Tag Archives: Dm3

Nyheter från november 2023

Våra Nyheter

Det har inte varit någon aktivitet på våra modeller under november.

Förståeligt nog kommer det inga RTJ-nyheter på några månader ännu. Källaren där RTJ kommer att byggas ansågs vid besiktning vara fuktig. Innan vi påbörjade någon grävning runt huset utanför (för att förbättra isoleringen) bestämde vi oss för att undersöka möjligheten att bristen på uppvärmning i kombination med en öppen golvbrunn kunde ha bidragit till detta. Vi har kunnat använda en kraftfull avfuktare, och redan resultatet är mest uppmuntrande: den har använts i två rum och väggarna där är nu torra. Uppvärmning kommer att tillhandahållas härnäst (en luftpump måste vänta tills det finns mer “investeringsresurs” (pengar) tillgängliga), och vi är försiktigt säkra på att starta järnvägen under våren, nästa år.

Tillverkarens Nyheter

Dekas ska producera fler versioner av sin framgångsrika svenska Hbis-vagn och några nya Ge/Gs-vagnar, några av de senare i ASG-färg.

Roco har annonserat en annan version av deras Dm3 lok; artikelnummer 7500006 är i tidigare skick (nummerserier 834-845, 942-957, 968-986, inte 1201-1250), men fotot är ett montage och de faktiska löpande numren är inte kända. Det finns även AC- och DCC-versioner med olika artikelnummer.

Andra intressanta nyheter

Den årliga Hjulmarknaden ägde rum på Solna i slutet av november, en vecka tidigare än den vanliga ”lördagen samma helg som första söndagen i advent”. På grund av förvirringen om datumet (som också hade citerats fel ett tag) ställdes långdistansbesökare (våra vänner och andra från Storbritannien, till exempel) upp och deltog inte.

Ändå kunde vi köpa en modellbil. En ganska speciell sådan, och modellen byggdes från grunden (så den är lite sällsynt och var inte billig, men inte för dyr heller). Det är en Kalmar Tjorven 441-C; ett fordon som används av Posten. De hade ett Daf-44-chassi och tillverkades i början av 1970-talet, men togs ur drift under 1976.

SJ har stängt alla biljettkontor och tagit bort alla biljettautomater. Detta betyder inte att resan är gratis; passagerare måste köpa online via hemsidan eller deras app. Vissa användares erfarenhet är att varken webbplatsen eller appen är särskilt effektiva; och det har i vissa fall visat sig omöjligt att köpa biljetter. “Chatbot” och kundtjänst är lika ohjälpsamma. Vi känner till minst två andra biljettleverantörer, och om våra undersökningar är framgångsrika kommer vi att länka till dem.

News from November 2023

Our News

There has been no activity on our models during November.

Understandably, there will be no RTJ news for a few months, yet. The basement where the RTJ will be built was considered, at inspection, to be damp. Before commencing any digging around the house outside (in order to improve the insulation), we decided to investigate the possibility that the lack of heating, coupled with an open floor drain, could have contributed to this. We have been able to use a powerful dehumidifier, and already the results are most encouraging: it has been used in two rooms and the walls there are now dry. Heating will be provided next (an air pump will have to wait until there is more ‘investment resource’ (money) available), and we are cautiously confident of starting the Railway during the Spring, next year.

Manufacturer News

Dekas is to produce more versions of their successful Swedish ‘Hbis‘ wagon, and some new ‘Ge‘/’Gs‘ wagons, some of the latter in ASG livery.

Roco has announced a different version of their Dm3 loco; article number 7500006 is in the earlier condition (number series 834-845, 942-957, 968-986, not 1201-1250), but the photo is a montage and the actual running numbers are not known. There are also AC and DCC versions with different article numbers.

Other News

The annual Hjulmarknaden (“wheel fayre”) took place at Solna at the end of November, one week earlier than the usual “Saturday of the same weekend as the first Sunday in Advent” (first Sunday is four weeks before Christmas (not essentially the first in December), thus 27th November to 3rd December). Due to the confusion about the date (which had also been misquoted for a while), longer distance visitors (our friends and others from the UK, for example) were put off and didn’t attend.

Nevertheless, we were able to buy a model car. A rather special one, and the model was built from scratch (so it’s a bit rare, and wasn’t cheap, but not over-priced, either). It’s a Kalmar Tjorven 441-C; a vehicle used by the Swedish Post Service, with right-side drive so that the driver can put the mail into the roadside mailboxes without having to leave the vehicle. They had a Daf-44 chassis, and were produced in the early 1970s, but were taken out of service during 1976.

SJ has closed all ticket offices and removed all ticket machines. This doesn’t mean that travel is free; passengers must buy online via the website or their app. Experience by some users is that neither the website nor the app are particularly efficient or effective; and it has in some instances proven impossible to buy tickets. The ‘chatbot’ and customer service are equally unhelpful. We know of at least two ‘third party’ ticket providers, and if our investigations are successful, then we’ll link to them.

Behind the Scenes

Mini-Series around the FLMJ; L: That ‘other’ online channel

During the many years in the UK, the FLMJ had a ‘slight’ presence on YouTube; but this was more personal for the Director General who also posted videos from other railway activities, mainly do with railways in 7¼” gauge! In nearly all cases, the uploaded videos were ‘point and shoot’ with no editing. There was a pause function on one of the smartphones, but it was not reliable. Using time off (from having a layout to work on), some video editing resources have been looked at and played with. We think it would be nice if we can present a 5-10 minutes quarterly update video on progress with the new railway, but we have many obstacles to overcome. If we are able to do this, then we will advise, here!

Seemingly consigned to history is the involvement with 7¼” gauge railways. They are very rare here in Sweden, and none have authentic operation or signalling, something that Adrian had been accustomed to in the UK. But our ‘channel’ can still include other videos of more relevant interest!

Starting Next Month: We are going to say more about the new railway during next year’s “Behind the Scenes” in our monthly updates.

Nyheter från mars 2023

Våra Nyheter

“Tillbehörspacket” till Dm3-loket kom under mars, så vi började jobba med att montera så många delar vi kunde. Först, de goda nyheterna; det finns ett kinematiskt kopplingsfäste som är lämpligt för dummy SA3-kopplingarna, så dessa har monterats och Kadee-enheterna kommer gradvis att tas bort. Det fanns en viss frustration och förvirring med innehållet, och som ett exempel behöver loket fyra speglar, förpackningen innehåller sju, fyra svarta, tre kroppsfärgade. Ingen av dem passar bra och vi var tvungna att vidga hålen i kroppssidorna och trimma beslagen. Värre var dock monteringen av en av bromsslangarna med buffertbalksnivå, en tät passform, och när vi tryckte in den i lokkarossen sprack – rakt fram! Tack och lov, med lite penetrerande lim och sedan lite superlim på insidan när den väl torkat är sprickan nästan osynlig – tills vi någonsin behöver ta bort kroppen! (Hur gör en svag bromsslang så stor skada? Loket kanske redan var skadat och det var så det slutade som en begagnad rea!) Ledstängerna gick in vackert, och som ett tips till alla som har en av dessa lok; det finns en rätt väg upp för ledstänger; toppbeslaget och underbeslaget är inte samma sak!

Efter att ha monterat SA3-kopplingarna på Dm3:an var det naturligt att de två malmvagnarna, var och en med SA3 i ena änden och standard H0-koppling i den andra, skulle modifieras därefter, och nu har de båda SA3 i var sin ände.

Tillverkarens Nyheter

Vi har läst att PCX87 hade utställt på Nürnberg-mässan, en Volvo V90 (se förra månaden om V60). Återigen, för modernt för vår epok, men trevligt att se att moderna bilar av detta märke börjar dyka upp. (Ändå finns det ungefär ±25 år i historien att fylla!)

Rietze har tagit fram en modell av Solaris Urbino 12 Hybrid i modern X-trafik-livery, och för gott skull en elektrisk version för grannlandet Norge. Vidare har de producerat bussen MAN Lion’s City E 18 i “Gamla Uppsala Buss”-livery från 2018.

Andra intressanta nyheter

Gamla Lidingöbron för spårvagnar på Lidingöbanan kommer snart att ersättas av nya Lilla Lidingöbron. Inför bytet av bron kördes några specialturer med Lidingöbanans veteranspårvagn, SSLidJ 17, som var fullsatt. Resorna gick mellan Ropsten och AGA, och innehöll tre returkörningar och en enkel resa till AGA, där depån också finns. Den nya bron är subtilt välvd, så den behöver ingen lyftsektion och är dubbelspårig över hela sin längd. Några snäva kurvor (nåja, inte snäva för en spårväg) vid Ropsten-änden kommer att leda den nya sträckningen in i den befintliga stationen.

News from March 2023

Our News

The ‘accessory bag’ for the Dm3 loco arrived during March, so we set to work fitting as much as we could. First, the good news; there is a kinematic coupling attachment that is suitable for the dummy SA3 couplings, so these have been fitted and the Kadee devices will gradually be removed. There was an amount of frustration and confusion with the contents, however, and as an example, the loco needs four mirrors, the pack contains seven, four black, three body-colour. None of them are a good fit and we had to widen the holes in the body-sides and trim the fittings. Worse however, was the fitting of one of the buffer-beam level brake hoses, a tight fit, and as we were pressing it in the locomotive body cracked – right across the front! Thankfully, with a bit of penetrating glue and then a little superglue on the inside once dried, the crack is almost invisible – until we ever need to remove the body! (How does a feeble brake hose do that much damage? Maybe the loco was already damaged and that is how it ended up as a second-hand sale item!) The handrails went in beautifully, and as a tip to anyone who has one of these locos; there is a right way up for the hand rails; the top fitting and the lower fitting are not the same!

Having fitted the SA3 couplings to the Dm3, it was natural that the two ore wagons, each with SA3 at one end and standard H0-pattern at the other, should be modified accordingly, and now they both have SA3 at each end.

Manufacturer News

PCX87 is understood to have had on display at the Nürnberg trade fayre, a Volvo V90 (see last month about the V60). Again, too modern for our epoch, but nice to see that modern cars of this brand are beginning to appear. (Still, there’s roundly ±25 years gap of history to fill!)

Rietze has produced a model of the Solaris Urbino 12 Hybrid in modern X-trafik livery, and for good measure, an electric version for neighbouring Norway. Furthermore, with local sponsoring, they have produced the MAN Lion’s City E 18 bus in “Gamla Uppsala Buss” livery from 2018.

Other News

The old Lidingö Bridge for trams on the Lidingöbanan will soon be replaced by the new Lilla Lidingö Bridge. Before the replacement of the bridge, some special tours were run with the Lidingöbanan’s veteran car, SSLidJ car 17, which was packed full. The trips ran between Ropsten and AGA, and featured three return workings and a one-way final trip to AGA, where the depot is also located. The new bridge is subtly arched, so it needs no lifting section, and is double-track over its entire length. Some tight curves (well, not tight for a tramway) at the Ropsten end will lead the new alignment into the existing station.

Behind the Scenes

Mini-Series around the FLMJ; D: The Review of the Year

By about now, we would have produced our annual review, and its title would have been “FLMJ 2022”. (Well, it exists on computer, but not in print!) Inspired by the lamented “Nordens Järnvägar” series by Stenvalls, it would report on all new rolling stock arrivals, new equipment, withdrawn and sold items, operational challenges; and mostly as a colour photo album with very little text. Earlier editions were also bi-lingual. Although none have been physically printed since the FLMJ closed, they have continued in digital production, and a PDF version is available upon request. Recent editions have said very little more than the stock changes (but they do have a look at the modern railway scene to provide inspiration), and even once the new railway gets started, we are wondering if we want to continue with this publication? Following the demise of Stenvalls’ year-book, they produced 6 editions of “Lok & Vagnar” at sporadic intervals. These carried less information about stock in and out, but more about themed items, technical details, usage, and in a relevant format. Might this work for us, too? Whilst online updates are timely, the purpose of our book was to summarise the year, a record of that year, a keepsake. Is that really necessary and of interest? Or do people still enjoy the nostalgia of something in print to discover when having a clear-out? We are discussing this with our friends.
On thing that the Review was intended to report on, was the so called, “2020 Vision”, the great plan for the Railway to reach Fjällnäs by (or during) 2020. It would have been a timely record of how well we did and ultimately tell the story of how the FLMJ finally reached Fjällnäs, the ‘F’ in our title. So, this is something to discuss among our Friends. We already have a template for a different way of reviewing the Railway’s development; but will it be just a new name for an old format, or will we be able to find something more relevant? The key difference, of course, is that the internet has changed the way we do almost everything these days. With the former FLMJ’s Director General now working in a book warehouse, there is an element of empathy towards that medium, but relevance is key.

Next month: The Stocklist!

May 2021 News

Rolling Stock Updates

The Dm3 was fitted with replacement mirrors and windscreen wipers in May. There is some confusion about the part number for these Roco items, the number given on the instruction sheet seems to be for different components (if website searches are anything to go by), and Roco’s own website is not very helpful! So, we have modified and fitted Jeco components instead. We also need to fit new handrails, but we may need to make these here. The 0,5mm rod would be very suitable for most applications, but there are some items that need stanchions between the ends, and that is where it gets tricky! We’re still investigating that one.

N 1304 lost one of its buffers during recent work, and it is a very flimsy piece of metal. A repair was made at the beginning of May, by drilling a 0,5mm hole in the stock and buffer head, inserting a rod, flanked by a tube (from the materials bought last month), and then gluing it all together! It looks messy, but if it holds, then we’ll leave it alone. Otherwise, we shall replace all four! An order has been placed for a replacement set, but the items is not in stock, and we don’t know for how long.

Catering carriages R4R 5441 and 5447 arrived in early May. These are such limited items from HNoll, that they were not to be missed at any cost. One will go into the existing 1980s InterCity train; the other will be a reserve until more carriage types arrive from HNoll, and then it will go into that set. (The next models hinted from HNoll are the series-2 A7 and B7; two of each of these would go with the ‘extra’ R4R to make an InterCity train. Then, longer term, one each B2 and B4 would be added to make a seven-carriage train. At this time, a second B2 and B4 would be added to the existing set, and one of the (Roco) B7 replaced by a HNoll AFM7! That’s the intention, anyway! If HNoll produces series-1 A7/B7, then that could see the withdrawal of many of the Roco carriages.)

Manufacturer News

HNoll has advised that delivery of the remaining catering carriages, and the Connex/TKAB couchette and sleeper carriages are expected to Sweden early June. The earlier sleeper and couchette carriages are starting to sell out. Some carriages are already out of stock; there is an increase in demand for these mainly abroad, accounting for about 50% of sales at the moment.
PCX87 (Premium Classixx 1:87 scale) has now advertised Volvo 740 sedans and estates, of the 1985 year model. This raises even more questions about the proposed Minichamps 1986 year models, which have production dates advertised for early 2022!

Koenigsegg specialises in full scale ‘sports’ cars, hand-made, and a good production run will see about 20-30 vehicles! We’ll say nothing about the price! And now, the ultimate H0-scale model car for your Swedish diorama… from the Koenigsegg website, you can buy a 1:87 scale model of their Agera RS (from 2015). Only 25 (1:1-scale) units were made, so a diorama would be closer to average with a Volvo P1900 than one of these! Nevertheless, despite being too modern for our epoch, one has arrived! Koenigsegg is based in Ängelholm (home of the Swedish Railway Museum)!

Other News

In recognition of a particular trend in Sweden, and wanting to do something with the four abandoned model car conversion projects (Saab 900i, Volvo 544, Volvo 240, and Volvo 740), they will all be rough-finished to represent the infamous ‘A-Traktor’, which is a common sight. (A-Traktor is a motor vehicle consisting of a converted car, which is designed to tow other vehicles or work equipment and must be equipped with a coupling device. The maximum speed of the A-Traktor may not exceed 30 km/h, and they carry a large red triangle on the back. They can be driven without a full driving licence and without attaining the age for a full driving licence! They are more popular with teenagers than with their intended users! Try selling that idea to the British DfT.)

Nyheter, Maj 2021

Dm3 utrustades med utbytesspeglar och vindrutetorkare i maj. Det finns viss förvirring om artikelnumret för dessa Roco-artiklar, numret som anges på instruktionsbladet verkar vara för olika komponenter (om det är något att söka på webbplatser), och Rocos egen webbplats är inte särskilt hjälpsam! Så vi har istället modifierat och monterat Jeco-komponenter. Vi måste också montera nya ledstänger, men vi kan behöva göra dessa här. 0,5 mm stången skulle vara mycket lämplig för de flesta applikationer, men det finns några föremål som behöver stötar mellan ändarna, och det är där det blir knepigt! Vi undersöker fortfarande den.
N 1304 förlorade en av sina buffertar under det senaste arbetet, och det är en mycket tunn metallbit. En reparation gjordes i början av maj genom att borra ett 0,5 mm hål i komponenterna, sätta in en stav, flankerad av ett rör (från de material som köpts förra månaden) och sedan limma ihop allt! Det ser rörigt ut, men om det håller, lämnar vi det i fred. Annars ersätter vi alla fyra! En beställning har gjorts för en ersättningssats, men varorna finns inte i lager och vi vet inte hur länge.
Serveringsvagnar R4R 5441 och 5447 anlände i början av maj. Dessa är så begränsade föremål från HNoll att de inte skulle missa alls. En av dem kommer att gå in i det nuvarande 1980-talet InterCity-tåg; den andra kommer att vara en reserv tills fler vagntyper anländer från HNoll, och sedan kommer den att gå in i den uppsättningen. (Nästa modeller antydda från HNoll är serie-2 A7 och B7; två av vardera skulle gå med den “extra” R4R för att göra ett InterCity-tåg. Sedan, på längre sikt, en varje B2 och B4 skulle läggas till för att göra en sju-vagnars tåg. Vid denna tidpunkt skulle en andra B2 och B4 läggas till den befintliga uppsättningen, och en av (Roco) B7 ersattes av en HNoll AFM7! Om HNoll producerar serie-1 A7/B7, kan det se återkallande av många av Roco-personvagnarna.)

March 2021 News

March got off to a slow start. We were preoccupied with house viewings, a new (second-hand) car (from a dodgy dealer, with some technical issues), and a ‘name-day’ celebration.

Rolling Stock Updates

N 1304 is so near, yet so far from completion! For testing, we purchased a GaugeMaster Combi (a very basic controller with plug-in transformer) from a UK supplier, but we weren’t ready to use it immediately.
The brake rigging was removed in March and cleaned up. Then the metal rods were replaced by plastic rods and the risk of short-circuits across that means was eliminated. 0,5mm plastic rod is a very difficult product to work with and replacing the four rods took over three hours. It is also very soft, so they are easily bent out of shape!
We took a fresh look at the handrails that support the front steps. The design really does suggest a trip-hazard, so by changing the height, and modifying the fixing point, we have been able to fit these without upsetting more of the loco. They have been painted dark grey, so that they are slightly visible against the black background. This has worked so well that most of the other handrails have been repainted in this way.
Fitting the front coupling was also a struggle. We needed a spare offcut of metal that was wider than 5mm and longer than 14mm, into which we could tap a thread for a fixing screw, and turn up each end so that it would fit inside the frames. We had nothing of this sort, so we used a more narrow piece which was quite weak having been tapped. Then, we ‘butchered’ a ‘cap’ for the UK 3-pin plug, and made a suitable brace to fit into the frames, to carry the coupling. The coupling pocket has been damaged, however, and this will be replaced at a later date.
Returning to the Controller; this arrived mid-March and we were able to properly test the loco’s performance, not just the motor, but also (and especially) the valve gear. As expected, the first run was virtually stationary, so several modifications were made. In the process, the driver side motion virtually fell off! The cause was the still faulty top glide on the crosshead, and this had damaged the slide bars. We also found a faux-pas on our part in that on the fireman side, the eccentric rod had been fitted closer to the wheel than the return crank, so the wheels could not go round! The fireman side valve gear was adjusted and corrected and with none of the other side attached, the loco ran under power quite satisfactorily.
The driver side was to prove a little more problematic, however. During the short run under power, the coupling rod fell off, which was not a problem, just amusing. It meant that we could start from scratch, and having learned a few lessons, we were able to do this with more professionalism. Unfortunately, the now-damaged slide bars were really beyond repair (we had several attempts), but after a couple of hours, we had to resign to the fact that they needed to be replaced. Thankfully, MJ-Hobby had a twin-pack of etched parts in stock (giving us a total of four pairs of slide bars and loads of other spare parts). This was of course, very frustrating, but it led to something much better; see our next item!
The new etched sheets arrived quite quickly, and one of the slide-bar assemblies was extracted, shaped, and filed so that it would be an easier fit. Once fitted, a little glue will stop it rattling, but this seems unlikely, anyway! Everything was fitted in one day, but not to the pivot for the connecting rod big end or the return crank. This was because we needed to allow time for the glue to dry where we had used a washer instead of the now-lost nut on the expansion die block. As work continued, more irritations became apparent. The pivotal pin for one of the connecting rods’ big ends unscrewed as the wheels went round and that had to be glued back in. This, in turn had damaged other parts of the valve gear, and a whole day was spent on remedial work. To be safe, we made this modification to the other side, also.
We have lost count of the number of times that we have had to clamp and re-glue the fitting for the expansion die block, or the front of the radius rods to the cylinders (not required on genuine steam locos, of course), or even the slide bars to the cylinders, and these corrections are ongoing as March drew to a close.

Dm3 1221+1240+1222 is one of the later versions (Marshall lights, revised position of driver side door, extended roof ventilation openings, etc) and the Roco model in plain brown has been desired for some time. At the time that we needed to order the spare part for the N-loco, we had a casual look at the second-hand models also available, and there it was, the Dm3 loco that we wanted! For us, this is the perfect Epoch-IV version of this loco, others have either older lighting and door layouts, or have more modern LKAB/MTAB logos on (or even more modern (blue) liveries)!
The prototype for this loco, sadly came to an abrupt end on March 19th, 1993, when iced-over points threw it off the track and down the side of a mountain near Katterat. The driver and has passenger (his young daughter) suffered only minor injuries because the snow came through the broken windows and cushioned them from any serious harm! The loco had to be scrapped on site; on the side of the mountain! (We wonder if Roco was aware of this fate when they produced the model?)

SCENIC MODELS are also in the news this month, with the arrival of some new cars and a lorry. Two PCX87 Volvo 240 models have arrived (see Manufacturer News, below), and a Scania lorry in Swedish postal livery. (Our only current Swedish postal lorries are Iveco; not very Swedish!) Ironically, this model arrived in a package covered in no fewer than 31 postage stamps…! We also took delivery of a Wiking Chervolet Malibu, which is the nearest imitation we can find (in H0-scale) of the Chevrolet Impala; the car used by the Jönsson Gang in the classic Swedish films, “Jönssonligan…”! We will alter the appearance of the model to match the film car!

Manufacturer News

NMJ has released the second wave of Y1 railbuses, SJ blue with the air-intake boxes on the sides. We’re a little disappointed that the orange version has not been produced with these intakes; that is the condition that applied in 1990 when Sweden was first identified as the country to model.

BoS has released a Volvo 265 ambulance (stretched chassis), but the livery is not especially Swedish.

Minichamps has added to their range of proposed Volvo cars, the 480 coupé in four colours (1987 year model) and the 850 sedan in four colours (1994 year model). If the latter is produced, it will be probably the most modern Swedish car in H0-scale!

PCX87 has released limited models of the Volvo 240 sedan and estate (1989 year model) ahead of the 1986 ones proposed by Minichamps. One of each has arrived, and close inspection reveals some disappointing details discrepancies. One of the most classic features of the 145/245 estate is the top of the rear passenger door which drops away from the roof-line; this is not recreated on the PCX87 model! Our photos compare this with a Brekina 145 model (which has other faults)! Other discrepancies are less obvious. (Compare the differences, below!)

And finally, if you want to decorate the scenic area of your Swedish diorama with moose, then Preiser produces a set; but they’re males only (with the antlers, of course). For females, the Canadian supplier miniprints.ca has some convincing models (and more males, of course).

Nyheter, mars 2021

N 1304 är så nära, men ändå så långt ifrån att vara redo! För testning köpte vi en GaugeMaster Combi (en mycket grundläggande styrenhet med plug-in-transformator) från en brittisk leverantör, men vi var inte redo att använda den omedelbart.
Bromsarna avlägsnades i mars och städades. Metallstavarna ersattes av plaststavar och risken för kortslutning över det sättet eliminerades. 0,5 mm plaststav är en mycket svår produkt att arbeta med och att byta ut de fyra stavarna tog över tre timmar. Det är också väldigt mjukt så att de lätt böjs ur form!
Vi monterade nya ledstänger för de främre trappstegen. De har målats mörkgrå så att de syns mer mot den svarta bakgrunden. Detta har fungerat så bra att de flesta andra räcken har målats om på detta sätt.
För att passa den främre kopplingen hade vi inga lämpliga bitar av metallskrot, så vi gjorde ett plaktiskt stöd för att passa in i ramarna, för att bära kopplingen. Kopplingsfickan är dock skadad och kommer att bytas ut vid ett senare tillfälle.
Sedan var vi redo att använda den nya styrenheten. Vi behövde testa motorn och ventilkugghjulets frikörning. Motorn är bra, men det finns många, många problem med ventilväxeln, och ständiga justeringar tar mycket lång tid. Vid ett tillfälle kunde vi köra loco med ventilväxeln saknas från ena sidan, helt! En uppsättning glidskenor skadades utan reparation, och vi var tvungna att köpa en ny etsad bit. Detta kom på ett ark etsade komponenter, med många, många andra delar.
De nya etsade arken anlände ganska snabbt, och en av glidstångsenheterna tillverkades så att den skulle passa. Sedan skruvade man bort den svängbara stiftet för en av vevstakarnas stora ändar när hjulen gick runt och det måste limmas in igen. Detta i sin tur hade skadat andra delar av ventilväxeln och en hel dag spenderades på att avhjälpa arbete. För att vara säker gjorde vi den här ändringen till andra sidan också.
Vi har tappat räkningen av antalet gånger som vi har haft att klämma fast och limma tillbaka beslaget för expansionsblocket eller framsidan av radiestavarna på cylindrarna (naturligtvis inte nödvändigt på äkta ånglokaler), eller till och med glidstängerna till cylindrarna, och dessa korrigeringar pågår när mars närmade sig slutet.


Dm3 1221 + 1240 + 1222 är en av de senare versionerna av denna klassiska lokstyp (Marshall-lampor, reviderad position för förarsidans dörr, utökade takventilationsöppningar osv.), och Roco-modellen i vanlig brun har varit önskvärd under en längre tid. När vi behövde beställa reservdelen till N-lok såg vi en avslappnad titt på begagnade modeller som också fanns tillgängliga, och där var det Dm3 lok som vi ville ha! För oss är detta den perfekta Epoch-IV-versionen av den här loken, andra har antingen äldre belysning och dörrlayouter eller har mer moderna LKAB/MTAB-logotyper på (eller ännu mer moderna (blå) färger)!
Prototypen för denna lok slutade tyvärr plötsligt den 19 mars 1993, när iskasta punkter kastade den från banan och nerför sidan av ett berg nära Katterat. Föraren och passageraren (hans lilla dotter) fick bara mindre skador eftersom snön kom genom de trasiga fönstren och dämpade dem från allvarlig skada! Lok måste skrotas på plats; på bergets sida! (Vi undrar om Roco var medveten om detta öde när de producerade modellen?)


Icke-järnvägsmodeller är också i nyheterna denna månad, med ankomsten av några nya bilar och en lastbil. Två PCX87 Volvo 240-modeller har anlänt (se våra engelska nyheter från denna månad) och en Scania-lastbil i svensk postleverans. (Våra enda nuvarande svenska postbilar är Iveco; inte särskilt svenska!) Ironiskt nog kom den här modellen i ett paket täckt av inte mindre än 31 frimärken …! Vi tog också emot en Wiking Chervolet Malibu, som är den närmaste imitationen vi kan hitta (i H0-skala) av Chevrolet Impala; bilen som används av Jönssonligan i de klassiska svenska filmerna! Vi kommer att ändra utseendet på modellen så att den matchar filmbilen!