Petri Sallinen

Thank you for your information Peterem. OK. I think that Class i2 was so marginally occurence that it is not very interested thinking about making locomotive models. If I would like to get the model of i2 it might be better to make it handmade — first it would clever to check out if models or kits are available.

There was the plan to sell two Class i2 locos (2013 and 2019) to Finland in 1949. We have found the documents made by Abelson & Co who made the offer. Finns were not interested in that idea. Originally locos were made for London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) — not very successful class I guess (only ten locos were made). Anyway — this case would be quite nice "what if" -case if there are available Class i2 -locos, RTR model or kits. I made some searches and I have an effect that no models are available. Please let me know if there are some in 4MM/00 scale — 00, EM or P4 gauges works as well. Petri Sallinen Helsinki Finland

I am very sorry for hearing that. We have made good business with Derek and got very useful items and materials for making our hobby better and easier in Finland. I hope all best for Derek and his family. Best Regards Petri Sallinen Mestarimallit Ltd Helsinki Finland https://mestarimallit.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Mestarimallit

Yes, I know. It was Brown, Marshals & Co Ltd — later Metropolitan Cammel. Petri

Thank you Tony for your answers. I am looking for drawings concerning the coaches they made to Finland but also documents concerning ordering and details (letters etc.) Petri Sallinen

In our UK made coaches at 1860´'s was the heating system that based on metalboxes full of hot sand or hot water (only in the first class). In walls were small hatches and openings so you were able to change new hot boxes when the train was at station, please look at the picture. We do not know if this system was UK made or maybe Finns build this after coaches were arrived from Birmingham to Helsinki in the year 1862. Did you have this kind of heating system in UK in any coaches? Petri Salllinen Helsinki, Finland

Hi every enthusiasts in UK, Brown, Marshalls and Co. Ltd. in Birmingham made first Finnish railway coaches on 1860's. We have not many documents or drawings left about these coaches in Finland. If I have understood right Brown, Marshalls and Co. Ltd. was specialized to make coaches for exporting in many countries. I would be happy if someone has any information where I would be able try to found historical doments of this company or documents concerning coaches made for Finnish State Railways. Well — at that time Finland was not independent but the part of Russia. Best Regards, Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland I have made models some of them but I like to get more information.

Prior to Brexit, the price of Shapeways included 21 per cent Dutch VAT. Now Shapeways sells its products without Dutch VAT to the UK, but now the buyer has to pay 20% UK VAT at the border. Theoretically, the price is now one percent cheaper than before. If you buy something from Finland, the benefit is even greater, because Finnish VAT is 24%. I do not know whether you have to pay customs in addition to the tax. In the post-Brexit period, I will have to pay 3.7% duty at Finnish border in addition to VAT if I buy BA screws in the UK. On the other hand, there is no need to pay customs duties on model railway equipment coming from UK. Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland

Some pictures of rural areas from Southern Finland in 1930´s. Please enjoy. This is prototypical modelling in 1:87 scale, all models are handmade. Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland [

We have run the Finnish model railway company named Mestarimallit about ten years https://www.facebook.com/Mestarimallit We are using many parts and wheels made by Markits in our kits. We have never had any problems with deliveries. Sometimes delivery time might be many months if Mark does not have items in stock we would like to get. Because of our H0 scale and lighter rolling stock we are using smaller dia wheels as you are typically using in UK. Once Mark sent me samples of 12 mm dia disk wheels made in steel. These are not his normal products. He thought that I might be interested in getting these driving wheels for our new diesel locomotive kits. Very helpful service. In the last Scaleforum exhibition I was hanging around in exhibition area when the strange man met me near the Roxey Models stand. He saw my name in my badge and said: "What are you doing here? Here is nothing to see. Let´s go to my factory". I have never met this man before. He was Mark Arscott. I was very self-conscious. Anyway I and my friend traveled next day by the taxi from Aylesbury to Watford to see his factory. This was very nice trip. Fortunately we had one bottle of liquorice spirit with (this is the very typical Finnish stuff) to give that for the present. Mark showed us all his excellent CNC machines that are making parts 24/7 and the way he is making famous Romford wheels. We also met his very nice wife who made us the lunch. Our problem is that our English is terribly bad. We have to make hard working to understand what somebody is talking about. I think I did not understand all his jokes, stories or technical explanations but I think that was not the problem. We had very nice time with he and his wife. Mark also drove us to the nearest railway station. Later I sent him the book of Finnish steam locomotives and I think he was happy about that. Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland

Season´s Greetings from Finland Petri Sallinen

The company named Railway Plants Co situated in Leeds made some coaches for Finnish State Railways in the end of 1800 century. I have tried to find information of this company but with no success. Please let me know if you have any information of Railway Plants Co, Leeds. Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland

Miniaturmodelle and Modela have quite good selection of Russian models. Heris also made some Russian and Eastern Europe coaches. http://miniaturmodelle.net/1-87-H0 http://www.modela.lv/new_modela/store/?lang=en http://www.heris-modelleisenbahn.de/modelleisenbahnen/andere-laender.html

Here we´ll come again! Seasons´s Greetings from the northern front. Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland

Very nice weekend in Aylesbury! Now I have visited five times in Scaleforums. This was not the best ones but nevertheless very enjoyable exhibition, thank you for that. I spent two days in the show and had room in Five Bells Inn in Weston Turville — I think there were some other enthusiasts too . It was very easy to travel from Helsinki to Aylesbury — the flight from Helsinki to London Heathrow, with train to Paddington Station, with underground to Marylebone and last with train to Aylesbury. The trip took about six hours — not very much considering that I am living in the middle of nowhere Petri Sallinen Helsinki, Finland

I have found that old Finnish coaches are using the same construction as some British ones. The idea of sheet metal plated two axles coaches was coming from German to Finland. For many reasons we made them a little bit simple but the main idea was still the same — later we also used the wood instead of sheet metal. So I think that we might have same problems when modeling these style of coaches. And that´s why I´d like to give some ideas. I have tested these ideas about one year and we have built tens of coaches this way. The main problem with these styles of coach body is convex walls. Many enthusiasts do not like bend walls in convex format or they are thinking that this is too difficult. Rarely this is quite difficult when using half etched walls. But first I would like to introduce my idea of wooden body of this style of coach. If you are modeling the same type of body with wooden walls, you are able to use "the box construction". My idea was to draw dashed lines inside the wall in places you have to bend the wall to the convex format. You have to be very careful when drawing dashed lines — small pieces of lines have to situated in the middle of lines that imitate joints of boards outside of walls. If you are not careful with that you will get small holes in your wall But this works. Dashed lines help you to bend the wall to the convex format. Many enthusiasts also like the box style body because that is easy to build. You are able see this idea in my first picture. My second idea was to make window frames and window sills in one piece. By this way I also will get the L-girder inside the upper wall. Later I am also able to use the flange of L-girder when assemble the transverse beam of the coach. Please note that bend window sills fit to chinks made in walls. That makes very easy to fit the L-girder piece on its place. The second idea was the construction of sheet metal plated coach body. Because the half etched walls you are not able to use the box style construction. I think these photos will give you the idea. My big idea was to make loops in the lower edge of the wall. There are also pegs in the lower edge of half etched wall. Pegs suit to loops and makes very easy to assemble the half etched wall on the body. This construction is also very strong. The three point suspension of coach base on the old English idea — there are not any new ideas of mine. My idea was only to copy "the bogie style assembly" from the long two axle coach made by Roco for the second axle. In my coach the second axle is able to turn a little bit like the bogie. This helps the coach to go in tight curves. Petri Sallinen Helsinki Finland ... and here are some ready made coaches.

Yes, you are right — the scale in Stanton drives is 1:87 so the WB of 8'6" Stanton Drive bogie is not right in 1:76 scale. In 1:76 scale you need the bogie with 33,9 mm WB. NWSL has the bogie with almost right WB — the 9'6" Stanton Drive with 33,3 mm WB. (I hope that I have made my calculations right with inches and millimeters

North West Short is making Stanton Drive named motor bogies with 8'6" WB (gauge 16,5 mm, wheel profile code 110 or code 88). http://shop.osorail.com/product.sc?productId=1881&categoryId=110

Sorry — they are Linux engineers Petri

The Finnish atmosphere from 1910´s in H0 scale. Please enjoy pictures. Petri

We all might know that Santa is living in Northern Finland. But how many knows that Santa and his team used to start making the yearly trip by train? Season´s Greetings for all enthusiasts from Finland. Petri

Yes — I know that. I am living in this world outside DCC. In Finland about half of enthusiasts are using DCC and the rest are living outside this world (mainly finescalers).

I am not using DCC. I am running my locomotives using AMR Compspeed, Ken Troller and PicTroller. I have also UK made gearboxes in my locos or I have made them myself using Romford gears and worms made by Markits or Ultra Scale. Finnish locomotive kits are technically almost same as UK ones. I have several kinds of motors in my locos: Mashimas, Canons, NWSLs, small Japanese narrow gauge motors, coreless etc. During last year I have tested several Mitsumis and so have made some of my friends. They are almost as well as Mashimas and they work well with pulse control — very good price-quality ratio, please buy some and make tests. Unfortunately they do not have many different sizes of bodies like Mashima has. But like I said earlier coreless Maxons are my favourites. Petri

I agree. But in the other hand "DCC believers" in our club used to say that DCC system makes the same.

Here you can see the underframe with centrifugal clutch and with massive flywheel made by my friend from our club in Helsinki. Components were made by Swedish company named Brimalm Engineerign and the brand name of system was Dyna Drive — not available any more. ... and here is the underframe with Mashima and with two flywhees... .... for this locomotive model. The prototype was one of the first diesel locomotive designs ever made in Finland in 1950´s.