Vi har införskaffat en Pochervagn typ C3b. Trots modellens ålder (den är från 1958) är den väldigt autentisk och väl detaljerad. Det enda produktionsfelet är att den är tryckt som en C3c (identiska vagnar förutom att C3c hade en toalett, men nummer 1449 var en C3b, och modellens interiör inkluderar inte toaletten)! Den har inga kopplingar (eller låda), därav det bra priset vi betalade för den, men båda sakerna kommer att lösas i sinom tid.
Den 30 september var det femårsjubileum av det sista tåget som körde på FLMJ, vår svenska modelljärnväg i H0-skala i trädgården runt ett Park Home i England. Det hade varit vår förhoppning att vi skulle markera detta femårsjubileum med ett ’första tåg’ på en ny järnväg; men även om det inte är möjligt nu (möjligheten har passerat), har vi åtminstone några goda, positiva nyheter om vägen framåt. En ny järnväg ska byggas i källaren under ett hus i södra Sverige, enligt överenskommelse med villaägarna där. Det kommer att bära andan från det tidigare FLMJ och använda så mycket av den rullande materielen och natursköna material från den som möjligt; men det blir inomhus. Även om det är möjligt att behålla FLMJ-namnet (genom att ha tre huvudstationer), har det beslutats att eftersom den nya layouten skulle vara så mycket annorlunda, skulle ett nytt namn vara bättre. Det nya namnet kommer att avslöjas när vi har låtit alla möjliga varianter privat, så att när det dyker upp här kan det förhoppningsvis vara absolut! Det är för tidigt att skriva om en ny järnväg i detalj, men här är en retas… Källaren består av 4 rum, arrangerade 2+2. Ett rum lämpar sig för ett stort diorama, så detta skulle ersätta FLMJ:s Lövhöjden, vår huvudort och järnvägscentrum. Ett rum bredvid fungerar också som tvättstuga, men med gott om plats bredvid ytterväggarna är troligen ett mer avlägset diorama här. Det tredje rummet har ett hinder i form av en inåtgående dörr (utåtgående dörrar från källare är inte en bra idé om det ligger snö på marken), och idéerna för detta rum är fortfarande lite vaga. Det fjärde rummet, som inkluderar trappan från huset, skulle kunna ge möjlighet till en smalspårig sektion! Vi hade velat ha en smalspårig linje för att stödja FLMJ, men att göra detta i trädgården var oklokt. Sverige har haft många smalspåriga järnvägar, och en del av järnvägarna från två av spåren (891mm & 1067mm) absorberades av SJ; så de är betydelsefulla. Retas avslutad; kanske mer nästa månad!
Tillverkarens Nyheter
Under ett samtal nyligen förstod man att Jecos föreslagna diesellokomotiv T23 kan vara tillgängligt inom de närmaste månaderna (kanske i tid till Hjulmarknaden?), och att den nya Rc-serien då borde vara snart efter. Vi frågade inte om släpvagnarna till rälsbuss!
Andra intressanta nyheter
Med mycket kort varsel nämnde vi på vår “kommande evenemang”-sida, evenemanget Höglandståg i Nässjö. Vi hade förbisett det, men vi insåg att det är nära där vår nya järnväg ska ligga. I första hand var detta en utställning av digitala modulära järnvägar; det fanns två järnvägar, en i vardera av de två använda rummen; den ena H0-skalan, den andra N. Operationellt var detta inte av intresse för oss (som DCC), och det var naturligtvis frustrerande att se de många oplanerade stopp och starter; och ett tåg som inte gick att stoppa när en del av det spårade ur! Men det var inspirerande att studera de olika scenerierna; alla sektioner byggdes (förmodligen) av olika människor, och så gjordes detta enligt olika standarder; men alla var inspirerande. Det fanns också ett bra urval av handlare där, och vi kunde köpa en äkta vagn av Märklin (och handlaren bytte ut hjulseten för att fungera på ett två-rälssystem, utan extra kostnad). Vi hoppas kunna besöka detta evenemang igen under kommande år.
We have acquired a Pocher carriage type C3b. Despite the age of the model (it dates from 1958), it is very authentic and well detailed. The only production fault is that it is printed as a C3c (identical carriages except that the C3c had a toilet, but number 1449 was a C3b, and the model’s interior does not include the toilet)! It has no couplings (or box), hence the good price that we paid for it, but both matters will be put right in due course.
C3b 1449, a model by Pocher, in need of a bit of TLC!
September 30th marked the fifth anniversary of the last train to run on the FLMJ, our Swedish H0-scale model railway in the garden around a Park Home in England. It had been our hope that we would mark this fifth anniversary with a ‘first train’ on a new layout; but whilst that is not now possible (the opportunity has passed), we do at least have some good, positive news of the way forward. A new railway is to be built in the basement under a house in southern Sweden, as agreed with the home owners there. It will carry the spirit of the former FLMJ, and use as much of the rolling stock and scenic materials therefrom as possible; but it will be indoors. Whilst it is possible to retain the FLMJ name (by virtue of having three principal stations), it has been decided that because the new layout would be so very different, a new name would be better. The new name will be divulged once we have privately sounded out all possible variations, so that by the time it appears here, it can hopefully be absolute! It is too early to write about a new railway in any detail, but here’s a taster. The basement is made up of 4 rooms, arranged 2+2. One room is suitable for a good-sized diorama, so this would take the place of the FLMJ’s Lövhöjden, our main town and main railway ‘centre.’ A room next to it also serves as the laundry-room, but with ample space alongside the outer walls, a more remote diorama is likely here. The third room has an obstacle in the form of an inward opening door (outward opening doors from basements are not a good idea if there’s snow on the ground), and ideas for this room are still a bit vague. The fourth room, which includes the stairs from the house, could provide opportunity for a narrow gauge section! We had wanted a narrow gauge line to support the FLMJ, but doing this in the garden was unwise. Sweden has had many narrow gauge railways, and some of the railways from two of the gauges (891mm & 1067mm) were absorbed by SJ; so they’re significant. Taster over; maybe more, next month!
This basement room will easily afford space for a 4,5 x 2,2m baseboard (just under 14′ by 7′ in English imperial)!
Manufacturer News
During conversation, it was understood that Jeco’s proposed T23 diesel locomotive could be available in the next couple of months (maybe in time for Hjulmarknaden?), and that the new Rc-series should then be soon after. We didn’t ask about the railbus trailers!
Other News
At relatively short notice, we mentioned the Höglandståg event on our website ‘forthcoming events’; having originally overlooked it, yet it is close to where our new railway will be. Primarily this was an exhibition of digital modular railways; two layouts, one in each of the two rooms in use; one H0-scale, the other N. Operationally, this was of no interest to us (being DCC), and it was naturally frustrating to see the many unscheduled stops and starts; and a train that couldn’t be stopped when part of it had derailed! But it was inspiring to study the different scenic efforts; all the sections were presumably built by different people, and so this was done to different standards; but all of them inspiring. There was also a good selection of traders there, and we were able to buy an authentic wagon by Märklin and have the wheel-sets changed to work on a two-rail system, without extra charge. We hope to visit this event again in subsequent years.
X11 3113, very similar to the X10, seen at Nässjö.
Behind the Scenes
Mini-Series around the FLMJ; J: U3A Presentations
The University of the Third Age is an international movement whose aims are the education and stimulation of mainly retired members of the community—those in their third ‘age’ of life. There is no universally accepted model for the U3A. It was founded in 1973 by Pierre Vellas in France. One of the FLMJ’s Friends is an active member/student of the U3A, and the Railway’s Director General was invited on more than one occasion to give a presentation to the local group. The FLMJ was the subject of one, and the Y6 generation of railbuses was another (there were others of a Swedish classical musical theme); and these presentations were very well received. These presentations would be supported by so-called PowerPoint displays, and they remain on file to this day. Initially, it seemed a little surreal that we should be giving a talk about a Swedish model railway to a group of people who were (probably) not railway modellers. But, the reality was that the interest was in the creativity that went into the railway, its construction, maintenance and operation. And because the FLMJ was in every respect a railway, (albeit too small to carry passengers,) rather than a train-set, its appeal was universal among people with a creative mindset. Above, we mentioned music; and this too, is a creative hobby, especially the process of playing the music (not so much just listening to something that has been pre-recorded). It should come as no surprise that having the creative mindset that was suitable for what we had with the FLMJ should also lend itself to musical creativity, and to be able to talk at other U3A meetings on that subject. And many well known professional musicians have declared their railway modelling interests to the public. Only a few years ago, Sir Rod Stewart’s American–themed diorama was featured in the railway modelling press; and what he had created is incredible by any standards. But, being creative is a very individual thing. If one person builds a railway, and another builds the trains, both are creative, neither are lacking creativity because ‘the other’ has created what they didn’t. At the U3A presentation, we were pleased to announce that we ran mostly ready-to-run models, and built kits from the boxes. By taking advantage of these possible “short cuts”, we were able to use OUR creativity in the many other aspects of the FLMJ. And that was the message we delivered.
Mitt i månaden reparerade vi den trasiga bufferten på en av FV1/F5-L-modellerna. När vi jämförde detta med de andra två som vi har här, fann vi att en av de andra också hade en skadad buffert. Denna skada orsakades av originalförpackningen, så både buffert och förpackning har modifierats. Vi avslutade med att modifiera den hemmagjorda innerbrickan för den lika hemgjorda kartongen till FV1:an som köptes begagnad utan originalkartong. Detta kommer att skydda den från ytterligare skador.
När månaden gick mot sitt slut byttes växlingsloket Z66 000 till Z69 659 med de nya dekalerna.
Vi tog emot ersättningsbuffertarna till N-loket i oktober, men det har ännu inte avsatts tid för montering. Vi tittar på en helg i december…!
Tillverkarens Nyheter:
Årets största nyhet måste vara tillkännagivandet av ett nytt lok, detta från Jeco; T23 diesel. Det kommer att finnas sex olika nummer, och det kommer att finnas tillgängligt i analogt och digitalt, och två livery-versioner. Under 1950-talet köpte SJ 25 smalspåriga ’Tp’-lok för att ersätta ångloken på 891 mm spårvidden. Men när de smalspåriga linjerna lades ner en efter en stod det snart klart för SJ att de hade fler lok än de behövde, och de lyckades inte sälja dem; så beslutades det att bygga om femton av dem till standardspårlokomotiv. Ombyggnaderna skedde i samarbete mellan SJ’s verkstad i Örebro och AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstäderna i Falun. Ett nytt ramverk måste konstrueras och lokkarosserna breddas. Axelbeskrivning ändrad till D (0-8-0 i brittisk nomenklatur) istället för 1’C1′ (2-6-2), men fortfarande med kopplingsstångsdrift. Loken fick en färg liknande T21 i rödbrunt med gula dekorativa ränder. De användes i godståg och växling i bland annat Halmstad och Jönköping, men tjänstetiden var kort. Mot slutet av 1970-talet togs loken ur drift och avsattes som beredskapslok. Ett lok (115) såldes som industrilok till Gullfiber och hamnade i början av 1990-talet hos fraktföretaget Österlentåg. Efter att företaget gått i konkurs såldes loket till ett skrotföretag. 2002 beslutade Banverket att göra sig av med de T23-lok som stod i beredskap och de såldes till olika museiföreningar och skrothandlare. Flera T23-lok är därför bevarade; representeras av fem av de sex som ska produceras som modeller.
Jeco har också förnyat sin avsikt att producera fler lokomotiv i Rc-serien, inklusive Rc1 och Rc4 i orange färg, och flera mer moderna färger på Rc2 och Rc3.
Dekas utökar sitt sortiment av spannmålsvagnar med tre märkta ’Udg’, lämpliga för den tidigare delen av Epoch-IV; och ett par som S-RT (Epok-VI). S-RT Ugkkpp är en modell av SJ sandtåg täckt trattvagn, använd från 2015 och för närvarande. Dessa förväntas alla i januari 2023.
Brekina har gjort en modell av Büssing Senator 12D-bussen i ”Stockholms Spårvägar” (SS)-livery. Beskriven som 1962 års modell är den egentligen i ombyggt skick med dörrar till höger för högertrafik (från september 1967). Minst en av dessa finns bevarad i Stockholmsområdet. Ett prov har kommit hit; mycket snyggt gjort, men tråkigt nog utan några dekaler för ruttnummer eller destination!
När vi gjorde en sammanfattning av tillverkarnas uppdateringar (vilket vi inte gör så ofta som vi borde) hittade vi en död länk, och vid ytterligare undersökning fann vi att Brimalm Engineering AB försattes i konkurs 2017. Brimalm var mest känt för handbyggda modeller i etsad mässing, riktade till höginkomsttagare och samlare, och tillverkade i mycket begränsade upplagor. Det anses dock allmänt att Brimalm inte gjorde något för modelljärnvägar som en “helhet”; modellerna var prissatta i en annan liga än seriösa järnvägsmodellerares intressen. De ansågs ofta vara i en liknande klass med “Fabergé-ägg”, mer om investeringar än äkta järnvägsmodellering, och absolut inget för att locka barn och ungdomar till hobbyn. Naturligtvis har företag av den här karaktären en hög risk att kollapsa vid minsta vackling i den globala ekonomin, och så verkar det ha varit fallet.
Andra intressanta nyheter:
I vår genomgång av semestern kring Sveriges Järnvägsplatser i år hänvisades till sjukhusvagnar, om vilka ingen information gick att hitta. SJK:s senaste upplaga av Tåg innehåller en artikel om sjukhus- (och ambulans-) vagnar, men dessa två nämns tydligen inte (en vid Oxelösund och en på Grängesberg). Det hänvisades dock till två Bo14b-vagnar, 1899 och 1901, som hade byggts om till So10, och beskrivningarna passade (och ytterligare forskning visar att dessa ursprungligen var Co6-vagnar med träkaross). Men deras bortgång citeras (i Tåg) som den ena på Nässjö Järnvägsmuseum och delar av den andra på Gävle Järnvägsmuseum. När vi grävde djupare upptäckte vi att 1899 är inköpt från Gävle för några år sedan och finns på FSVJ i Oxelösund. Man tror att hänvisningen till ‘1899’ på ‘delarna’ förmodligen relaterar till något annat, eller något som hade passat tillfälligt! 1901 sades senast vara i järnvägsavdelningens bruk, och det ena fotot som vi har av vagnen vid Grängesberg visar visserligen en liten del av ett vagnnummer under den grå färgen; vilket med stor sannolikhet är 1901. Webbplatsen för Nässjös Järnvägsmuseum säger ingenting om den rullande materielen där, och vi har inte varit där (sedan 1998), så vi är försiktigt övertygade om att vi har identifierat båda vagnarna.
Vi tittade nyligen ordentligt på vår hemsida för att se om något behövde uppdateras. Åh ja; och några stavfel måste också korrigeras. Vi kommer att spendera tiden mellan nu och slutet av året för att finslipa och polera, men det verkar inte vara någon mening med att katalogisera dem här. Eventuella stora förändringar kommer naturligtvis att få ett omnämnande.
With a work-free weekend mid-month, there was a plan to paint over the Z66 000 number on the little shunting loco so that we could apply the Z69 659 decals; but the decals were in a safe place and couldn’t be found! So, instead, we repaired the broken buffer on one of the FV1/F5-L models. Comparing this with the other two that we have here, we found that one of the others also had a damaged buffer and we could see that the cause was the nature of the inner packaging that is supposed to support the model and protect it from damage! This was also repaired. Using available time, we finished by modifying the homemade inner ‘tray’ for the equally homemade box for the FV1 that was bought second-hand without an original box. This will protect it from further damage.
Two F5-L/FV1 models (nicely made by Heljan) on the workbench.An FV1 having its buffer straightened – by unconventional means, but effective!One of the F5-L/FV1 models in its new home-made box!Z69 659 now has a number to show it as such. For the Swedish scene, it is actually freelance!
As the month drew to a close, and having located the decals, Z69 659 was accordingly branded, and is now fit for full service.
We took delivery of the replacement buffers for the N-loco in October, but time has not yet been allocated for fitting them. We are looking at a weekend in December…!
Manufacturer News
Without a doubt, the biggest news of the year has to be the announcement of a new loco, this from Jeco; the T23 diesel. There will be six different numbers, and it will be available in analogue and digital, and two livery versions. During the 1950s, SJ bought 25 narrow-gauge ‘Tp’ locomotives to replace the steam locomotives on the 891mm gauge lines. However, as the narrow-gauge lines were shut down one by one, it soon became clear to SJ that they had more locomotives than they needed, and they were unsuccessful in selling them; so, it was decided to rebuild fifteen of them into standard gauge locomotives. The rebuilds took place in collaboration between SJ’s workshop in Örebro and AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstäderna in Falun. A new framework had to be constructed and the locomotive bodies widened. Axle-description changed to D (0-8-0 in British nomenclature) instead of 1’C1’ (2-6-2), but still with coupling rod drive. The locomotives were given a livery similar to T21 in red-brown with yellow decorative stripes. They were used in freight trains and shunting in, among other places, Halmstad and Jönköping, but the period of service was short. Towards the end of the 1970s, the locomotives were taken out of service and set aside as standby locomotives. One locomotive (115) was sold as an industrial locomotive to Gullfiber and ended up in the early 1990s with the freight company Österlentåg. After the company went bankrupt, the locomotive was sold to a scrap company. In 2002, Banverket decided to dispose of the T23 locomotives that were on standby and they were sold to various museum associations and scrap dealers. Several T23 locomotives are therefore preserved; represented by five of the six to be produced as models.
SJ T23 113 in a photo from the internet; model awaited from Jeco!
Jeco has also renewed their intention to produce more Rc-series locomotives, including Rc1 and Rc4 in orange livery, and several more modern liveries on Rc2 and Rc3.
Dekas is extending their range of grain wagons with three marked ‘Udg’, suitable for the earlier part of Epoch-IV; and a couple as S-RT (Epoch-VI). The S-RT Ugkkpp is a model of SJ sand-train covered hopper wagon, used from 2015, and currently. These are all expected January 2023.
Brekina has released a Büssing Senator 12D bus in “Stockholms Spårvägar” (SS) livery. Described as a 1962 model, it is actually in rebuilt condition with doors on the right for right-hand traffic (from September 1967). At least one of these has been preserved in the Stockholm area. A sample has arrived here; very nicely made, but disappointingly without any decals for route number or destination!
The Brekina model of the Büssing Senator 12D bus in Swedish SS livery.
Whilst doing a round-up of manufacturers’ updates (which we don’t do as often as we ought), we found a dead link, and upon further investigation, found that Brimalm Engineering AB was declared bankrupt in 2017. Brimalm was best known for hand-built models in etched brass, aimed at the high-earners and collectors, and made in very limited editions. It is generally considered, however, that Brimalm did nothing for model railways as a ‘whole’; the models were priced in a different league to the interests of serious railway modellers. They were often considered to be in a similar class with “Fabergé eggs”, more about investment than true railway modelling, and certainly nothing to attract children and youth into the hobby. Naturally, businesses of this nature have a high risk of collapse in the slightest wobble in the global economy, and this seems to have been the case.
Other News
In our review of the holiday around Swedish Railway places this year, reference was made to hospital carriages, of which no information could be found. SJK’s latest edition of Tåg carries an article about hospital (and ambulance) carriages, but seemingly no mention of these two (one at Oxelösund, and one at Grängesberg). Reference was made however to two Bo14b carriages, 1899 and 1901, which had been converted to So10, and the descriptions fit (and further research shews that these were originally wooden bodied Co6 carriages). But their demise is quoted (in Tåg) as one at Nässjö Railway Museum and parts of the other at Gävle Railway Museum. Digging deeper, we found that 1899 was purchased from Gävle a few years ago and is at the FSVJ at Oxelösund. It is believed that the reference to ‘1899’ on the ‘parts’ probably relates to something else, or something that had been a temporary fit! 1901 was last said to be in railway ‘department’ use, and the one photo that we have of the carriage at Grängesberg does show a tiny part of a wagon number under the grey paint; making this very likely to be 1901. The website for Nässjö’s Railway Museum says nothing about the rolling stock there, and we’ve not visited (since 1998), so we are cautiously confident that we have identified both carriages.
We recently had a good look around our website to see if anything needed updating. Oh yes; and a few typos need correcting also. We will be spending the time between now and the end of the year to tweak and polish, but there seems little point in cataloguing them here. Any big changes will, of course, get a mention.
Behind the Scenes
Mini-Series about the FLMJ, 11: The Team behind the Railway
Whilst the FLMJ was managed by one person, it ought to be remembered that it was owned by Adnalms Järnvägar, and the operation and maintenance of the Railway was carried out by a team of dedicated volunteers. These friends of the Railway were known as a club, Adnalms Järnvägsklubb (AJK); and when the belligerent site owner decided to ban clubs from the (residential) estate, we changed our status to ’Friends of the Railway’ thus Adnalms Järnvägsförening (AJF)! (The site owners really were control freaks who imposed many pointless and unnecessary rules and prohibitions; they even tried to prevent the development of the railway!) The railway’s investment was assumed to come from one source, the Manager (or Director General to use the official title), but this was not the case. There were several outside sources who were suitably inspired by the railway to want to contribute to its success and development. But the Railway’s influence resulted in a number of volunteers building their own Swedish or multinational railway layouts, and to them we are sorry for the FLMJ’s closure.
Adnalms Järnvägsförening (the ’Friends’ of the Railway) continues to this day, albeit as a remote club sharing news, ideas, and inspiration, largely via this website. The Friends will continue to receive our support and encouragement especially with the development of their own Swedish railway modelling. Adnalms Järnvägsklubb (the Club) will be re-established once a start has been made on the new railway. We have no delusions about how big such a club could become, especially considering that ‘DCC’, in which we have no interest, has quite a large following here; and the railway will be designed in the same way as before, so that it can be operated by just the one person alone if necessary, or by a team.
Because of the nature of sharing this hobby, our updates tend to use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’; and it is fair to record that almost everything that is done – even the outings – has more than just the one person taking part. The summer tour of railway museums was mostly in the accompaniment of one or more friends; the work on developing a temporary layout here in Odensala is being made possible by housemates’ assistance; and so on.
Next month, in our final instalment*, we’ll look at the possibilities for the way forward. *Well, we actually have something ‘different’ but related, planned, for 2023!
