I'm watching "Bargain Hunt" which is set at the GWR centre at Didcot. Lots of interesting, even unique, railwayana. Slightly spoiled by a brief clip of a steam-hauled French express (rather splendid though), and another of the "Jacobite" at Glenfinnan!
However, the GWR under Churchward did buy a couple of French locomotives for the purpose of comparison.
Indeed they did, but this was a whole French train, just possibly the "Fleche d'Or".
Found this strange building on a German N-gauge model provider's site - A huge WW2 bunker!
The monstrosity won't grace my display anytime soon; although from an architectural point of view, might fit in on certain sceneries, as brutalist as it appears.
An Eggerbahn 4w diesel (green), a Roco 6w diesel (also green), the Eggerbahn steam railcar, and a Minitrains 040T in black. I haven't yet assembled my Crochat railcar kit, as some research is necessary as to the seating layout...
Speaking of which: some figures and similar in HO are here - as many of you do 00/H0, which you can filter on their own website. DM-Toys, although co-operating with ModellbahnUnion, just sell N gauge.
They also have the Terminator(s), or Tintin and friends!
There are literally thousands of model figures available in various scales, but it's not always easy to find what you want. I've so far not been able to source suitable figures to go with Hornby's OO Liverpool & Manchester items, though I'm almost certain that one of the German firms (Merten, Preiser, Noch, or Busch) once offered suitable people to go with the HO scale Trix Der Adler train pack.
Rather perversely, and in the face of historical record, Hornby advertise their blue open L&M coaches as third class. They weren't - the L&M never catered for owt but first and second class - and Hornby failed to provide the coaches with seats, unlike the L&M. That omission was easily rectified on my two examples by simple pieces of square balsa, painted brown to match the coach interior.
Hornby at least got the dimensions of the vehicles about right, based on the replicas built for the 1930 centenary L&M celebrations, and I found some nice white-metal seated figures, ready painted, in 19thC dress, which may not be quite suitable for 1830-1840, but look the part. To my surprise, I can only fit 3 figures on each seat, whereas contemporary drawings and prints show 4 a side. I suspect that the 21stC manufacturers have modelled their figures on 21stC dimensions, whereas in 1830 human beings were generally smaller.
I shall have to see if any of the German firms can come up with something in HO - or even TT! - to enable the 'outside' passengers on the Potcommon Rail Road a bit of breathing space.
Suggestions welcome - eBay isn't especially helpful.
Comments
The monstrosity won't grace my display anytime soon; although from an architectural point of view, might fit in on certain sceneries, as brutalist as it appears.
The largest building on my little 009 set up is one of these:
https://i.pinimg.com/474x/f3/2c/8e/f32c8ee5145b61b27485dcf5b60388a4--scotland-castles-the-tower.jpg
It's a ready-made resin model, painted by me...I haven't yet made a rocky outcrop for it to sit on, so it's on level ground at the moment.
The bunker's manufacturer produce some very intriguing and amusing figures: https://www.dm-toys.de/en/list/manufacturer/MU.html
Gosh! They could do serious damage to the wallet!
An Eggerbahn 4w diesel (green), a Roco 6w diesel (also green), the Eggerbahn steam railcar, and a Minitrains 040T in black. I haven't yet assembled my Crochat railcar kit, as some research is necessary as to the seating layout...
There are some wonderful 009 locos available today (Double Fairlies, Penrhyn Ladies for example) - at a price!
Yes, the diesel is an original Eggerbahn! In as-new condition, bought on eBay for about a quarter of the price of a modern 009 diesel...
Henri Crochat made petrol-electric railcars for French lines in the 1920s, along with quite a few p/e locos for the French Ministry of War:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crochat
My railcar is similar to the preserved example, but with a cab at each end. The prototypes ran on the 60cm gauge Calvados system in Normandy.
O dear. Yes, it could have been a very nasty incident.
They also have the Terminator(s), or Tintin and friends!
Rather perversely, and in the face of historical record, Hornby advertise their blue open L&M coaches as third class. They weren't - the L&M never catered for owt but first and second class - and Hornby failed to provide the coaches with seats, unlike the L&M. That omission was easily rectified on my two examples by simple pieces of square balsa, painted brown to match the coach interior.
Hornby at least got the dimensions of the vehicles about right, based on the replicas built for the 1930 centenary L&M celebrations, and I found some nice white-metal seated figures, ready painted, in 19thC dress, which may not be quite suitable for 1830-1840, but look the part. To my surprise, I can only fit 3 figures on each seat, whereas contemporary drawings and prints show 4 a side. I suspect that the 21stC manufacturers have modelled their figures on 21stC dimensions, whereas in 1830 human beings were generally smaller.
I shall have to see if any of the German firms can come up with something in HO - or even TT! - to enable the 'outside' passengers on the Potcommon Rail Road a bit of breathing space.
Suggestions welcome - eBay isn't especially helpful.
Have you tried Andrew Stadden https://acstadden.co.uk/ or Modelu https://modelu3d.co.uk/collections/tc-victorian?
I did have some 4mm figures with posable arms, but now I model in O Gauge, I can't remember where from.
Both firms' products look excellent, but I'm afraid I need ready-painted figures, owing to aged and defective fingers and eyes...
The German firms offer ready-painted, and they're usually of good quality.