FREMO Riesa 2016 (Photo *Heavy*)

[Julia]

Couple of weeks back I attended the FREMO meeting in Riesa. This was a large meeting to celebrate 35 years of FREMO. The hall we had was 7000 square metres and we pretty much filled it.

 

 

Whilst FREMO is one club, there are lots of separate groups within which model different scales. The largest group is H0 Europe. Which is Epoc III European outline, h0 scale (16.5mm). This is also the oldest group.

 

Ten years ago when we met in Zuidbrook to celebrate the 25 year anniversary of the Dutch group, we had one giant H0 Europe layout that had 1.2km of through track, and 93 stations. It worked, it worked well, but it took a long time to set up and iron out the kinks. So this time we split the H0 Europe into 2 layouts, H0 Europe Epoc III and H0 Europe Epoc IV. Both layouts were LARGE, several hundred meters in size. Each also had narrow gauge sections, Epoc III had H0e and H0m, While Epoc IV had 3 different H0e sections. Each narrow gauge section had a standard gauge interchange allowing SG wagons on either rollbock or rollwagen. 

 

As well as the large H0 europe layouts, there were also: 

 

• H0 USA (2 layouts each had narrow gauge sections too)
• N USA 
• N Europe
• H0 Austria (A private branchline in Austria)
• TT Europe
• H0 fine
• Proto 87 
• 0 + 0e 
• 1
• 00 UK outline 

Because we were in one hall together, the various layouts where all interlaced with each other so that you could be in a position where you had H0 in front of you, turn round and be confronted by N, Walk a few steps and you had 0 on your right, and 1 just a few meters away. 

 

So, rather than rabbit on, I thought I'd cut to the chase and give you the pretty pictures. So without further ado:

 

00 UK layout:

 

H0 Europe (Ep III)

This coke works is several metres long with amazing detail and wonderful operation potential. A delight just to watch, and even more fun to run trains on.

 

 

Not all industries need to be huge. This wood yard just in front of the above coke plant is approximately 3m long. 

 

This station was over 7m long (not sure exact size), and is based on a real existing station, modelled 1:87, without need for compression of length. It's still being worked on, not every module at a FREMO meet needs to be totally finished, it just needs to run. 

 

Not every station is as large, some are just a simple halt, like this one on the H0e section.

 

Narrow gauge doesn't have to mean small, further down the line is this medium sized NG station.

 

Timber yards were a common industry 

 

A FREMO meet can't all be stations and industries, you also need some track between them. A part of the standard is that you should make sure that there is twice the length of track modules as your station (you don't have to provide them yourself, just make sure someone is).

 

Bridges are a popular choice

 

Another smaller station over in H0. This one had a number of kits by Auhagen, as well as some nice garden details.

 

Roundhouse with fully working turntable, part of a much larger station

 

H0/H0m interchange station

 

Some simple track modules carry a strong message from history - The Iron Curtain

 

Others, the simple nostalgia...

 

H0 Europe Ep IV

 

A brick works, on the H0e narrow gauge section. 

 

Loco shed with fuelling equipment on H0e.

 

Scenic modules.

 

Papier Fabrike

 

Harbour module 

 

Dual track with over head electric

 

H0/H0e interchange station, complete with over head electric. Losely based on Jenbach station in Austria

 

Other Scales/Gauges

An unusual line side industry on the Austrian private branch line, a fish farm.

 

A roundabout... for trains... in N... This had a wind turbine in the middle of it, photo taken during disassembly.

 

O/Oe Interchange station

 

H0 US SG + NG

 

I didn't take too many photos of the 1 section, just these 2. 

 

Finally, how do we get all the modules to the meetings? 12 ton trucks, transit vans, box trailers, estate cars, you name it. What ever vehicle, the key to getting things in, is tessellation.

 

 

For the most part I was taking photos as a way of making notes. I wasn't aiming to produce anything with the photos, so I didn't perhaps photograph as widely as I could have done, I didn't take any of the H0fine or Proto 87 sections, or the TT layout. H0m was largely missed out as I had lots of photos of those modules from previous meetings. But hopefully this post will give you a feel for how the meeting went. If you have any questions about FREMO, modular layouts, modular standards, and the like, feel free to ask.

 

Thanks

 

Julia