Voie Libre international No. 96

As the New Year begins, Voie Libre suggests you explore a new playground: secondary standard gauge railways. Alongside meter gauge networks, many such lines could be found throughout rural France. They are a wonderful source of inspiration for our species of modeller, who enjoy watching a short train wind its way around hills and along valleys. In forthcoming issues, we shall return regularly to this category of secondary railways and to its considerable potential. But this doesn’t mean we plan to neglect our cherished narrow gauge railways. This first 2019 issue confirms our focus: from Gilbert Gribi’s creation in 0 scale to layout projects, not forgetting the many construction projects you will find in the following pages, our aim does not change: to help you create your own world. Happy modelling…

Roco has just released a legendary Austrian narrow gauge diesel locomotive, one that caused many modellers to experience a “narrow gauge epiphany” in the 1970s. This engine is available in two versions. The original one, reviewed here – numbered 2095.04 – reproduces a 1961 locomotive, in its original red and beige livery with aluminium roof, raised plates and signage from Bregenz depot. The second version, in a more recent livery – numbered 2095 010-1 – is red with a white stripe and a dark grey roof, and displays the new ÖBB logo. Naturally, Roco has accurately reproduced the differences between both versions. We have here a very fine and original model indeed, with up-to-date engraving, which sets a new standard when compared to earlier scale models of the same engine.…

Cast in resin, and sold assembled and painted, these 3 Austrian buildings have been released by Liliput. They are very well built and carefully packaged in polystyrene. The only criticism we have is that the paintwork was somewhat thin and transparent in places on the models reviewed. To begin with, a fine old-timer two-road engine shed, which could still be standing nowadays. It is supplied with gutters, drainpipes, chimneys and vents all fitted. The doors open, they are a tad thick, even though the real doors were double-thickness to cope with the harsh winter weather. The glazing on the side windows is well reproduced, with their add-on frames. The dimensions of the shed are: 120 x 280mm, and 100mm high. Secondly, a small shanty housing wagon scales, which can also be…

Christophe Constant has been faster than us, but so much the better! The station described by Vincent Lepais in this issue of Voie Libre is available in H0 scale in the Architecture & Passion catalogue. Made out of coloured laser-engraved and cut card, Île d’Olonne is an attractive little station building. The various shades of card used mean that painting is optional, a job that some modellers don’t enjoy. Some light weathering will enhance the building’s appearance. The dimensions are 140 x 62mm, to which the goods platform must be added. ARCHITECTURE & PASSION / www.architecture-passion.fr / REF. 87TV110 / PRICE: 59€…

BOOK WDLR COMPANION In 2014, Roy C. Link successfully published his WDLR Album. This book dealt mainly with reproducing a period photographic album, but unfortunately without the explanatory text that should have accompanied the pictures. Subsequent archival research produced a mimeographed brochure that could well be the «companion» of the photographs previously published… This led to publishing this second volume, which contains the full text of the brochure in question, dated 1918. But the main interest of this work isn’t so much the reproduction of the period text than its first, contemporary, part, dedicated to the genesis of the British 60cm gauge railway system. The first chapters are essentially the historical work carried out by Colonel D. W. Ronald. We learn that the «light railways» were born of the meeting of…

Which theme this year? Darkness! Build a diorama or a layout with a night-time or underground atmosphere. Scale and gauge are up to you. A tube tunnel, night trackwork, a station or an industrial area in the evening… Let your hair down! Just a few rules: a railway layout in a nocturnal atmosphere. Scale and gauge freely chosen. Maximum dimensions of the layout: 80 x 30cm. Preferably a working layout, looped or designed for shunting, but a diorama is also possible, number of turnouts freely chosen. The fiddleyard must not be more than half the length of the layout. No overall lighting, only lamp-posts, buildings, rolling stock or specific lit-up cameos. Maximum height of the baseboard above the floor, 1.40m. The layout can be placed on a table or have…