Under december numrerade vi om den dubbla grå barlastvagnen; ett jobb som gick ganska bra. Men vi upptäckte att den (och den andra som vi köpte samtidigt), hade AC-hjuluppsättningar och behövde bytas. Vi verkar sakta samla in värdelösa AC-hjuluppsättningar!
Vi har haft en genomgång av kopplingstyper på FLMJ:s rullande materiel och tagit beslutet att det nuvarande systemet behövde uppdateras och några kopplingstyper tas bort; andra tillade. Vi kommer att fortsätta att använda Roco-kopplingar för det mesta av rullande materiel. Se dock vår kommentar om Piko-kopplingar nedan. Vi kommer att eftermontera Dm3-loket och alla Uad/Uadp-vagnar med Rocos imiterade SA3-koppling och fasa ut Kadee eftersom det inte är tillräckligt tillförlitligt. Dm-loket och Mas-vagnarna skulle inte ha SA3-kopplingar så de kommer förmodligen att ha Piko-kopplingarna (om de är lätt tillgängliga). Vi överväger också att experimentera med NEM-monterade Scharfenberg-kopplingar för motorvagnstågen (X10, Y1/YF1, Y6/Y7, osv).
Tillverkarens Nyheter
Goda nyheter från HNoll är att vagnar äntligen har anlänt från Kina, cirka 24 månader efter schemat. Som vi förstår det har modellerna A7, A8 och B7 kommit, men inte A11 eller B11 på grund av ett tillverkningsfel (främst fel färg). Vi kommer att hämta FLMJ:s beställning under januari.
Förra månaden nämnde vi att MJ-Hobby hade några intressanta nya släp med Y6-seriens järnvägsbussar på displayen. Vi vet nu att de är typerna UBF7Z och UDFo15 och varje version kommer att finnas tillgänglig med tre nummer, och det kommer att finnas dc och ac versioner.
Andra intressanta nyheter
En liten nyhet om vår förfrågan med Bachmann UK (som det inte finns några svenska modeller från). De svarade mycket snabbt och grundligt på vår förfrågan om ett paket buffertar som de producerar (vi behövde veta måtten). Dessa är lämpliga för att ersätta de pålimmade buffertarna som sitter på T21-dieslarna, som sticker ut för mycket! Bachmann svarade på mindre än 24 timmar!
Nyligen hade vi möjlighet att prata med någon från Dekas. Vi kommenterade att alla fyra “Ugkkpp”-vagnar har felaktiga UIC-kontrollsiffror. Som svar trodde man att vagnarna imiterade vagnar som ses på fotografier, men Dekas skulle undersöka det. (De är fullt medvetna om hur systemet fungerar.) Så vi undrar om vagnarna kan vara felaktigt märkta i skala 1:1? Till exempel; de två första siffrorna ändras då och då (vi är inte säkra på varför), och kanske kontrollsiffran glömdes bort i processen? Mänskligt fel som väcker frågan om hur effektiv kontrollsiffran egentligen är! Siffran finns för att förhindra mänskliga misstag, men om felet finns där till att börja med…
A suitable weekend was found in which to renumber the duplicate grey ballast wagon; a job that went reasonably well. However, placing the wagon (and it’s ‘mate’ – a pack of two wagons) on the track revealed a dark irritation in the form of a short circuit! Both wagons, like the ore wagons mentioned last month, had ac wheel-sets and needed changing. Fortunately, the odd-one-out with the ore wagons had dc wheel-sets already so we had a head start (spare sets) and were able to change them on one wagon immediately; but the other has to wait until we can buy some more. We seem to be slowly collecting useless ac wheel-sets!
During December, we conducted a review of coupling types on the FLMJ’s rolling stock, and decided that the present system needed updating and some coupling types removed; others added. We will continue to use Roco close couplings for the majority of stock, despite their weak points. Both Fleischmann and Piko close couplings are more robust than Roco, but they have poor availability. Nevertheless, some trains are likely to be fitted with them (fixed rakes, for example; see below). We no longer need to identify H0 standard couplings fitted to chassis (as we now use Roco/Symoba conversion kits), or British pattern 00 couplings, or a few others; so these will go. We have decided, however, to retrofit the Dm3 loco and all Uad/Uadp wagons with Roco’s imitation SA3 coupling, and to phase out Kadee because that is too dependent on service and maintenance to be reliable (two Mas are out of service presently for this reason). The Dm loco and Mas wagons would not have SA3 couplings so they will probably be changed to Piko (or Roco). We are also considering experimentation with NEM mounted Scharfenberg couplings for the unit trains (X10, Y1/YF1, Y6/Y7, etc).
A Roco ballast wagon in unmarked grey livery; this one carrying a new number as it had been a duplicate!The Achilles’ heel of the Roco coupling is the extended ‘tongue’ which all too often bends outwards, rendering it useless!
Manufacturer News
HNoll is a little more upbeat now that carriages have finally arrived from China, some 24 months behind schedule. With horrendously rising utility costs in Sweden, it is not certain if people will still be able to afford them, but we hold our thumbs for a good result (and therefore more models). As we understand it the A7, A8 and B7 models have arrived, but not the A11 or B11 due to a fault in manufacturing (mainly wrong colour). We will be collecting the FLMJ’s order during January.
Last month, we mentioned that MJ-Hobby had some interesting new trailers to go with the Y6-series railbuses on display. We now know that they are types UBF7Z and UDFo15 and there will be three different numbers offered with each type, and there will be dc and ac versions. The UBF7Z is a driving trailer, with second-class seating and cargo space, adapted for running with X16/X17, and of which there were 31. They were previously type UBFo7ye. The UDFo15 was a non-driving trailer for mail and luggage, for running with diesel or electric units, and of which there were 25. None survived late enough to receive the later type designation (which would have probably been UDF15). They are not quite the same as the UDF20 (UDFo20) nor UF (UFo6); see our article on this website for more information [General Articles > Dateboxes (The Y6 Railbus)].
Other News
A little heads-up for Bachmann UK (from whom there are no Swedish models), for their very quick and informative response to our enquiry about a pack of buffers that they produce (we were needing to know the dimensions). These are suitable for replacing the glued-on-over-studs buffers fitted to the T21 diesels, which protrude too much! Bachmann responded in fewer than 24 hours!
Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with a representative from Dekas, and in praising them for the quality of their ‘Ugkkpp’ wagons especially, we asked if they would accept feedback in the form of constructive criticism, which they would. We commented on all four of these wagons having incorrect UIC control digits. In reply, it was thought that the wagons imitated some in photographs, but Dekas would investigate. (They are fully aware of how the system works.) So, we have wondered if the wagons could be incorrectly marked in 1:1 scale? For example; the first two digits are changed from time to time (not sure why), and maybe the check digit was overlooked in the process? Human error which raises the question of how effective the whole point of having the check digit really is! The digit exists to prevent human error, but if the error is there to start with…
Behind the Scenes
Mini-Series around the FLMJ Over the next few updates/months, we are going to look at how the FLMJ was promoted, with a special look at the publications that have been produced over the years.
Mini-Series around the FLMJ; A: The beginning For many years before the Railway existed, there had been other railways, the two most significant ones being the 00-gauge Grove Central Railway and the 00-9/H0e gauge Herpham and District (Light) Railway. Being brought up in a house where an old manual typewriter and Rex–Rotary duplicator were in frequent use, an interest in producing documentation of some sort was naturally kindled. Further to this, was the connection with the Great Cockcrow Railway, and therefore its owner, Ian Allan, a well known transport book publisher. Imitating IA’s so-called ‘ABC’ range of stock lists, one was produced for the Grove Central Railway in 1979. Then came a news book, and eventually, the regular “Grove Rail News” journal; produced in bound magazine format. For many years, stencils were ‘cut’ for the duplicator before the advent of widespread photocopying; but still started on a typewriter, admittedly now, an electric ‘golf-ball’ one! Progression to a so-called ‘daisy-wheel’ typewriter was ruled out because there was not enough torque to ‘cut’ the letters into the stencils!
By the time that the KRBJ was started, a typewriter and photocopier were the tools of the trade. Photocopying was with black ink only, and whilst the option of colour laser printing was desirable, the poor quality of the images (at that time) didn’t justify the extortionate expense. We were quite late at getting into the computer era; but when we did, the so-called “Publisher” program seemed to enable us to create small miracles, and was found to be more adaptable and flexible than the more common “Word” program. Third Party programs were also tried, but the ready-installed version shone through and is still used to this day, even if physical printing has all but disappeared. (The current updates are produced in “Publisher”, and are available as PDF prints, or uploaded by ‘copy-and-paste’ to the website.)
Considering the role of ‘Adnalms Förening (Järnvägar)’ (the name that we use for our printed publishing), in relation to everything connected with the FLMJ, we will spend the next few months looking at our journals, printed and otherwise, online presence, and various other means of communicating with you, people who are interested in our development and progression. Naturally, with the closure of our main asset, the FLMJ, big changes have become apparent; but maybe it was time for some of these changes to happen anyway? It will be seen, that we are thinking about a new format to take us forward, but quite how we create and present that format, is still being considered.
Next month: the journal that found its way around the world!
