ianp

Thanks. I paid via Paypal and thus, ultimately, by credit card. I shall enquire.

Update, a year on: The Royal Mail/La Poste tracking service shows that the parcel with my train in it was sent back to France; got lost somewhere (which La Poste acknowledged) but then disappeared completely! The original retailer in Caen refused to discuss the matter any further and there is no way of asking La Poste what has happened. Wonderful.

I recently bought on eBay an old Michelin map from a seller in France. After three weeks, it has still not arrived. Yes, THREE weeks. Did I say I had been waiting three weeks? Anyway, has anyone else had experience of such incredibly slow postal delivery (it was sent via La Poste) from France? And if so, do you know why it happens? What do La Poste or Royal Mail do with such envelopes - just chuck them in a bag for a month and then forget them, or what? I could (literally) have walked the distance to France and back to collect the map in the time I have waited. Luckily the seller has refunded me my money but I'd rather have the map.

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?

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.

Perhaps Bois Modelisme? https://www.boismodelisme.com/

Indeed. Those stations, roads, fields etc are exactly what I aspire to in a layout. Thankfully we can now have some appropriate rolling stock in the form of the REE model of the Billard railcar: https://www.ree-modeles.com/catalogue/catalogue-hom/materiel-moteur/720-autorail-billard-serie-2 and seen here: and also here:

That B&W film from 1949 about the closure of the CFD is tremendous.

Two more questions: should I buy banked or non-banked rails for my Christmas tree layout (2ft radius)? And how many connecting plates do I need - one per piece of track presumably?

Two more questions: should I buy banked or non-banked rails for my Christmas tree layout (2ft radius)? And how many connecting plates do I need - one per piece of track presumably?

I live in South West London. Happy to travel further afield.

Thanks for this information. Very useful indeed.

Thanks for this information which is very valuable. Does anyone service or repair old O gauge tin plate locos so they go properly? Or is there an idiot guide somewhere to doing it oneself?

Thanks. I had not realised there were electric as well as clockwork tinplate train sets! I assume the electric versions are O gauge or there OO versions too?

Now the country is moving rapidly back to the 1950s I thought I'd like to join in and have a clockwork, tinplate, railway running around under my Christmas tree. What is the best way to proceed? There seem to be plenty of second-hand items for sale on eBay. These appear to be mainly O gauge, of the Meccano/Hornby/Triang variety. All I want is stuff that will run reliably. How can I tell, other than relying on the advertiser's honest description? Are there any shops that sell these things where I can examine the goods for sale? Any advice welcome. Thanks in advance.

Now the country is moving rapidly back to the 1950s I thought I'd like to join in and have a clockwork, tinplate, railway running around under my Christmas tree. What is the best way to proceed? There seem to be plenty of second-hand items for sale on eBay. These appear to be mainly O gauge, of the Meccano/Hornby/Triang variety. All I want is stuff that will run reliably. How can I tell, other than relying on the advertiser's honest description? Are there any shops that sell these things where I can examine the goods for sale? Any advice welcome. Thanks in advance.

This website appears to be down.

They look very good. Do you have any for sale?

It always amazes me how little protection some French railway tracks have in terms of fences, barriers and gates. They really do rely on the public not to be stupid or malevolent.

I I mean this sort of thing. Platanus x acerifolia, apparently.

You know those big trees lining the roads in France, sometimes called sycamore trees here in the UK? Has anyone here ever made a good replica of these trees in OO/HO scale and, if so, how did you do it? I cannot for the life of me find any good, commercially manufactured ones. So this winter I shall embark on something new: making my own trees. Any plane tree-related tips will be gratefully received.

You know those big trees lining the roads in France, sometimes called sycamore trees here in the UK? Has anyone here ever made a good replica of these trees in OO/HO scale and, if so, how did you do it? I cannot for the life of me find any good, commercially manufactured ones. So this winter I shall embark on something new: making my own trees. Any plane tree-related tips will be gratefully received.

UPDATE: It has arrived and is, in fact, smaller than an HO model. This could be good as I wish to place it at the rear of a layout and could do with a bit of forced perspective. That's it. It looks more O scale than HO scale. But once I get it, and measure it, I may simply copy it at a suitably reduced size so when printed it is more appropriate.

Thank you!

Probably not. The manufacturers produced this card model 30 years ago and appear no longer to exist.