Philip D

Some more pictures of the layout as it develops, taken over the last 4 weeks. The track is now ballasted, the house (loosely modelled on mine) now has a hedge round the garden, a potager, dog kennel and space for an orchard. At the time of writing the cultivated field is drying, and my first attempt at a fence is taking shape. The idea of using fishing line between the posts had to be abandoned as it's so fine, I couldn't see it, so have reverted to thin garden wire, which seems to work pretty well. Loads still to do, but plenty of time to do it.

Thanks to the lockdown, making good progress. Decided to scratchbuild the station building, and thanks to A2B, sourced the track. Had to use N gauge as OO9 wasn't available, so the track is all down and tested. Dilemma of the day - roughed out the road and the width is probably correct, but it looks too big to me, so I may try something smaller, as I don't want the road to be too dominant.

That was how I worked out the exact location of where the long-gone stations must have been. 1934 Michelin map of the area not quite accurate but once one has learned to spot the clues it starts to become clear. Interestingly, while on the bike in Derby yesterday, spotted what looks very much like a narrow gauge curved embankment across a flat flood plain

Fantastic, Charlie. Mine will never be that good, but at least 'Cherence le Roussel' is starting to take shape. Baseboard constructed yesterday, and today a first try-out to see how best to use the space.

Here you go....

Show info show info guide.pdf

Looking forward to seeing you there! Meanwhile 'Northworthy' really is going south - to the Tenterden show this coming weekend

Not seen this one mentioned elsewhere on RMWeb so apologies if it's a duplication. Greatly looking forward to taking Northworthy along - despite its many outings with the previous owner, this is probably the furthest that Northworthy has travelled so far. Hopefully see some of you there

Excellent show, a good variety of layouts and traders, friendly organisers, and splendid catering. Well worth the run up from Derby: thanks to all for a most enjoyable day

Thanks for this - the Progres looks just the job. Do Bachmann distribute these in UK I wonder. It's on their website but not in the list of products that my local shop can order. I can do an internet mail order but like to support my local shop when possible, not least as there's a nice tearoom next door. As for the 2nd class Jouef coaches, didn't know they existed and not yet found a picture. Guess it's a case of stalking eBay til some come up for sale

Many thanks for your thoughts. I continue to be amazed how much info there is out there on something that disappeared over 80 years ago. Given that I am a relative novice to this, and that my intended audience will have little knowledge about the local railway (so I can get away with some artistic licence) , I intend to keep this simple and base the model around what's readily available commercially. So the JOuef HOe carriages, a Bachmann Baldwin, and Minitrains Progres gives me a good start, and, now I know they exist, some of your 3D printed wagons to test my modelling ability, and fill a gap in what the manufacturers offer. Especially the covered wagon, which can be seen lurking in the background of the pic of Cherence station. In the end it can only be a representation of the old railway - for all the wealth of info out there I have yet to find a single colour photo so don't really know what colours to use. But hopefully the Normandy locals will find it interesting, and it will help me develop my modelling skills. Thanks again

When in my cottage in France, the nearest proper model railway shop is in Caen (Baron du Rail). 50 miles away, and I visited last week. Thankfully, well worth the trip, with all sorts of wonders not easily available in UK. So the nearest not visited is in Lisieux, which is 90 miles away, and maybe one day, if passing, I'll drop in. Sums up the challenge for railway modellers in France, with decent retailers thin on the ground, and not a great selection of French locos and stock actually modelled by the manufacturers (though some of the models are amazingly good). By comparison, we are spoilt for choice

Looks like it'll be a bit of a compromise between OO9 and HOe as scratchbuilding locos and/or stock is beyond me. I already have some HOe Jouef open coaches that are just the job, and there is some Bachmann OO9 stock that looks the part. From the photos of the railway back in the day, the stock didn't all match for size anyway. And we've found a Hornby skaledale building that can be adapted to be the station. Given the lack of contemporary photos (and none in colour found so far) there will need to be some artistic license, but it should be possible to give an impression of what the line was like. As for a diorama, that's a great idea - something to think about once I've got this project up and running

With massive thanks to David, I now know exactly where the stations were between Sourdeval and Brecey, and can do a 'then and now' for Cherence le Roussel gare. The 'now' picture was taken from the lane, now tarmac, that was the embankment west of the station. Amazing that the embankment (or indeed anything else) survived given the ferocity of the tank battle in 1944. Station itself probably stood where there is now a large wooden shed behind the new house. Next step, back to UK to see my modelling advisor (you know who you are) and make a plan for the model. Tempted to base it on Cherence as the building will be easier than Brecey, and it may connect better with the locals at their summer fete.

Just stumbled on this post. What an interesting project you are developing! And the PLM station model by Bois Modelism may be just what I need for my HOe project to re-create something to represent the metre gauge line that used to run near my second home in Normandy. Didn't realise there might be something out there that gets so close to la gare de Brecey

Some more 'then and now' though more 'now' as 'then' is somewhat elusive. The first two pics feature Mesnil Gilbert having found an old picture. I was about 200 yards out with Cuves as there's a house called 'La Gare' just up the road - next pic is at Perriers Brouains and must be the house. Last pic for now is a bridge at Tirepied - won't bore you with all the others of lanes and embankments, but when you know approximately where to look and what to look for, it all starts to become clear

I have successfully fitted a DCC chip to a Tri-ang EMU and my Top Link 'Lord Beaverbrook' runs beautifully with a TTS chip in it

At least no-one can accuse you of telling awful jokes on TV. A nicely restrained performance on GMRC IMHO

Then and now. Three locations where I have found old pictures and have revisited today. Sourdeval and Brecey stations survive while the site of Cuves is still accessible. Think I blobbed at Cuves and was standing where the station was!

Yes, REE are making some very tempting models. For now I should try to concentrate on my French HOe project, and getting Northworthy to a wider audience, but suspect that the nice man at Baron du Rail may be seeing me again!

Got back from lunch at Merville to see your post. Was only a couple of km from Varaville! Will go back when I get the chance to see the little wayside station

I discovered Ree modeles by chance, on a visit to Baron Du Rail in Caen, my mission to see if they had any interesting HOe items for a project to model a local narrow gauge French line. No HOe in stock but the Ree locos with sound and smoke are very impressive. Did you give into temptation Brian? One of the diesels tempts me greatly

Indeed, mostly the stock came from A2B at Matlock Bath. It's a great little shop. You should check it out......

Lovely to see, on the wall of the Metropolitain cafe restaurant in Ouistreham, a picture of a train passing the building, presumably en-route to Caen given the direction it is facing

Thanks again! This helps massively in working out where the line ran, and joins several dots already worked out, that were inconsistent with a line along the road. For instance, there looks to be a crossing point just north of the Cherence-St Pois road junction (an unnaturally-flat pathway in a hilly terrain) and indeed that is where the line crossed the road. Over the next few days I'll get out with the camera and try to spot some evidence, now I know where to look