Jump to content

Hi from Belgium


Nuvolari
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I'm glad I found this forum as I have plans to start a garden railway outside.

Let me introduce myself, my name is Danny and I live in Belgium.

I've been collecting HO and OO train models since I was 5, and I've done it for 41 years now.

So anyone that can count knows how old I am now :lol:

Not only have I've been collecting trains, I also made it my profession.

I mainly run freight trains in scale 1/1 from Belgium into Germany and the Nederlands.

I also have a official license to run real steam trains.

We do have several running steam trains here in Belgium, but only one is recognized a still being official in service, and that is the NMBS 29013.

I've been active on this steamer for almost 5 years, but due to company reforms I had to make a choice, and unfortunately steam isn't possible any more.

Never the less I really had a good time doing that and have great memories that are in the mind forever.

Why a HO/OO garden rail, likely like most People here on the forum, no space indoor, and a partner who doesn't like trains running in the kitchen and living room. :D

What really got me started thinking about a garden rail is when I recently bought a Hornby 3.5 gauge live steam Rocket.

I was planning in my head a garden layout, when I realized that I got so many beautiful HO and OO models that hardly get a chance to run.

So I came up with the Idea of combining the two together.

Not in track size of course, but using the same bed.

The bed must be under all circumstances, raised to waist hight, as I have a bad back.

The 3.5 gauge track will be very simple, a 40m L shaped track with a loop on each end.

The HO/OO track will follow the same shape, but will follow the 3.5 gauge track on both sides, that actually form a double track.

Now, to make it more interesting, I will have several junctions running from one side to the other by tunnels and bridges.

And of course a station so I can run several trains at the same time.

My choice of material goes to Peco rail and a Hornby DCC control system.

The first step will be the 3.5 rocket and DC current HO/OO trains running.

A second stage will be also to run AC HO Märklin trains that make up 80% of my HO collection.

Of course I will be able to run only one system at the time.

I know that it is possible to run the two together, but it's far to complicated.

I hope to find some good friends here on the forum with a common intrest, and I'm always in for a good laugh.

I'm sorry if my English is not always according to the rules, and my writing is not always without mistakes as my mother language is Dutch.

But I think what I write is enough to understand me.

I do have some relatives in the UK that I visit often, near Leicester, who know we might meet one day.

So written almost the story of my life, I hope to meet wonderful people here on the forum.

Cheers,

Danny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Danny and welcome to the forum. I think we're a friendly enough bunch round here so I'm sure we can make you feel at home.

It's funny how, from a very young age, I've taken Hornby more or less for granted - they've always been there in one guise or other. It's only when you hear from people in other countries that you realise just what a reach the brand has and how it can bring distant people together in the enjoyment of a common interest or hobby. Each time we get a new member from across the seas I wonder just why they choose to join our little forum, and then invariably the name 'Hornby' is mentioned and you understand. Let's hope that Hornby can ride out their current storm because it would be a poorer place without them.

And as an aside, you mention you have friends in Leicester - well that's another 'name' that may soon be prominent across the world, more especially in footballing circles.

It sounds like you've got some interesting things planned for your layout so I'm looking forward to hearing more about it and seeing how everything progresses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi guys thank you for the warm welcome.

@Mark: I'm really impressed with your skills in mathematics, if you keep going on, Einstein's theory in relativity will be nothing to what you will discover :lol:

@Mick: Hornby is defiantly the first brand if you think of British rail modeling, it's Like Märklin is to the Germans.

At the age of 5 it was the first time I visited family in the UK with my grand parents.

I spend hours on the attic there with one of my older cousins, who had a Hornby model railway there.

I think it was there where I caught model railway the bug.

He took me to a model shop in Nottingham, where they had a model display wall, and I first got a glimpse of heaven :D

I still remember that my cousin bought a blue, yellow nose class 37, and we run it that day until it was bed time.

That same year I got my first Märklin oval set from my grand parent.

I wonder where they got the inspiration :lol:

The main reason why I chose this forum, is that I find here people who believe that a OO track is possible in the garden.

In all the searching I've done on garden railways, about 80% advised against OO gauge in the garden.

And it's great to hear that there are guys like you all here on the forum, that say that OO gauge is possible in the garden.

Alone finding a forum on this topic, is to me an inspiration to go trough with it.

The reason why I choose Hornby for the garden, is simple, the Märklin material is of top quality, but totally not suited for the Garden.

Next to that, Hornby and Peco are relative cheaper and better suited for my project.

You will defiantly here from me over the next few months.

At the moment I'm still looking to find all the materials and ideas to begin with a good start.

By the end of April I will be going to the annual modeling fair at Dortmund Germany.

This fair is one of Europe biggest ones, where all the big brands are represented, included Hornby and Peco.

So I hope that by that time, I got everything together, so I can ask the big remaining questions to the representatives of the brands..

Cheers,

Danny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have dealt with the anti OO garden attitude for some time now. It's pretty ridiculous. Even if you show them phtos, they just won't believe you. I also think many modelers are obsessed with the model building part. We are more interested in just running our trains. :D

As to your Marklin trains, I think the real issue is the track. If Marklin makes nickel silver track now, then you could do Marklin in the garden. I personally find the Marklin brand to expensive for my wallet, even used. My preference is for old Lima and other cheaper brands as I can get a lot of trains I always wanted as a kid, very cheap on ebay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Danny,

Fantastic introduction, and there is certainly nothing wrong with your English. I'm surprised that nobody has picked up that you are a proper steam engine driver. I had no idea that steam still ran on service routes in Europe. You seem to know exactly what you are looking for in the garden and I'm looking forward to seeing the build. If you read the Members Railways threads here, you will see many methods of construction and materials to use. There is almost no standard as the only thing to beware of is the weather.

I also see that your user name is Nuvolari. Are you a car enthusiast as well? If so, you might be able to help me with something that I have looked for for many years. I would like replacement nozzles for my windscreen washer jets, in the shape of Manneken Pis. Are these available in Belgium?

Good luck with your build, and don't forget that there are no stupid questions, only unanswered ones.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:oops: First of all a Happy Easter.

Manneken Pis for you windscreen :o:lol::lol::lol: no sorry I can't help you never seen them before :lol:

But in race cars I'm interested, specially pre war GP cars and and speed brakers.

I also scratch build scale 1/32 slot cars of that era, a few examples for those who are interested:

BILD0193-1.jpg

You see in the background the 1905 speedbraking Daraque, and in front the 1906 Daraque Vanderbilt cup winner

BILD0009.jpg

1937 Alfa romeo

BILD0050.jpg

1923 speedbraking sunbeam bluebird

And them there are my static toy steam engines that I restore, here is a smal selection

fc0RbXQW-sI

1904 Schoenner type 160

XPhUXQ5zpMA

1919 Märklin

E9g72z0UQoc

1920 Doll & Co

5zwIJzXS02g

1902 Ernst Plank "noris" series

All these firms where also manufactures of toy trains, as a matter of fact this is how most of the companies began.

What I like the most in model building is the technical aspact, like lathe work and so on.

@traingeekboy:

Yes, Märklin is indeed an expensive brand, but for that you also got the quality.

It is indeed a pity they don't make track for outside, but garden railways are also fairly new to mainland Europe.

Only with brands like LGB it started to take off, and lets face it, we don't have the weather to make it attractive to everyone.

But with some DIY it could be done to let Märklin trains run over Peco tracks, with some copper wire attached to the middle of the track.

Of corse you lose on esthetics. :cry:

Cheers,

Danny

Ps, can someone tell me how I can get Youtube clips inserted into a posting, I tried the youtube button but that don't seem to work?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

traingeekboy said:

The cars look great. I don;t think we are too snobby about any kind of modeling on here. Really enjoyed seeing those.

I've seen some quite impressive garden railway here, if that isn't modeling? :?

Modeling must be fun, and it comes to everybody's interests, skills and possibilities.

If it's just running a train, or hours building on a village, it always have to come down at having fun, it's defiantly no competition, it's a way of passion and relaxation.

And don't forget friendship, good times together and a good laugh ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nuvolari said:

...Ps, can someone tell me how I can get Youtube clips inserted into a posting, I tried the youtube button but that don't seem to work?

I've done them for you Danny. If you 'edit' the post you'll see how it's done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...