR Special? 9F 92192 at the head of a rake of Southern coaches.
[Photos: A. Allum]

After the event finished on the Sunday, the two new T44 diesel locomotives were tested, a wise move considering the problem that we have with them ... they're too wide for the platforms! (It doesn't help that the platforms move regardless of how well they're fitted down!)

 

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Top Left - Engineers' train near Kopparberg ... c/w evidence of much-needed track maintenance!
Top Right - The two T44 locos ... look at the footsteps in relation to the platforms; especially on the orange loco!
Bottom - Dad and "Birthday Girl" with a train at Lövhöjden.
[Photos: A. Allum]

Videos - Hosted by YouTube

Top - The Elgar-150 special between Lövhöjden and Siljansnäs.
Bottom - The two T44-locos departing Lövhöjden ... very slowly.
[Videos: A. Allum]