France and Belgium
 

Anyone interested in or model french or belgian railways?

Only the locos and stock that stray into Switzerland.:D
Please tell us about your modelling. I assume that you work in HO.
The Swiss layout that I am building is N-scale.

Not so much French railways but I'm slowly building a live steam 020 Decauville loco for 45 mm gauge. This project has cause a change to the garden layout with all the 600 mm radius curves having to be re-worked to 1000 mm. Also under construction is a Hudswell Clarke loco of similar dimensions both types of loco were used in the trenches during WW1 so I suppose providing I last long enough I should add a typical German loco to complete a 'set' but of course I should not forget to include an IC engined armoured Simplex, Baldwyns however will not fit the garden so the US will be left out. Perhaps another visit to Leighton Buzzard is needed for the Simplex idea.
John (G)

I model HO and like Swiss too, have made many visits to Switzerland on my free passes and my late father was a swiss fan.

I quite like Belgian railways, not so much as potential modelling projects, but more for the fact that they remind me of BR in the '70's.

I agree with that Trev but its all going plastic over there now with hardly any of the older hauled stock and virtually no diesel haulage, the new trains do put us in the dark ages though.

Not so much French railways, but the Channel Tunnel.

I built a model railway for taking around to exhibitions several years ago and decided on Belgian, as I was visiting the country to chase trains on a regular basis at the time! I scratchbuilt all the catenary for a main line, and also had a non-electrified section to industries, operated by diesels.

It was the best layout I ever built and was highly enjoyable to operate. Unfortunately it had to go as I had nowhere to store it between exhibitions. :( But I do still have some photos of the layout. :)

Hi Alan,
Do you mind me asking, when you exhibit a Belgian layout do you get rivet counters the same as we do at our club.
I am not being flippant, I just wondered if you have the same problems. Though on a smaller scale.
Having been on the receiving end of some ridiculous comments from visitors to shows we have been to, I wondered if it happened to Continental Modellers.
Paul.

Hi Paul,

Yes, we all get some wierd or nitpicky comments! Fortunately, when I was exhibiting the Belgian layout, not many picky comments were made, as no-one knew anything about Belgium Railways. ;) Mostly, the comments were very favourable, which made it very satisfying. :)

Alan