Swedish Scenic Models – Structures

There is a fair number of manufacturers of H0-scale model buildings, and the models are mostly suitable for central Europe. Precious few have included the one odd Nordic model in their range, but other suitable models are produced by some of the smaller manufacturers, and for some of our readers, there may be a few surprises also! Modellers must beware, some models advertised as H0-scale are actually TT-scale, and are therefore really suited to background scenes; Heljan especially (though their Swedish models are mostly H0). Also, Pola models are assumed to be produced by other manufacturers now, as Pola seem to be concentrating on their G-scale market instead.

The presentation here is different from rail and road models, as buildings usually have only one prototype. Our Honourable Mentions will include other buildings that with a bit of modification could be made to look Nordic, and are therefore not quite so specific. Pictures are mostly of assembled models here at the FLMJ, but there are a few manufacturers’ promotional photos also.

Railway Station Buildings

Almunge Station

Almunge is in central Sweden on the narrow gauge (former Roslagsbanan) line from Uppsala.

  • Jeco has produced a limited edition model of Almunge station as a ceramic model (ready-built), but is sold out, now.
Almunge, as produced by Jeco (manufacturer’s photo).
Almunge station building.

Diö Station

Diö is in southern Sweden on the main line to the north of Älmhult in Småland.

  • Pola used to produce a model of Diö station building, but this model has been produced in the US by Model Power and sold as “Chester station.” Most recently, it has been acquired by Faller and is available as the model station, or as other buildings!
Diö station building as a model, seen here at the old Månstorp.

Faringe

Faringe station is located in Näsby near Uppsala and is the terminus of Uppsala Länna Railway. The station burned down in 1982 but was rebuilt in 2008. The station is painted in classic Falun red colour with a red tile roof and green glazing frames on windows.

  • Jeco has produced a fully built model, slightly weathered and with etched stairs to be fitted if required.
Faringe station building is to be deployed on the rebuilt FLMJ at Gärde. [Photo from Jeco’s website.]
Faringe station building.

Hennan Station

Hennan has become quite a famous station; the building has been moved to the National Railway Museum at Gävle and rebuilt there!

  • MobaArt has produced a wooden model of the station building as a kit, believed to be their first Swedish model.
The Hennan prototype photos are from the Swedish Railway Museum website, the model is from the MobaArt website.

Klippan Station

Klippan is also in southern Sweden, but in Skåne, on the line between Åstorp and Hässleholm. This is also the home station for a preserved railway, and the model is based on the building used by this latter railway.

  • Heljan has produced a model of the small station building and ‘convenience block.’ (#156)
Klippan used at Siljansnäs and Steninge

Mariefred Station

Mariefred is quite close to Stockholm and is at the end of a short narrow-gauge railway from Läggesta. The station building is remarkably pretty and always nicely kept. Originally, the line was standard-gauge, so the model would not be out of place on a similar model diorama. (The standard gauge branch joined the through line at Läggesta, and the 1935 track layout was copied on the FLMJ, for a while, for our station at Månstorp!)

  • Heljan has produced a model of the station building, but not all of the recent modifications are imitated on the model (but the model is not inauthentic for a certain period). The model was also available with a different roof as a US hotel! It is a little too small for H0-scale, but much too big for TT-scale! (#135)
Mariefred used at Köpingsvik
Mariefred station building.

Målerås

Målerås station was on the Kosta-Målerås Railway, which was closed down in 1948. The station was painted in weathered yellow in colour with a red / yellow tiled rooves and green glazing frames on windows.

  • Jeco has produced a model of this station building, which appears to be quite similar to their model of Faringe (differences do exist), but in a different colour!
Jeco photo of their model of Målerås station building.

Nyåker Station

Nyåker is on the Northern main line between Mellansel and Vännäs in Norrland.

  • Artitec has produced a model of Nyåker station building as a resin kit. It is highly detailed and appropriately priced!
Nyåker, as produced by Artitec (manufacturer’s photo).

Åmål Station

Åmål is on the secondary line between Trollhättan/Öxnered and Kil in Västra Götalands Län. The station building here is of brick construction. Several of the other stations along this line are of a similar construction, so it is not entirely unique.

  • Heljan produced a model of the station building as it was a few years ago; but it seems that the modifications to the original have not enhanced the appearance of the building, so the model is perfectly acceptable as it is. (#153)
Left – Åmål station building, by Heljan, seen here at the old Lövhöjden.
Åmål station building, with an InterRegio train reflecting in the windows! Notice how it has been extended at each end. [Photo: A. Allum.]

Åseda Station

Åseda (sometimes spelt Åsheda) was an interchange station along the VHVJ where it met the standard gauge line from Nässjö via Vetlanda.

  • Euromod produced a wooden model of the station building many years ago, but it does turn up at swapmeets from time to time, even in the UK!
Åseda used at Köpingsvik.

“Typical Small Station”

This is a small Swedish station with separate outbuilding for WC and storage room; and is made from SJ’s drawings in accordance with the Royal Railway Board from 1925. It is a common smaller station that existed in smaller towns around the country, and a very similar structure has been spotted at Göringen in Dalarna.

  • Jeco’s model is painted in Falun red, weathered and ready-built.
Jeco’s “Typical Small Station” was placed at the rebuilt Siljansnäs station.

Other Railway Buildings

Other Stations

There are a few station buildings available that we believe are not especially Swedish, but with a little modification here and there, could fit a Swedish scene.

  • Heljan has produced a small station (art # 130), Martofte, on the Danish island of Funen, on the Odense-Kerteminde-Martofte Jernbane; and a large station (art # 157), Holme Olstrup, Sjæland, Denmark, which would be OK; and there is a very modern station (art # 120), which is typical of modern structures anywhere, not especially Sweden.
  • Faller has produced a kit called “Waldbrunn,” which can become a credible representative of the stations on the line to Simrishamn in Skåne.
This is a model of Martofte station building in Denmark; it suits the FLMJ’s Månstorp station very well
Holme Olstrup is also in Denmark, but passes well for a Swedish station building.
Faller’s Waldbrunn station
On the line to Simrishamn
Waldbrunn is in Germany, but the Faller model shews that it is so similar to Simrishamn in southern Sweden.

Locomotive Roundhouse

In Sweden (as much as the rest of Scandinavia), loco sheds are mostly circular buildings around a turntable. As models, these can be quite bulky, but if space will permit, they’re worth fitting in for the right atmosphere!

  • Faller has produced a 3-track roundhouse, which appears to have a smaller profile than others available. There is also a 3-track extension available.
  • Fleischmann has produced a 3-track roundhouse.
  • Heljan produced a 3-track roundhouse and a 3-track add-on kit to go with it. Heljan also produced a double-track straight loco shed, and a single track loco shed.
  • Jeco has produced a 2-track roundhouse, and this is especially Swedish in design. Jeco has also produced a single-track loco shed.
  • Kibri has produced a 3-track roundhouse and single track add-ons.
  • Märklin has produced a 3-track roundhouse.
  • Noch has produced a 3-track roundhouse, but we doubt its suitability for a Swedish diorama! There is also a single track extension available.
  • Vollmer has produced a 6-track roundhouse and a 3-track roundhouse, but we are not aware how many tracks the add-on kit has!
Not a Roundhouse, but not all Swedish locosheds are … this Heljan model is quite acceptable for the Swedish scene. (A roundhouse is proposed for Fjällnäs, but we’ll have to see if there’s room, first!)
The unique Rz-loco stands outside one of the roundhouses at Gävle.
Manufacturer’s photo of the Heljan roundhouse showing main unit and add-on together;
Manufacturer’s photo of the Heljan roundhouse showing just the add-on.
Jeco’s roundhouse is for two tracks and is very typically Swedish. [Photo from Jeco’s website]

Signal Cabin

Most stations were signalled from a small frame or panel on the station platform. Modern signalling is in a Centralised Traffic Control (CTC) centre (usually) as part of a bigger building. Independent signal cabins were not so common. Typical construction for such a cabin in the few locations where they existed would be a brick or concrete lower section and timber upper. One closed example can be seen at Sollentuna (between Stockholm and Märsta), where it is now “Paddy’s Pub,” but no railway artefacts are preserved within. One interesting example (long gone) was the cabin at Malmö, which had a British-built Westinghouse style “K” lever frame, two levers from which are preserved at the museum at Ängelholm!

  • Euromod produced a typical signal-cabin kit in wood, but this is quite rare today.
  • Heljan produced a TT-scale signal-cabin, not especially Swedish, but see the photo!
  • Jeco has produced a model of a small signal-cabin from SJ’s official drawings; a similar prototype can be found at Lerum.
  • Kibri has produced a model of Marbach signal cabin (art # 9477) which would not need much effort to modify to look Swedish.
  • Vollmer has produced a model of Nurnburg signal cabin (art # 5732) which would not need much effort to modify to look Swedish.
  • TeknoBygg has not produced a model of a signal cabin, but a model of the small platform-mounted frame, the so called, “Ställverksapparat!”
  • WinterZone has produced a more modern platform mounted Ställverksapparat.
Malmö signal-cabin as it was.
Paddys Pub at Sollentuna; a former signal cabin.
The Euromod signalbox kit was used at Köpingsvik, as seen here.
Jeco’s signal-cabin, based on official SJ drawings and similar to the one at Lerum. [Photo from Jeco’s website]
A Heljan brick signalbox alongside a Kibri brick/timber signalbox. Either would be OK in Sweden, the Kibri model especially. Note however, that the Heljan model is TT-scale!
A closer view of the Kibri signalbox. Note that the white paint was applied at the FLMJ; necessary for the right atmosphere!
Not all signalling was controlled from enclosed cabins; here is the ‘frame’ at Rättvik as it was in 1990!
A TeknoBygg mechanical locking frame (at Siljansnäs)
The prototype for the WinterZone locking frame

Railway Department

  • Heljan has produced a sand and coaling unit (#111), small goods shed (#1760), large goods shed (#1780).
  • Jeco has produced a small goods shed, and a longer one more recently.
Heljan’s goods shed (part of…) can be seen at Gärde on the FLMJ. [Photo: A. Allum.]
Not necessarily the prototype for Heljan’s goods shed, but clearly shewing how authentic the model is! [Photo: P. Grace.]
Jeco’s small goods shed is similar to Heljan’s but ready-built and without the side-office.

Lineside Buildings

Former linesman’s huts (small houses known as Banvaktstuga) are dotted about the country here and there. There are very few identifying features, but good clues are to look for small houses adjacent to railway lines. Sometimes, they will have an identification number on!

  • EA Hobby produced a few similar designs of Banvaktstuga. At the time of this late-2022 update, EA Hobby is closing down and few stocks remain.
  • Heljan has produced some suitable small houses that are suitable to use in this way.

Somewhere to Live

Artitec

There is a nice range of low-relief buildings available from Artitec, some of which would suit a Swedish background very well

These Artitec low-relief buildings are perfectly suitable for Sweden, and these will be going in at Månstorp.

Auhagen

11402 – A popular model in Auhagen’s range that could be used in a Swedish diorama without modification is this kit; an apartment block, typical in the larger towns and cities.

The Auhagen block of flats is shewn in these two pictures. The front view is very plain, but does illustrate a very typical Swedish feature, the fact that there would be half a flight of stairs to reach the lowest level (and therefore only half a flight down to the cellar). The rear view shews another very Swedish feature, balconies!

Heljan

There were a number of models in Heljan’s range.

  • 137 – This is a Swedish farm comprising a small house and barn.
  • 139 – This is a larger Swedish house.
  • 213 or 1773 – A small modern house, suitable for the outskirts of a large town, or as a large summer-house.
  • 217 – This is a large Summer-house.
  • 1179 – A block of maisonettes.
  • 1706 – A more modern town house.
  • 1781 – Another more modern house.
Heljan’s Swedish House, a bit under-scale, but a fine model.
Heljan produce two of these in a kit, one yellow, one brown.
More likely to be a summer house, but strangely, some modern country stations are built this way, today!
A small brick cottage, now near the crossing at Lövhöjden.
Front and rear views of the Heljan Maisonettes. [Photo: A. Allum.]

Jeco

Jeco has produced a few residential buildings, thus:

  • A typical “Lanthus” – effectively three small homes in one building.
  • A large dwelling house – one home, quite modern.
  • Three Swedish villas – one Falu-red, the other yellow; and a smaller one in Falu-red!
  • Three low-relief homes, suitable for a town scene.
Jeco’s large modern house.
One of Jeco’s three low-relief buildings.
Jeco’s Swedish Villa in red..
Jeco’s Swedish Villa in yellow.
The Jeco Lanthus
[Photos of Jeco models from Jeco website.]

Pola

Pola used to produce a delightful Swedish country cottage, subsequently sold by Model Power through Walthers (US) as the “Little Red School House;” but now sold by Faller in a pack with a larger American house (the latter advertised as Swedish, but it doesn’t look at all Swedish)!

This is the former Pola house; the FLMJ has several, all painted differently!

Faller

  • 208 – This is a kit of three small allotment buildings, and although not specifically Swedish, would not be out of place.

Busch

  • 1080-1084 – Nice summer houses are in this number range from Busch – same building just different colours!

Kibri

  • 8160 – For a modern slant on an old design, this Kibri kit is a good one. With some modification, it can be made to look like an older traditional timber house.
This apartment block has shops on the ground floor
This white (concrete) house is Swedish in design, but might be more traditional if made to look like wood!

Somewhere to Work, Shop, etc

This post-office building is, on the FLMJ, shared with the local Police!
Assorted modern industrial units are available from American manufacturers, this from Rix!

Heljan

  • 136 – The most authentic church was probably the Heljan model of Seglora Kyrka, now rebuilt at the open air museum at Skansen, Stockholm. There are minor detail differences between the model and prototype, not beyond modification if desired.
  • 202 – Another church of unknown origin, but quite suitable for a southern Swedish country scene (it’s actually Danish).
  • 1702 – A very ordinary supermarket, no known original, but suitable for a Swedish scene, though a bit under-scale.
  • 1775 – Conversely, this is a small “L” shaped building with several small shops in, and again, quite under-scale.
Seglora Church, as a model from Heljan.
And here is Seglora church, preserved at Skansen in Stockholm. [Photo: A. Allum.]
This barn comes in a kit with a small house.

Jeco

Jeco has produced a Ceramic model of a small “Konsum” store, a kiosk, and a petrol station in a choice of two liveries (for Koppartrans and for Nynäs).
The Konsum store has been offered again, recoloured and with ICA branding.

The Jeco “Konsum” store.
The Jeco kiosk.
Koppartrans petrol station (exactly the same model as Nynäs) from Jeco, and both versions include the model car (doesn’t roll, and we’re not sure what brand it is supposed to be!). [Photo from Jeco’s website.]

Piko

Piko produces a church (Art 61825 “St. Lucas”) which would not look at all out of place on a Swedish diorama.

Piko’s church, not especially Swedish, but would not look out of place on a Swedish diorama.

Pola

  • 535 – A typical Scandinavian dairy shop. This model was also available as a house (large ‘picture window’ instead of bay-window), but both models are now obsolete; we are not aware of a current producer.
This Dairy shop was a kit from Pola.

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