Tag Archives: RBo2

June 2020 News

We’re reaching the stage where there is not much more that can be done to the D-loco! It will be dedicated to service before receiving the replacement pantographs or proper number plates, but the remaining jobs to do before then are fewer in number. Handrails have been made and fitted to all of the doors. Presently, they are silver in colour, but a later job is to repaint them black. The handrails around the cab ends will finish this model. There is a technical job that requires further investigation, that of the faulty lighting. The likely cause is one of two possibilities, faulty diodes or feedback; but we need a proper workshop in which to fully investigate.

  • The D-loco, now with door handrails, still awaiting (parts for) the cab end handrails.

Work resumed on the SMJ carriages at the beginning of June with the painting of etched parts and then the fitting of the handbrake columns, fall plates and awning brackets to the two ex-OKB models. Unfortunately, after all this time in storage, one of the handbrake columns was damaged, but not beyond repair. The brackets were secured to the walls, but not the rooves; this is a later job for after when the rooves have been painted. (Rather than wait indefinitely, we have now ordered the paints!) A more technical job was the work on the couplings—all of them drooped to varying degrees. The solution was to remove them, insert the NEM extensions into very hot water, bend them slightly, and cool them in cold water. Problem solved. (We needed to do the same to the D-loco couplings (as indeed we did on our standard Jeco models).) In mid-June, the handrails were fitted to the carriage ends, a rather tricky process as they needed to be bent to shape, and the best fitting ones ended up on the CF3 where they poked into a locating hole at the bottom, but were glued to the body at the upper end. As the month drew to a close, the decals were applied to the C3d; a job that took over three hours! Bizarrely, we found number 1984 in small digits on the decal sheet, and this number did apply to a steel body C3d, so we’ve gone back to that originally proposed number for this model.

  • C3d 1984, almost ready to enter service!

Our two CM Laser models of the B6G carriages arrived out of storage, following failure in service in the last days of the old FLMJ. It seems that the carriages, which we purchased second-hand, each have the same two faults:

  • It had been found that the bogies had been modified to make room for the NEM coupling mechanisms, and in so doing, their frames had been weakened so that the wheels drop out;
  • Having fitted the steps to the underframes, the bogies don’t turn freely enough to negotiate even ‘generous’ model railway curves.

There seemed to be one solution to solve both issues, in that the steps could be mounted on the bogies (as seems to be the case with the På Spøret models of the same carriage type) allowing them to turn with the bogies, and their cross members being used to provide the extra strength that the bogies need! Well, that is in essence what we have now done, but it was not as straight forward as that. The NEM coupling mechanisms were still in the way! However, because the steps are made of thin etched brass, we have been able to slide that between the mechanism and the chassis, allowing the bogie to sit beneath the mechanism. This means that if we need to remove the bogies, we first need to remove the wheel-sets and the coupling heads, and having released the bogie from the pivotal screw, to slide the bogie over the end of the NEM mechanism, gently prising the brass away from the plastic! The intention to do the two carriages at the same time was withdrawn so that one could serve as a test model; and it also needed a buffer gluing back on. Gluing the buffer was also quite a challenge because the main material used in these carriages is not plastic, but resin, so the regular poly glue was not as successful as we would have liked! Furthermore, one of the screw-holes for a bogie pivot had worn away, so the screw needed to be glued back in. We also found that one of the carriages was missing part of its NEM mechanism, but with the bogie in place, its absence is unlikely to cause any problems. But, job done, and these carriages can be returned to service—whenever we have a railway to run them on!

  • B6G 3828 with its bogie turned slightly, and the steps now move with the bogie. (The missing handrail has since been replaced!)
  • Photo shewing how the coupling pokes between the bogie and the steps. The white plastic is the earlier bogie strengthener. Note the ‘repair’ to the lower steps!
  • We’ve also tidied up the ends of these carriages – CM Laser’s instructions actually told us to put the end gates on the wrong way, but photos saved the day!

The newly arrived Märklin RBo2 ‘byffé’ carriage has seen some work also, with the removal of the Fleischmann couplings, and fitting some Roco couplings, glued to extension arms from the bogies (thus not NEM-compliant, but compatible with our other models)! We also ought to fit later-style gangways and extended buffers, and find some glazing for the windows in the gangway doors. It’s number has been modified to 4833. We also tried in vain to find a reference number for the interior fitting for the almost identical carriage, Märklin 4378, so that we could obtain one and adapt it to fit! Finally (for now), we’ve made a new box for it; it did not arrive in an original box.

  • The RBo2 with Roco coupling.
  • From underneath; the white coupling can turn on the screw, the fins either side act as springs to encourage the coupling to sit straight.

A few new models are creeping out, despite the global mess, and among them are a few cars, including a few that we didn’t know about until we happened to stumble across them whilst browsing!

  • The Saab 99 by Brekina/PCX has been produced in two colours, white or black; we understand that more are to follow.
  • The Volvo 66 by Brekina has been produced in three colours, then two more very soon after. The ‘66’ is of course the development of the Daf 66.
  • A Volvo Sport (P1900) has been produced by BoS (Best of Show) in two colours so one has arrived – there were only 67 of these made, so one is enough for us!
  • A Volvo 264TE (stretched limousine) has also been produced by BoS, in at least two colours, a plain dark blue, and a black one with diplomat flags – these were very popular in the former DDR as government cars!
  • A Volvo 7900 electric-hybrid bus has been produced by MotorArt, none that we could find in Swedish service liveries, but as a technological development, we have turned a blind-eye to the fact that it really is too modern for the FLMJ’s epoch!
  • Saab 99 made by PCX87 (advertised by Brekina); the style of the almost invisible front indicators suggests that this is an early version (probably with a Triumph engine)!
  • Volvo 66 made by Brekina.
  • Volvo Sport (P1900) made by BoS
  • Volvo 264 TE made by BoS
  • Volvo 7900 electric hybrid bus with charging point.

HNoll has advertised the A7 and B7 models, along with a few S1/S4 versions, all due for release in probably November. The R4R and derivatives have been further delayed due to a tooling issue, but HNoll is confident that they will still arrive before the A7/B7 etc.

May 2020 News

A few new models arrived in May. One is an old Märklin RBo2 restaurant car (later known of course as the R1R), a 1960s design, which will be used in a rake with NMJ 1960s coaches until NMJ (or somebody else) produces something more reasonable. The Märklin model does shew its age, and of course, it is 1:100 scale length instead of the correct 1:87. But, it gives us a dining carriage, and we have often complained about the lack of dining (and sleeping) carriages for SJ in H0-scale! (We have also changed the wheels, of course!)

  • Märklin RBo2, pending new couplings, will see service with NMJ 1960s coaches until something more suitable is produced.

Of four goods wagons arriving, three are Dekas ‘Hbis’ wagons; very high quality and very nice. The other new wagon is a TGOJ F6 bicycle van made by NMJ, and replaces one that we sold ages ago, but later wished that we hadn’t!

  • One of the Hbis wagons that arrived recently – beautifully detailed models.
  • The TGOJ Bicycle van from NMJ.

Z48 711 departed the FLMJ in May. This was a freelance diesel shunter based on a German design, and intended for use (at the FLMJ) with track testing before the power cables were wired up, but the Triang Z65 locos often took this duty (and now Rc3 1027 or X10 3148 can do it), so it was seldom used.

  • The Z48 (freelance) at its new home [this photo: S Davison].

Our workshop models had a little more work done during May; the headlamps on the D-loco were refitted and fit much better now, and new couplings were fitted, now NEM compliant. Also, the SMJ carriages had some adjustments to the steps, couplings and assorted other bits between them. The C3d also had its roof ‘plumbing’ put on! The buffers were fitted to the C3g and CF3 (they are a tight fit, so don’t need gluing), and Roco couplings were inserted to the NEM boxes. Unfortunately (and curiously) they are too low (despite having the same chassis as the C3d), so further investigation is necessary. We had hoped to use the close coupling facility to push the buffers in to the right depth. We also found that the D-loco NEM boxes need adjustment (or the buffers need trimming)! Not much more could be done without paint—so we ordered some matt black and satin black! With this we were able to paint the etched brass parts, and then the end gates and fall plates were fitted to the D-loco, with more work on the carriages to follow in June.

  • The D-loco making good progress with new end gate and fall plate, also with temporary ‘stuck-on’ numbers!
  • C3d carriage with new roof plumbing (before settling properly and painting, the latter a much later job).

Two former FLMJ wagons have been worked upon following structural failure when sold! These are Klein Modellbahn SJ ‘Fas’ wagons labelled for use with SNCB (Belgium), and were a limited edition. They have plastic bodies and a very tightly fitting metal floor (for weight). Unfortunately, the metal has fatigued and actually ripped the plastic bodies! One wagon was easily repaired by filing down the metal (and making a few other minor adjustments) and fitting it all back together. The other wagon’s floor has shattered and is so badly distorted that it will need replacing. The plastic has been found to be very soft, so it’s a poor combination, really (a design fault). They’re quite beautiful wagons, otherwise, and very authentic (the real ones can be seen in an early “Svenska Tåg” film).

We have been looking at dates and anniversaries. Whilst any new railway (FLMJ) cannot be rushed, there is a slight sense of urgency to mark the 30th anniversary of the opening of the KRBJ from which the FLMJ emanated. This would be in 2022. It is hoped that we can run a first train ‘somewhere’ then, but it is too early to plan. Certainly, the 40th anniversary would be the bigger event, so we’re not losing sleep! But the following few years have anniversaries that we would like to acknowledge if at all possible:

  • 2023 will be 70 years since the famous ‘Datebox’ railbuses were introduced. That is worthy of a special event; the FLMJ has a few models of these and many of our guests could bring more to make any celebratory event extra special.
  • 2024 will be 40 years since the Roco Rc5 was introduced! This loco has been a ‘standard’ setter for many years and the original version was probably the best Rc-loco as a model.
  • 2025 will be the centenary of the introduction of the successful D-loco, so that ought to be celebrated. We have two Jeco models and of course we have our Lokstallet/Jeco project under way right now.
  • 2026 will be the centenary of the electrification of the Stockholm-Göteborg mainline; so we ought to have the new FLMJ ‘electrified’ by then! We intend to put up the cables as we build the new railway, but this might not be possible. Like all plans for any new railway, nothing can be set in stone until a location and job/work pattern has been established.

There are further dates to consider, but this is enough to be going on with for now!

We’ve had a peculiar experience recently with a Trader in Sweden whom we won’t name, in the hope that this is a once off! We enquired about purchasing eight wagons without being specific (which ones precisely), and how payment could be made if we did place an order. The payment method was not practicable and only some of the wagons were in stock. (They had received only 30% of their order due to Covid-19 issues, and they had been very popular)! So, we looked elsewhere and found them in stock and payment could be made, and thus ordered elsewhere. The trader in question then advised that the wagons were on their way, so could we arrange payment? We thanked them and advised that we had found them elsewhere, to which the trader responded by declaring that the wagons had been ordered especially for us, and we had in effect cancelled our order for which a fee was payable! The real facts are that we made an enquiry, not an order; we did not specify which wagons we wanted, so how could they have known which ones to order; they told us that 70% of their original order was still to follow (so the order had already been placed), and that the wagons had been very popular (so there was no problem in finding customers for them). They wanted payment by IBAN, which from a Lloyds bank account costs between £20 and £30—quite out of the question. It seems a very strange way to treat a new customer; don’t they want to stay in business? Caveat Emptor!

An unusual model car has arrived for a cameo on the new railway, a Messerschmitt KR200! Anyone familiar with the Swedish comedy character Stig Helmer Olsson will know what sort of cameo we have in mind!

  • Stig Helmer’s car – not quite the same livery, but close enough!