Verneuil-les-Vignes N Gauge French Micro Layout

[kintbury jon]

Good evening,

 

Thought I would share a project that I have been working on for the past six or so months.  Photos are of how it is today - taken outside as it's a lovely sunny day!

 

I was toying with the idea of how small I could make a layout but still the opportunity of running two trains around.   Using Kato R183mm and 216mm curves I have created a double track circuit with a small yard for the inside track.  The SNCF used to use a good quantity of short BoBo electrics and having got a reasonable amount of them in N (produced by Hobby66) they make ideal locos to not look too silly going around the sharp curves.

 

Originally thinking the layout would be freight only, it changed into having a closed station and has no changed into an open one! 

 

Catenary posts are produced by Stephen Leigh and they are a great way of adding catenary without worrying about wires getting in the way. 

 

The layout measures 84cm by 52cm so easy to move around.  The hills are polystyrene so overall the layout is very lightweight.

 

Overall shot of the layout.  I am intending to add more vines:

 

View of the station. 4119 on a passenger working with two Romilly coaches.  346 waits its next turn in the bay platform.

 

View the other way with 4221 and 4222 on a coal train:

 

Looking back and Y6429 rests having moved the wine tankers into the sidings:

 

Finally a look from the back.  No fiddle yard as such so the hand of god is needed - at least out of sight!

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gordonwis]

On 04/06/2023 at 18:26, kintbury jon said:

Good evening,

 

Thought I would share a project that I have been working on for the past six or so months.  Photos are of how it is today - taken outside as it's a lovely sunny day!

 

I was toying with the idea of how small I could make a layout but still the opportunity of running two trains around.   Using Kato R183mm and 216mm curves I have created a double track circuit with a small yard for the inside track.  The SNCF used to use a good quantity of short BoBo electrics and having got a reasonable amount of them in N (produced by Hobby66) they make ideal locos to not look too silly going around the sharp curves.

 

Originally thinking the layout would be freight only, it changed into having a closed station and has no changed into an open one! 

 

Catenary posts are produced by Stephen Leigh and they are a great way of adding catenary without worrying about wires getting in the way. 

 

The layout measures 84cm by 52cm so easy to move around.  The hills are polystyrene so overall the layout is very lightweight.

 

Overall shot of the layout.  I am intending to add more vines:

 

View of the station. 4119 on a passenger working with two Romilly coaches.  346 waits its next turn in the bay platform.

 

View the other way with 4221 and 4222 on a coal train:

 

Looking back and Y6429 rests having moved the wine tankers into the sidings:

 

Finally a look from the back.  No fiddle yard as such so the hand of god is needed - at least out of sight!

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Superb!

 

I have two railcars  that would also look good on your  layout - an FNC and a U150

 

Gordon

[kintbury jon]

Thanks Gordon!  I'm bringing it Lenham in August so hopefully it will be finished then.

[Gordonwis]

1 hour ago, kintbury jon said:

Thanks Gordon!  I'm bringing it Lenham in August so hopefully it will be finished then.

 

I will be in Alaska...

😃

[SimonHMT]

On 06/06/2023 at 21:38, kintbury jon said:

Thanks Gordon!  I'm bringing it Lenham in August so hopefully it will be finished then.

Hope to visit Lenham, and I look forward to seeing your layout!

Simon.

[kintbury jon]

Hope you can make it Simon.

 

Think the layout is ready for the show now.  Since the last update on here, I have added further vines to fill the rest of the bank.  

 

After a visit to the Loire this summer, an observation of the catenary posts showed them to be more of a red rust, so I have changed the colour of them.  Jury is out on them but I feel it gives them an aged look.

 

 

 

 

Any last minute suggestions welcome!

 

 

[Ben B]

Lovely micro layout, very characterful! Where did you get the station building from please?

[kintbury jon]

Thanks Ben.  I bought the kit from a friend. Not sure if you can buy it any more but typing in the label on the box into google shows it was made by 'Atelier Belle Epoque' 

 

Here is a link to one:

 

https://www.star-boutique.fr/modelisme-ferroviaire-details-produit-838-abe-ref-838-n-gare-3-portes-sncf-gare-de-verneuil-atelier-belle-epoque-abe-fr-ID9095.html 

[Pacific231G]

 Olivier Taniou sold ABE to Jérôme Collard (CJModels) in I think 2020 who combined the two brands. He now trades as Ardennes Modelisme though his website reflects the original brands  https://ateliercjmodels.comThe Vernueil station doesn't appear  in his current N gauge listing as such though, apart from stone quoins and door and window surrounds it does, from the star-boutique advert, appear to be identical to the Ouest three door station building (which has an ABE product code) on offer for €49.00 + postage.  

However, the Star-Boutique image is marked as generique so there may be differences, ABE's models were always very specific. 

The etched brass fret for Verneuil's doors and windows is still on offer for €20.50 and the optional two open doors are a very nice touch.

It may be the same fret supplied with the Ouest station building as doors and windows could be pretty standard.

 

The rust colour of catenary masts is a nice touch Jon. I noticed it on secondary lines in the Pyrénées some years ago and at first thought they were just old but seeing it on the remaining Ogive masts on the Midi main line in Landes suggests that it is the colour of a protective coating (paint?)  I'm looking forward to seeing the layout at Lenham on Sunday.

Edited August 16, 2023 by Pacific231G

[F-UnitMad]

On 13/08/2023 at 09:12, kintbury jon said:

Any last minute suggestions welcome!

Yes, take more photos & write up an article about it for The Dispatch - https://micromodelrailwaydispatch.com/

 

The brainchild of @Ian Holmes of this Parish, & a worthy successor to the late Carl Arendt's Micro layouts Scrapbook.

 

😁😁👍👍

[Ian Holmes]

1 hour ago, F-UnitMad said:

Yes, take more photos & write up an article about it for The Dispatch - https://micromodelrailwaydispatch.com/

 

The brainchild of @Ian Holmes of this Parish, & a worthy successor to the late Carl Arendt's Micro layouts Scrapbook.

 

😁😁👍👍

A great looking layout @kintbury jon I agree totally with what @F-UnitMad says.  Message me if you have any questions.

 

Ian

[kintbury jon]

Morning all,

 

Really enjoyed my day at the French Railways Society GTG.  First time the layout has been displayed and also the longest it has been used.  The layout behaved itself all day and I had some lovely comments.  

 

I didn't spend too much time shunting but a lot of the time just had two trains running around.  I have realised I probably have too much stock but that is a nice problem to have!

 

 

 

 

A great day and I hope to be able to exhibit the layout again!

[Pacific231G]

Hi Jon

Re the colour of apparently rusty catenary masts.

This is the end of the line at Pointe de Grave at the mouth of the Gironde , where the ferries to Royan go from. I've seen a lot of 150v DC catenary masts (both vertical and Ogives) that colour in S.W. France. The line is operated by EMUs but also serves the port of Le Verdon which part of the Bordeaux port handling container, timber and cruise ship traffic.

 

OT, There used to be a fascinating private SG light railway at Pointe de Grave operated by the Bordeaux port authority  mainly for stabilisation works (dumping sand and rocks to prevent coastal erosion)  but also used  for taking buoys etc from their works to the quayside. Its "main line" to Soulac-sur-mer" is used for a tourist operation using ex SNCF draisines but the first time I went there in about 2000 a transfer yard alongside the SNCF line (a few hundred metres behind the image above) was still partially intact (there's now no trace of it) as were sections of the port authority railway that crossed the SNCF and then spread out to the various works and quays to the east (to the right of this view) Looking at Google Earth most of this along with the various sub branches that came off the line to Soulac seem to have been tidied away.

[SimonHMT]

Hello Jon,

I just realised that I hadn't posted after seeing the layout at Lenham...it really is excellent, sorry I didn't come and say Hi; every time I passed the layout, there seemed to be someone inspecting it and talking about it...suddenly realised I needed to head to the station for my train home and I had only really looked from a distance.

I hope you're able to exhibit it again, it's very entertaining with plenty of trains passing and scenery to look at when they aren't.

All the best,

Simon.

[kintbury jon]

Thanks Simon.   I hope to exhibit it again too!

[Gordonwis]

On 16/08/2023 at 11:08, Pacific231G said:

 

 

The rust colour of catenary masts is a nice touch Jon. I noticed it on secondary lines in the Pyrénées some years ago and at first thought they were just old but seeing it on the remaining Ogive masts on the Midi main line in Landes suggests that it is the colour of a protective coating (paint?)  I'm looking forward to seeing the layout at Lenham on Sunday.

 

As with St Martin sur Orb I missed Lenham as I was in Alaska.

 

 

The 'rust' colour brown Jon has used is exactly the colour I painted my Ligne des Causses masts on my second generation Ligne des Causse N gauge layout (Bric Aubrac) which I took to Lenham circa 2018.

 

However, light grey is not inaccurate for recently repainted masts.

 

.

Edited August 31, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Pacific231G]

14 minutes ago, Gordonwis said:

 

As with St Martin sur Orb I missed Lenham as I was in Alaska.

 

 

The 'rust' colour brown Jon has used is exactly the colour I painted my Ligne des Causses masts on my second generation Ligne des Causse N gauge layout (Bric Aubrac) which I took to Lenham circa 2018.

 

However, light grey is not inaccurate for recently repainted masts.

 

.

Indeed. I got that screengrab from a cabride video from Bordeaux to Pointe de Grave and another was the line from Bordeaux to Arcachon and on both there were quite a few grey painted masts both vertical and ogive. They looked like aluminium but I think that may well have just been the surface coating.

[Gordonwis]

OK - from my archive:

 

'rusty red' at (top) Marvejols   and (2nd) Millau - however note some signs of grey on the Marvejols ogives

 

rusty red on Aguessac viaduct in August 1981 (this was the scene my brother and I saw at the viaduct whilst Mum, Dad and my sister in law were cooking dinner in the nearby camp site!)

 

Compared with a much more recent picture I found on Flikr:

 

https://live.staticflickr.com/6060/6318093619_dee997cb98_z.jpg

 

bottom: recently fettled 'light grey' at Le Bousquet d'Orb in August 1981

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Gordonwis

[Gordonwis]

More rusty red at Viaduc de Garabit in 2005

[kintbury jon]

Evening all,

 

I haven't updated the thread for some time.  The layout was invited to the Woolwich show in December and it worked without faults.  I am hoping to do a couple of shows this year with the French Railway Society GTG and the Bluebell Railway model show, both in June.

 

Not a lot has changed except I have added some flashing lights at the level crossing.

 

Thought I'd share a photo of the new Arnold CC14100.  Whilst not suitable for the area (wrong voltage for starters!), it was something I couldn't resist and it is a superb model.

 

Looks great on the coal hoppers and can mingle with my CFL 3600.

[Gordonwis]

6 hours ago, kintbury jon said:

Evening all,

 

I haven't updated the thread for some time.  The layout was invited to the Woolwich show in December and it worked without faults.  I am hoping to do a couple of shows this year with the French Railway Society GTG and the Bluebell Railway model show, both in June.

 

Not a lot has changed except I have added some flashing lights at the level crossing.

 

Thought I'd share a photo of the new Arnold CC14100.  Whilst not suitable for the area (wrong voltage for starters!), it was something I couldn't resist and it is a superb model.

 

Looks great on the coal hoppers and can mingle with my CFL 3600.

 

 

Since you appear to have removed the 1500 dc electrification I don't suppose the 'voltage' is wrong anyway for the two locos pictured! ...🤣

 

My 14100 is on the way but did see a few at the Wemfal show in Lille on Saturday.

[kintbury jon]

Haha yes!  I keep the catenary stored away to keep it safe.  I am wondering whether to get some 25kv masts so that the layout can move locations!

 

You won't be disappointed with it, the model is superb.

Edited March 11 by kintbury jon

[Gordonwis]

16 hours ago, kintbury jon said:

Haha yes!  I keep the catenary stored away to keep it safe.  I am wondering whether to get some 25kv masts so that the layout can move locations!

 

You won't be disappointed with it, the model is superb.

 

 

I highly recommend not skimping on the cost and getting the pukka Mafen N-Train SNCF 25kV masts 

 

 

.