rue_d_etropal

I am not interested in the body, but I am sure someone would want it, for EM/P4. As for the G6 , I think the old Dapol/Horby Terrier chassis might be closer and as the O2 0-4-4T is similar body then it could be modified for that as well. The Dapol/Terrier chassis is a good start for HO. Only problem is the width of the motor which might be trick fitting in some locos. I suspect with the new versions of this loco, that the old chassis will be easy to get hold of at a good price. I already have a couple. Incidentally a J72 in HO would be a contender as well.

Sorry I find Kadees on British standard gauge steam totally wrong. I have been working on a lightweight coupling which uses 'blade of grass' uncoupling idea used by Roger Nicholls. As a stop gap the standard continental loop and hook is OK.

thought I had said, but the chassis I mean is the new Bachmannn J72. If I had the money I would commission an order just for the chassis. Almost tempted to get one of the locos, and selloff the body, but until I start doing some suitable loco bodies I can wait(price might go down!)

Just did a search on trams in Paris and found this excellent series of artticles about compressed air trams https://www.tramwayinfo.com/Defair.htm . I had come across references to compresed air trams in early days(efg Wantage) but had not realised Paris has so many,and their relative success at the time. As there are some drawings I may be tempted to do a 3D printed model, but main reason I dis initial search was that I wanted to do a 3D perspective model with Paris theme, and a metre gauge tramwould feature. Bending history a bit so I can have a 4 wheel tram and more modern bogie commuter trains in same model.

suggest contacting John at East Lancs Model Trams, as he might be able to help. If there was enough interest, maybe another run of the model could be done.

Have to disagree there. No reason why steam should not be possible, but easier with inside cylinder locos as Jack Nelson was doing in the 1940s. As for chassis, the one I am thinking of is the new Bachmann J72 , as it is close enough tomost British 0-6-0 locos, especially tank locos. I know wheel size of some was slightly bigger, but in HO I don't believe most people can notice. The thing with British HO, is that it is for everyone not just the pure scale people. It is the only scale/gauge combination that is pretty near spot on using r2r track and wheels. Anyone wanting to go finer , in effect P87 will build their own track etc. Nothing wrong in that, but the advantage HO has is that so much can be bought off the shelf. Anyone with a OO layout can convert it to HO, as track is almost certainly HO , and buildings etc are easier to replace than track . Main thing that holds people back is locos and rolling stock, and I am trying to address that, but I can do most of my designs in any scale. Although there are still a lot of people building kits, the trend in the hobby has been towards more detailed r2r, leaving a big gap between kit/scatchbuild and r2r, and it is that gap I am aiming at, and I think I am hitting the target pretty well, as business is growing.

It is not an area I really want to work in, as there are too many variables, depending on what each modeller wants. I have found that using r2r chassis is better in the long run. If someone else wants to do 3D printed chassis blocks, I have no objection. My experience with the less fine plastics showed me that accuracy was a problem, and even if I fixed something one time, next time it might come out slightly different. Only talking fractions of mm, but enough to be a potential problem. I have found that people are quite willing to adapt r2r chassis, and most modellers prefer r2r as they don't feel confident enough to build their own working chassis.

If someone is prepared to commission an order, cash up front, which is how most commissions are done, then it should be possible. Just needs enough interest in such a project. I would not expect a manufacturer to do it themselves,although this is what Japanese manufacturers do and as a result have benefitted both N gauge and OO9 as a result. Only now have the jpanese manufacturers got properly interested in OO9(or close to that scale) with fully r2r models.

nice to see Britsh HO under a new separate category. Now just need to persuade some manufacturers to supply loco chassis!!!

Use the downpipes as a template for metal rod/wire.

I am not planning to do anything newer than Mk1 stock. Enough to keep me busy, and shapes of newer stock are more difficult to do.

Completed the Tyneside EMU designs including the BR built EPB stock, and in addition the Southern Region versions to create 2EPB 4EPB and 2HAP sets http://www.rue-d-etropal.com/3D-printing/passenger-stock-br/3d_printed_sg-br-epb-emu.htm

Just been looking through Chris's book and there is a photo of Lamalou les Bains, which had a bigger 3 door station building, probably because it had more passengers because of the local health spa. Something to think about, to justify bigger station.

As you are considering a fictional upgrade of the line, maybe the line to St Chinian was built. This would have brought the Herault stock up to the line. There might have also been alterative routes for extension of St Chinian line. I wonder if Chris Elliot could help, he lives somewhere near to where you stayed and wrote book on lost lines of Herault. Just had a look at his book, and he mentions Bugatti railcars being used on the line.

For railcars, had you considered the semi articuated railcars which ran on St Chinian and other Herault lines. I had sarted a 3D design but got stuck,as drawings are only side view, What sort of local freight ? Marble, chestnuts are both local. There were also some mines(?) further up the line. Not sure how much passenger traffic. The replacement bus service is rather thin on the ground, as more travel down towards Beziers, one reason for demise of the railway. There was a proposal to build a line from west of St Pons down to St Chinian. Scheme floudered though . It would have been a pretty big engineeering exercise as well.

lovely model. My only concern would be the size. The station building I have seen on that route are mainly 2 door not 3 door structures. As for colour , nothing stands out in memory. Quite a few of the old station buildings still exist. I have a house in St Pons(really need to visit this year!), and have photos of St Pons station.As it is on edge of town,there are no restrictions on colour etc, but I will have a look at my photos. Thinking about local materials. Marble is local, and used for a lot of buildings and surfaces.

I have already done the 2SL, http://www.rue-d-etropal.com/3D-printing/passenger-stock-sr/3d_printed_2sl.htm and plan to do some of the other units.

looks a lot better

for chassis, maybe using some of the mini bogies . not Tomytec, but some other make, and low voltahge motor, but might be an option. For coupled whels, might have to try Z gauge stetched. I am using N gauge stretched to16.5mmm gauge for an Irish railcar in 3.14mm/ft . Quite common for French metre gauge modellers to stretch N gauge chassis to 12mm gauge. Any news on the new book that Simon was writing. He sent me more info and some well worn drawings of original railcar proposal, which helped a lot, and enabled me to design an alternative version.

looking good Ian. If you had not originally asked I would never have known about the railway, and that the stock was built just dow the road from me now. If it gets more people interested maybe the units which still exist could be restored. The cruise ship. I can see what you are trying to do. I would move it further back in image so that it is partly hidden by the greenery. possibly addng a structure/building(flag pole?) to hide the join. I agree what you say about Tomytec chassis. I knew big problem would be position of bogie under steps. I think an extra problem for some might be that the wheels were coupled , I think, originally, like the motor vans. thanks for the new orders.

nice to se photos of the models I designed. I really need to start on the 2 railcars the Americans brought in.

thought that might be the case, another reason to do them.

just received copy of book. pity only coach drawing is composite with opn balcony.One photo shows composite with enclosed end(s?) The photo of model in RM also shows that coach. No photo of the passenger brake in book as far as I can tell. Maybe it was not used much and a single coachwas enough for most traffic. The wagons loo similar to other standad gauge opens of the period, The brakevan might even be second hand, certainly similar to many other railways. Photos probably good enough to work out drawing. There was a van as weelaccoring to some reports but not in photos. Definitely will put these on my list to do. I have that book, so should be able to do coaches. Some LT&S coaches also ended up on the S&M. It would be worth while starting to get interest in preserving the coach in the future. Even if it was to remain where it was in curren cons=dition that would be a good idea, possibly better than someone restoring it to original(?) condition. One problem I have with some preservation is that by restoring something they also lose much of the history of that item.

just be aware that sometimes the pictures shown online are not of the actual boxfile type being sold. same dimensions and colour but otherwise could be different. I bought what I thought were normal card ended ones and received Staples ones with removable plastic ends. There is a lot of old Staples stock out there as I don't think the company still trades.

I've done the steam railcar 3D printed http://www.rue-d-etropal.com/3D-printing/passenger-stock-france/3d_printed-french-steam-railmotors.htm I am temptrd by the coaches as well. This might be of interest but probably repeats some of above https://www.petiteceinture.org/Le-materiel-remorque-du-service-metropolitain.html