St Martin-sur-Orb - H0 Midi layout

[ianp]

This is looking good. Is the backscene a photo of the Orb valley itself? I am familiar with the area as my parents holidayed near Bedarieux for many years.

[10800]

Thanks Ian!

 

The backscene is a modified version of this  https://www.boismodelisme.com/product/montagnes-du-jura - I've cut the sky out because it wasn't tall enough, and (literally) cut and pasted bits to remove grassy areas.

 

What I really wanted was something like this from the area in question, but I haven't been since 2017 to take some proper photos so the backscene I got was, like many things on the layout*, a compromise.

 

 

* like electrification west of Bedarieux (to come), street siding etc. So it evolved from 'based on' to 'inspired by'!

 

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by 10800

[ianp]

I see. The landscape in your backscene seems a bit lush for the Herault department, which is generally a bit dry and scrubby. Have you tried any commercial photo agencies or galleries from whom you could buy and download a picture of the Orb valley or similar?

[10800]

No, and it would be difficult to replace what's there now! I might sometime try to paint out some of the trees with a rocky surface ...

[10800]

On 22/02/2023 at 10:53, 10800 said:

No, and it would be difficult to replace what's there now! I might sometime try to paint out some of the trees with a rocky surface ...

 

Well why not now? Still a work in progress though!

 

 

I need to stop scenic work soon and get back to operational matters in the run-up to the RMweb Taunton do. And finish the ogives and other OHLE masts. It never stops surprising me how big ogives are!

 

[Barry Ten]

That's looking splendid. Hope I can get down to the SWAG do to see it.

[10800]

So today it's been a few details.

 

Firstly, the edge of a vineyard has appeared at the far left end of the layout. The white blobs are PVA, they will go clear when it dries fully.

 

 

I need to work out a way to 'extend' the vineyard into the backscene.

 

Meanwhile, the crossing-keeper's tomatoes are doing well. He's thinking of sending some to friends in the UK ...

 

 

And at the épicerie Mme Fromage has been busy displaying her vegetables. They're quite big, must be the climate. Don't laugh at the name, the real épicerie in Mons La Trivalle really is (or was) run by a Mme Fromage. I will be making some cheeses to display in the other window - probably including three grades of Comté.

 

 

(All the vines, tomatoes and veg are Faller products btw.)

 

 

[10800]

On 20/11/2022 at 14:37, 10800 said:

Self-fitting the radio control is beyond my ability/dexterity, so I've arranged to have it done by Micron Radio Control http://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/index.html, so in the New Year I should have loco, controller etc. done and able to go anywhere on the layout (on or off the track).

 

Today my loco arrived back from Micron, and very pleased with it. There had been a bit of to-ing and fro-ing as we discussed the best way to do it. Putting it all in the loco would have been possible - just - but with bits showing in the cab and having to use the smallest versions of everything. Eventually we went with having all the battery, receiver etc in a 'match wagon' which gave more freedom to use bigger components. I also asked for the 2-wire connection on the loco to be at both ends.

 

 

Just to prove it's r/c:

 

 

[10800]

 

 

 

More trees planted (big trees are removable for work/transport).

 

 

Work in progress on end board - this is less busy than the other two. Plenty more scenic detail to add.

 

 

 

Last building in process, a half-relief farmhouse. Core is 1/8" plasticard, wall is Redutex again (different style), windows and shutters are laser cut from Decapod, door is an Architecture & Passion leftover.

 

 

This is based on my friends' farmhouse outside Mons La Trivalle. If it wasn't for this none of this would have happened!

 

 

 

[10800]

One issue to think about is the white 'buttresses' between boards, part of the Tim Horn construction. Putting vegetation in front of them won't be easy because of the proximity of the back siding. Flat shrubs might work, together with some 'pointillisme vert' or more use of my own photos (this is a possible solution for the vineyard too).

[10800]

Farmhouse coming along, although le fermier et sa femme will have to be careful on the steps until I work out how to do an inclined railing. And the backscene behind will need sorting 🙄

 

 

Pic of the day

 

[10800]

Never a bad time for a coffee and a chat

 

[Wagonmaster]

Looking really good, well done. One question if I may. How are you arranging the catenary over the baseboard joins? This is a problem I'm going to have when I install the 1500V wires, so looking for any ideas.

[10800]

14 hours ago, Wagonmaster said:

How are you arranging the catenary over the baseboard joins? 

 

<laughs hysterically>

 

Good question! In principle the catenary lengths that cross joins will have to be 'hooked' into place, which I think is the Sommerfeldt way. I don't want to resort to soldering and unsoldering each time, but I've never installed catenary before so I'll be relying on John (Re6/6) for guidance. Obviously if the layout was permanent then you don't need to worry.

 

The entries to the fiddle yards will have short sections of rising contact wire to allow the pans to 'engage'.

 

(Wires won't be in place for Taunton I'm afraid, but hopefully the ogives and masts will be.)

[10800]

PS another complication might be the catenary itself - I'm using etched catenary in nickel-silver which represents the Midi style (photo later). Apart from giving me loads of scrap NS, I don't know yet how flimsy they might be when fitted.

[10800]

This is the catenary, in 0.4mm thick N-S. Comes from Atelier CJ Models, now part of Ardennes Modélisme - as do the ogives.

https://ateliercjmodels.com/epages/631c379c-594e-4ae7-bdda-fdf984f11fd8.sf/fr_FR/?ObjectPath=/Shops/631c379c-594e-4ae7-bdda-fdf984f11fd8/Categories/4 . The style is specific to Midi 1500V catenary in Les Landes.

 

 

 

 

 

[Barry Ten]

I've managed to get Somerfeldt catenary to hook across the baseboard joint on my one, although it needs to be quite taut to stop flopping all over the place, especially under the pressure pushing up from the pantograph. If I were setting it up at an exhibition I'd want a bit of extra time to make sure it's working reliably (and adjusted if need be), aside from all the usual things that need to be done when setting up a layout.

[SimonHMT]

It was good to meet you and see the layout at Lenham yesterday, Rod; many thanks for showing me various aspects of it, all very inspiring.

I'll be interested to see further progress. Now I need to get on with mine, though there's the little matter of a house move first!

Kind regards,

Simon.

[Pacific231G]

 I also really enjoyed your layout at Lenham yesterday, Rod. A lot of the detailing (like the tables outside the Auberge) was very effective (and nobody playing boule! - the French equivalent of buses on bridges?)

 

I'm glad to know  that you got the catenary and Ogives (Ex DutDut Productions) from Ardennes Modelisme as there seemed to be a hiatus in 2020 after (according to the LR Forum)  Jérome Collard bought Atelier Belle Epoque from Olivier Tanou. I think he used the combined name  Atelier CJmodels for a while until registering Ardennes Modelisme as his company name but still uses it for the website. I happened to be looking this up  a few days ago having wondered what had beome of ABE and am now hoping that more of that range become available. Were you able to order them directly from France for delivery here? (I was looking for replacement Jouef buffers recently and the company that had them had a list of countries in their ordering address field that included the Russian Federation and most other European countries including Eire but not the UK so the order couldn't be made)  

 

[10800]

Many thanks David, and apologies for the delay in replying. I did indeed buy the ogives etc direct from Atelier CJ Models (no problem as long as the order is less than €130 where import duty potentially kicks in). I need another one but they are o/s at the moment, I have a notification request in to advise when they are available again. Until that time I can't finalise their positions let alone fit the catenary! You may have noticed that the ogives on the platform have been widened a bit to allow for adequate clearance - using the same H-beam section then sold by Eileens.

 

We were only running a small selection of stock at Lenham due to severe problems with the fiddle yard cassettes; that is the next major issue to fix, although the layout is packed away at the moment pending work on other projects.

 

Cheers

[10800]

 

I've been remiss in not updating progress on here since before the RMWeb Taunton show in April (some nice film by Callum here from about 13:35) 

 

 

The layout was also shown at the FRS show at Lenham in Kent a couple of weeks ago (ref comments from Simon and David above).

 

So in lieu of that, here is a selection of photos taken over the last few months. I'm happy to answer any questions about them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gordonwis]

9 hours ago, 10800 said:

 

I've been remiss in not updating progress on here since before the RMWeb Taunton show in April (some nice film by Callum here from about 13:35) 

 

 

The layout was also shown at the FRS show at Lenham in Kent a couple of weeks ago (ref comments from Simon and David above).

 

So in lieu of that, here is a selection of photos taken over the last few months. I'm happy to answer any questions about them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking superb!

 

I missed the FRS annual get together this year (I was in Alaska!) - the first FRS annual meet I'v missed I think since about 1982!

 

I love the ogives. Are they home made? Just in case you don't know, the Ligne des Causses ogives are a different version to the main line ogives south of Bordeaux. Also, of course only a proportion of the Ligne des Causses is equipped with Ogives

 

Are you planning to do the classic 45 degree angles wires - if so it should look great!

 

 

.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Gordonwis

[10800]

Thanks Gordon. The ogives are etched kits from Atelier CJ Models/Ardennes Modélisme. I have etched Midi catenary also which will be at an angle.

 

There's a lot of variation in ogive design apparent from photos; the line that inspired the layout (secondary line running west from Bedarieux on the Causses line) was never electrified but is in my world!

[Gordonwis]

Just now, 10800 said:

Thanks Gordon. The ogives are etched kits from Atelier CJ Models/Ardennes Modélisme. I have etched Midi catenary also which will be at an angle.

 

There's a lot of variation in ogive design apparent from photos; the line that inspired the layout (secondary line running west from Bedarieux on the Causses line) was never electrified but is in my world!

 

 

I've just posted some Ligne des Causses overhead pictures on the somewhat parallel discussion of Kintbury Jon's N micro layout.

 

As far as I know there are only two official versions of Ogive - the Lignes des Causses (ie anywhere north of Beziers') type, and the 'Landes' type. Your masts look like the 'Landes' type (for higher trunk line speeds). The Causses type has more 'arced' side posts and no crossbar.

 

 

 

I've got the definitive history book of the Ligne des Causses if you haven't got it and have any further questions. 

 

At the risk of repetition of the other thread, here's my photo that inspired my first N gauge Ligne des Causses layout (Le Pont du Vernet) in the mid 1980s

 

 

 

[10800]

Thanks Gordon - yes, mine are sold as 'Landes' type so strictly speaking they are incorrect for my location. I could remove the crossbars I guess but then you lose the option of angling the catenary don't you?

 

These then are 'Causses' ogives, taken at Millau in 2017.

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by 10800