Vi har arbetat mer med vår modell av Åmåls stationsbyggnad under juli. Fönsterbågarna har limmats fast och sedan har glasmaterialet lagts bakom dem. Vi satte sedan ihop basen och satte ihop de fyra sidorna (stående på basen) hålls ihop med ett elastiskt band! Vi bestämde oss då för att lägga till en liten detalj som inte ingår i satsen, och med hjälp av 0,5 mm mässingsstång har vi nu en målad ledstång vid stegen.
Vi besökte LennaKatten (Uppsala Lenna Järnväg) för att ha en trevlig dag ute och forska i signaleringen där, speciellt den gamla ställverket vid Lenna, som har varit föremål för en kort bruksanvisning. Men det lämnade oss med fler frågor än svar. Vi hade även ett bra och lärorikt samtal med en signalkille på järnvägen. De flesta av våra frågor är nu besvarade, men några finns kvar. Vi skulle vilja återskapa detta på vår eventuella nya layout, därav det extra intresset.
Vi har skaffat en annan dressin; inte ännu en ‘modifierad Volvo’ utan en specialbyggd MDR 125. Det är en statisk hartsmodell (och kan inte fås att fungera), men den kommer att se bra ut bara parkerad i ett sidospår någonstans! En av de vanligaste servicefordonstyperna genom tiderna är MDR (MDR = Motordressinen). Många hundra dressiner tillverkades från 1920-talet fram till 1960-talet. Dressinerna användes för bland annat persontransporter och inspektioner, men även ambulanstransporter på Malmbanan. Många har senare skrotats, men en del används än idag. De har dock i allt större utsträckning ersatts av dual-mode-fordon (bilar som kan användas på både väg och järnväg) som har fler användningsområden. Vår, nummer 3245, är från satsen MDR 125, nr. 3244-3309, med fyra dörrar, byggda av Bergbolagen Lindesberg 1956. De gick på bensin, och var även kända som ’köttbullar’ eller ’ärtor’ beroende på vem man frågar!
Andra intressanta nyheter
Vi har nyligen införskaffat en bok från 1979 om servicevagnar med UIC-nummer. Av den har vi lärt oss att UIC-bokstäverna för servicefordon inte följer samma regler som de flesta andra vagnar. Till exempel betyder ett “a” som andra tecken inte att fordonet är monterat på boggier. Även om detta förklarar hur vår ‘Qab’ bara kan ha två axlar (och ‘Qbd’ är på boggier), har det väckt en fråga om vår ‘Qab’, en Heljan-modell. Enligt boken gällde ‘Qab’ en typ av plog som aldrig faktiskt användes (en tilldelad kod). Tidigare FV1 skåpbilar visas som en typ ‘Qae’ (Q5) Impregneringsverk, senare Ogräsbekämpningsvagn, ‘Qgb’, lagervagn, ‘Qgg’, släpvagn, ‘Qlh-h’, städvagn (“-h” med torkning rum), och så fortsätter det. Det finns en nummerlista och vår vagn 945 4 229 ska vara en ‘Qgb’ fram till slutet av 1976, då den byggdes om till typ ‘Hvös’. Det var en före detta FV1, nummer 25770. Nu tog nyfikenheten verkligen överhanden och vi tittade i SMJ:s bok om 1930-talets vagnar. Nummer 25770 var en av de första, byggd av AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstäderna, Falun 1937. Här får vi dock veta att det efter en tid som ‘Qgb’ blev ‘Qfa’ (1986, efter att boken publicerats). Vi förstår att vagnen fortfarande finns i Nässjö, där det finns ett järnvägsmuseum, men detta är inte bekräftat. Däremot är våra ‘Qbd’ barlastvagnar (Roco) modeller av en typ som tidigare känd (pre-UIC) som ‘Q32b’, och byggdes av Talbot, 1957-58. Lätt!
Work continued on our newer replacement model of Åmål station building during July. All window frames were glued into place, and then the glazing material behind them. We then mounted the platform onto the base, and the plinths onto the walls; and put the four sides together, standing on the base, held together with an elastic band! We then decided to add a little detail not included in the kit, and using 0.5mm brass rod, we now have a painted handrail by the steps.
The four walls held together with a band, and mounted onto the base.We have added a handrail to our new model of Åmål station building. (The poor-fit gaps are due to the model not being glued together at this stage!)
A visit to the ‘LennaKatten’ (Uppsala Lenna Järnväg) seemed a good idea, at least for research purposes; but it was a nice day out in good company, anyway. The research element focussed around Lenna station, where the very traditional signalling (read: locking frame) has been the subject of a short instruction manual; but which left us with more questions than answers. Sadly, the passing loop there is not used in normal service, so observation of the procedures was not possible (it is “switched out” for automatic signal operation). But having a look around the site did help; and this was followed by a lengthy chat with a signalling guy at the railway. Most of our questions are now answered, but a few remain.
Loco 5, “Thor” at Marielund.Diesel-hauled trains on the ULJ are just as interesting.
We may present an article about this subject at a later date, but for now, a brief overview; and readers who are not interested in railway signalling can skip this paragraph! The locking frame type used at Lenna has keys. These keys are used in the point levers (in pairs) and one or the other can be removed depending on point position. This removed key is inserted into the frame to unlock slide bars, which in turn can unlock the signals. If the Station Master has key type K3 in his possession, he knows that all points are in their normal position. Inserting K3 to a point lever, enables him to change the point, thus releasing a key type K1 or K2. In some instances, this key goes into the locking frame; in other instances the K1 or K2 goes into the lever at a corresponding point to release the other (K2 or K1), which is the one inserted to the locking frame. There are 16 different types of key, but only five are used at Lenna. We would like to recreate this on our eventual new layout, hence the extra interest.
This is the Locking Frame at Lenna; the levers operate the locking slide bars.Key K¹ is locked into place in the frame. K² is for the ‘other’ point. ‘A’ is one of the home signals. Note the different key profiles that are required.Key K³ is locked into the point and cannot be removed until the ‘other’ key has been inserted, and the point changed.Key K³ has been removed, locking this point in its position. (We know it’s a ‘K³’ from the profile.)
We have acquired another dressin; not another ‘modified Volvo’ but a purpose-built MDR125. It is a static resin model (and cannot be made to work), but it will look good just parked in a siding somewhere! One of the most common service vehicle types of all time is the MDR (MDR = Motordressinen). Many hundreds of dressines were produced from the 1920s until the 1960s. The dressines were used for, among other things, passenger transport and inspections, but also ambulance transport on the Malmbanan. Many have later been scrapped, but some are still used today. However, they have increasingly been replaced by motor trolleys and dual-mode vehicles (cars that can be used on both road and rail) which have more areas of use. (There is no direct English translation for Dressin, so this and the plural Dressines have been spelt accordingly to aid pronunciation, notwithstanding any misinterpretations!) Ours, number 3245 is from the batch MDR 125, nos. 3244-3309, with four doors, built by Bergbolagen Lindesberg in 1956. They ran on petrol, and were also known as ‘meatballs’ or ‘peas’ depending on who you ask!
Internet photo of the MDR 125; but these did not usually stand off the rails.Internet photo of MDR 125 3245 on the track; a nice addition to any siding!Three assorted MDR at a location somewhere along the Inlandsbanan.MD 0091 on the Inlandsbanan; typical of the quintessential Dressin.
Other News
We have recently acquired a book from 1979 about service wagons with UIC numbering. From it, we have learned that the UIC letters for service vehicles don’t follow the same rules as most other wagons. For example, an ‘a’ as the second character does not mean that the vehicle is mounted on bogies. Whilst this explains how our ‘Qab’ can have only two axles (and the ‘Qbd’ is on bogies), it has raised a question about our ‘Qab’, a Heljan model. According to the book, ‘Qab’ applied to a type of plough that was never actually used (an allocated code). Former FV1 vans are shewn as a type ‘Qae’ (Q5) Impregnation works, later Weed control wagon, ‘Qgb’, stores wagon, ‘Qgg’, trailer, ‘Qlh-h’, cleaning wagon (“-h” with drying room), and so it goes on. There is a number list and our wagon 945 4 229 should be a ‘Qgb’ until late 1976, when it was rebuilt to type ‘Hvös’. It was a former FV1, number 25770. Now, curiosity really did get the better of us and we looked in SMJ’s book on 1930s carriages. It was one of the first, built by AB Svenska Järnvägsverkstäderna, Falun in 1937. However, here we learn that after a time as ‘Qgb’, it became ‘Qfa’ (in 1986, after the book was published, so the type isn’t listed). We understand, but this is not confirmed, that the van still exists at Nässjö, where there is a railway museum.
The ‘Qab’ is a former Fv1 (F5).
By contrast, our ‘Qbd’ ballast wagons are (Roco) models of a type formerly known (pre-UIC) as ‘Q32b’, and were built by Talbot, 1957-58. Easy!
Behind the Scenes
Mini-Series around the FLMJ; H: The Website
As mentioned earlier in this mini-series, we were not the fastest to go online, and justifiably so. There seemed little need, and everything was ticking over nicely. But, we were often asked if the Railway had a website where people could follow its progress, and ‘put like that’, it seemed a good idea. One of our Friends created both of our websites; the original one using the technology that was available at the time, but was cumbersome to maintain; and the current one, which is closer to basic desktop publication, and can be regularly updated with ease by other members.
The website was naturally intended to bring news about the Railway, and how everything was progressing. It was like a blog, and to some extent remains as such. However, with so much research being necessary, and wanting to share this hobby as much as possible, the website also became a repository of articles relating to the Swedish railways, be they features about locomotives, wagons, signalling systems, or whatever else we have needed to research. And this seems to be the main attraction today (well of course, whilst the FLMJ is closed, there’s not much else to write about)! Much of our research material can be found on the internet, in Swedish; so we present it in English. Only our own updates are available in both languages, and this is something that needs to continue if the Railway is to truly ‘belong’ here.
Nevertheless, there is a genuine fear among railway groups that too much information on the internet is having a backlash, and membership numbers in societies catering for special interests within the hobby are dropping. These specialist Societies have been reporting an average of 20% loss in subscriptions. The British based Scandinavian Railways Society is suffering this effect, and both their former website and our website, may have been contributing to this effect; by giving away so much information online, that there seems little need to join a society, no matter how friendly! They have reigned in their website so that it promotes the Society without giving away too much general knowledge, but will soon have a members’ area where the articles can be placed. We will follow suit, but with edited copies of the articles freely visible, and the more detailed articles available to our Friends. We identify ‘Friend’ (note upper-case ‘F’) as someone who is actively involved with the Railway’s development, maintenance and operation; someone who would be if they weren’t so far away, or have other barriers (but, including regular guests); and someone who has shewn significant interest and with whom we have regular correspondence. So, we feel that this is a suitable way to move forward in this digital age without causing the specialist Societies, the SRS especially, to suffer.
Next month: the Special Reports and Local Promotion
