Indholdsfortegnelse for No. 106 i Voie Libre international

Tramfabriek has released a new retro-fit driving mechanism, this time for the small Decauville Steatite 0-4-0. This model shows its age – 50 years – and despite a somewhat vintage apperance, deserves an up-to-date driving mechanism. The Steatite locos are readily available in swap-meets for ca. 40 euros. Once thoroughly cleaned with F spirit, carefully remove the brush holders, then the motor. The gear on the motor shaft must be removed with care. Fit the small length of brass tube into the gear, file it down with a soft file, block it in place with a drop of threadlock or supeglue. With the same product, block the gear on the shaft of the coreless motor supplied. The 3D printed motor cradle fits in between the two brush holders of the…

The CFBS organized a fine festival to mark its 50th anniversary, on 3rd and 4th July on the Picardy coast. In addition to four of its own locomotives: Pinguely 0-6-0 T, Corpet, Cail and Haine-Saint-Pierre 2-6-0 Ts, the railway had invited the Corpet 0-6-0 T from the MTVS, the Corpet 0-8-0 T from the VFV, the Tubize 0-6-0 from the Belgian ASVi society and the German Brohltalbahn 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 Mallet. Not forgetting, on standard gauge, the Cockerill 0-4-0 of the Luxemburger 1900 Train, the Bagnall 0-4-0 of the Transvap and the Schneider 0-6-0 T of the Train des Mouettes. As well as the replica of Cugnot’s “Fardier”, the very first vehicle in the world to run under its own power! A Steam Gala full of local colour, with actvities…

H0-9 Layout I have known Frédéric for many years. We are almost neighbours, we attend the same shows, we share many interests, and I have always been impressed by his modelling output, in terms both of quantity and of variety of topics explored. Two or three years ago, I was amazed by a small tramway layout under construction and swore to myself that I would keep track of this small world until it was complete. It cannot be said that the layout is finished (is a layout ever finished?), but it has reached a stage where it is unlikely to evolve a lot more. While watching the trams go past, with a glass in hand, I asked Frédéric: “Where did Plage Bel Air come from?” Frédéric Mottet: It blends a…

For quite some time, I had been looking for a type of passneger carriage that would blend in with the theme of my Quittancourt «Liberated Regions» layout in 00-9. Naturally, makeshift carriages were built in France in the 1920s. But photographs of such stock are rare and none of those that existed caught my fancy. So, when I discovered the Macedonian railway and its cohorts of small carriges built on German Brigade chassis, I figured they would fit in perfectly. It is not unreasonable to think that similar carriages could have been built in France. As plenty of photographs were available, it was easy to draw up an accurate diagram. What is more, perfect scale bogies are available from the MinitrainS range. Which material to use? I opted for plastic…

Located in the upper valley of the Aar, the line originates from Meiringen station, on the Brünig line, the only metre-gauge railway operated by the CFF. With plenty of straight stretches, the line has no gradients steeper than 20 ‰. Its construction was closely linked to the implementation of a large hydroelectric complex in the Hasli and Grimsel area. The «Société des Forces motrices de l’Oberhasli» (Kraftwerke Oberhasli, KWO) had to ship the materials required for building réservoirs, penstock pipes and power stations. It decided to build a metre gauge industrial branch starting from Meiringen station, complemented by cableways to reach the location of the dams. The terminus at Innertkirchen is located close to an undeground power station. Construction of the line required drilling a 1502m long tunnel, parallel to…

Port Saint-Victor, a complete universe on an advertising calendar. Admire the care taken with the overall composition. With the magic help of a telephone, Bernard and I had a long conversation, glasses of cool wine in our hands. I was sitting under some trees, he was in the shade of his patio. We have known Bernard for a long time, he is a gifted modeller, and the creator of many small worlds, all of which have narrow gauge in common. Port Saint-Victor is his latest creation. Originally, the idea was to escape the daily routine of lockdown during the pandemic, to take advantage of this peculiar moment to do something different. For many years, Bernard has been modelling in large scales: 1/43.5 often, 1/22.5 sometimes, 1/13 more and more frequently.…

Bachman Europe has announced the relase during the summer of the DCC sound versions of its now classic War Department 60cm gauge 4-6-0 T. The sound was recorded on 10-12D 778 preserved in the U.K. Externally, the new “sound fitted” references are strictly identical, down to the numbers, to the analogue versions released previously. They will be supplied fitted with a Zimo MX659N18 sound decoder offering 28 functions and installed on the engine’s NEXT18 socket. When operating in analogue, the engine will produce exhaust beats adjusted to the voltage of the track, as well as random sounds. BACHMANN BALDWIN 10-12-D 4-6-0T “SOUND FITTED” PRICE: CA. 220 TO 230£…

The Signifer brand, which mainly produces military kits, has released artificial snow. The product comes in the shape of a mineral powder that must be blended with an acrylic base, the latter more or less thinned. The product is sold in two jars, containing 50 grams or 25 grams of powder together with 65 grams or 30 grams of base. Depending on the effect sought, the instructions specify various degrees of dilution. SIGNIFER http://signifer.chez-alice.fr/o_fr.htmSN99001 SNOW 50G: PRICE: 14.50€ SN99002 SNOW 25 G: PRICE: 9.00€…

On 13th June 2021, the P’tit train de la Haute-Somme celebrated its 50th anniversary as a heritage railway. The line itself has been in existence since the Battle of the Somme in 1916. A weekend of celebrations was organized, 50 years to the day after the first heritage train ran, on 13th June 1971. The workshop and ongoing work will be open for visits duruing the Heritage Day on 19th September, while the traditional steam festival will be held on Sunday 26th September. P'TIT TRAIN DE LA HAUTE-SOMME www.appeva.org…

In 1915, the troops of the Central Empires routed the Serbian army and threatened the French expeditionary corps, which found itself besieged in Salonica. The Bulgarian armies occupiying Macedonia were faced with serious supply problems. Only one railway ran through the very mountainous area, along the Vardar southwards from Uskub, today Skopje. Supervised by German military engineers, they built 60cm gauge lines, one linking Gradsko to Prilep and Bitola, and another, very long one, originating from General-Hanti, in the suburbs of Uskub, and leading to Ohrid, crossing two passes and three valleys on the way! The Allied lightning offensive of September 1918 led to those lines and their rolling stock to being captured virtually intact. Map and timetable of the line In 1919, the newly-created “Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats…

In many of his layouts, there are small tell-tale details: Michel Lecoursonnais is from the lower Vilaine valley. And on Les Châtaignes, this is quite obvious. Because the theme of the layout is precisely chestnuts! Alongside apple trees for producing cider, chestnut trees were extensively grown along the Vilaine to provide wood and fruit. Until the early XXth century, chestnuts were even the staple diet in the countryside surrounding Redon. And in Michel’s imaginary Upper Britanny, locked in the 1960s and 1970s, this type of agriculture is still flourishing and has even prompted one grower to build a 40cm gauge railway to carry his crop. Welcome to Les Châtaignes, in a place and time when railway tractors held their own against lorries and when linen was still bleached in a…

As the specifications for the standard gauge Tours-Vouvray line foresaw a maximum speed of 16kph, the company opted for Rowan steam railmotors. In 1898, operation was entrusted to the Tours tramway company, whose network was metre gauge. The line was therefore re-gauged. As no Rowan stock was available in this gauge, the trains were hauled by standard steam locomotives. Once absorbed by the Tours tramway system, the line was electrified. PERMANENT FACILITIES Most people are familiar with the famous Vouvray wine, and while wine cellars are widespread throughout the town, spotting the former tram station is no easy task: a tiny building now hemmed in between other structures. The facilities are Spartan. The station building is a square structure, housing an office and a waiting room. The base, quoins, support…

A new development in the Halling Modelle vintage tramway range: you supply the photographs and you receive, with your kit, the decals corresponding to the livery of your choice. This kit, entirely modular, also allows you to select the body parts as you wish. Supplied with simple axles, the body can equally well be fitted to the manufacturer’s multi-gauge driving chassis. Take a look at the website, in German and English, to get a better idea. I made up a complete tramway with a body and glazing, detailed balconies, a working metal pantograph and a driving chassis for 87 euros without postage. HALLING MODELLE https://shop.ferro-train.com…

Pierre Le Feurmou, who runs Maquette Création, has decided to make the material he uses for his productions available to modellers who practice laser-cutting. We are talking here of glossy and very smooth white, brown or brick red card, whose appearance is very similar to Bristol board. This product is indeed very easy to cut with a laser, generates very little smoke and above all with hardly any charring, unlike more ordinary card. Assembly calls on wood glue. This material is available in thicknesses ranging from 0.3 to 3mm. MAQUETTE CRÉATION CARD FOR LASER-CUTTING PRICE: 5 TO 6.50€ DEPENDING ON THE THICKNESS https://shop.maquettecreation.fr/…

Neil Moss has gradually put into production a fine selection of blackened brass axles. They feature references in three gauges, 6.5mm (H0f), 9mm (H0-9/00-9) and 12mm (00n3/H0-12). The wheel diameters range from 3.75 to 8mm. Their profile is quite fine and the axle is shouldered to guarantee proper gauging. The central shouldering has a diameter of 2mm. This means they can be used as driving axles by fitting Tenshodo gears to them. In 9mm gauge, the 5.6mm diam. wheels can be used to replace the plastic axles on Peco stock. They are also suitable for the P’tits Kits sugar beet and Decauville 1915 models. Replacing the axles add some weight to the wagons, lowers the centre of gravity and improves their appearance. Each pair of axles costs ca. 3.5£. Some…

I fell hook, line and sinker for this open wagon with its quaint pointed «roof» and its sadly sagging chassis! I could just see it behind a locomotive on one of my layouts... So I grabbed my sketch pad, counted the planks on one of John Philips’ photographs, used a dimensional drawing of a Feldbahn wagon and extrapolated the sketch used to build this wagon. I had ignored brass for quite a while, it was now or never. 1 What with the photos and the original drawing (see page 28), I had plenty of ressources. I show here all the dimensions and thicknesses I used. 2 On a 0.5mm thick brass sheet, I traced the oultine of the parts and the planks. With an Olfa P450 knife, I engraved the…

The principle was quite simple: a small railcar travelled across a layout, from left to right, running through the specific scenes created by the 14 participants. The gradual definition of the constraints improved the initial project. Gérard CONSTRAINTS There were a few rules, all the same: the surface of the layout was restricted to a half A4 format, meaning 10.5 x 29.7cm. By using 9mm gauge track in 1/87 scale and above all by meeting the demands of the many anonymous viewers who decided, through the 12 polls held on social networks, what the participants should include on their model. DISTANCE MODELLING! But remember, this edition of Trainsmania was virtual, with no actual meetings. Each participant had to film his own bit of layout, always with the same railcar. The…