Model Railway - Trans-Siberian Railway

[parkender102]

Having never owned a 'proper' Train Set due to money, marriage, kids, house moves etc etc, I find myself at that time of life with time and money to spare indulging myself in Hobbies. Continental Rail Travel, Hill Walking, Mountain Biking and for those days when the weather is bad - building a Model Railway. I've got a converted garage attached to the (modern) house with heating, lighting and wooden floors - basically a 5th Bedroom. Potentially could extend to the actual garage next door which is full of junk.

Many years ago my then girlfriend (now wife) packed our jobs in and left the country to travel for a few years to Europe, Australia overland from UK using the Trans-Manchurian Route from Moscow to Beijing. So that would be what I'd like to base my Model Railway on - it doesn't have to be completely Authentic in it's replication. I've some Hornby 00 Gauge Track and an Engine and Rolling Stock so would use this as a starting point and just extend based on an initial Plan. So I'm just after a few pointers as to where to get hold of VL85 class AC electric locomotive and Rolling Stock and cheap sources for Hornby 00 Gauge Track. The loose Plan currently is:

Moscow Yaroslavski Station (Part) - not sure whether we left from a different station in 1989 though!
Lake Baikal including a Local Village Halt and some Lake Scenery / Mural / Backdrop - possibly a Harbour.
China / Russia Border (vivid memories of crossing this at night in 1989)
Chinese Engine / Rolling Stock (possibly Steam - as witnessed in Northern China in 1989)
Beijing Station (Part)
There will be other stuff in there - Landmarks, Tunnel(s), Bridge(s), footbridge / Road Crossing and lots of forest if I remember rightly! It's possible the whole thing will be winter themed too as we travelled in November 1989 and I remember horses pulling sleds to quaint brightly painted Hamlets and Villages.

So any hints/tips/ideas would be much appreciated - I'm based in North Wales (think Dapol are over in Chirk but not sure whether it's an actual shop or mail order only).

 

[Gloster]

Get a copy of the magazine Continental Modeller, published by Peco Publications; it comes out late in each month. This will include adverts from virtually all the main stockists of non-UK railway models, so you can see what is available.

(If buying it in a shop, beware! Forty years or so ago I asked for a copy in a shop in Barnstaple and was told, “Sir, we do not stock that sort of magazine.”)

 

[parkender102]

Excellent - will give it a look. I imagine if certain models aren't available it would be feasible to model your own Engine or rolling stock from Card / Plastic etc onto a basic base chassis or old engine chassis?

 

[GardenRail]

Railways of Russia & the Baltic States in Model Form

A guide as to what model locomotives are available that capture these interesting railways, which are BIG in reality.

www.gaugemasterretail.com

 

[parkender102]

So far so good - thanks for all the advice. Turns out a guy at work I worked with 20 years ago that I just happened to bump into turns out to have been modelling since he was 4 - his first visit to Hattons was at 4 years of age! So we've had a good few chats regards which way to go. So I've gone down the Peco Code 100 Streamline Track route (Concrete Sleepers) - first obstacle - all track is concrete sleepers but impossible to get points/turnouts in concrete sleeper version. Not a problem as apparently authentically all turnouts/points generally have wooden sleepers. I may just spray all sleepers with Rust-oleum Natural Effect Concrete Effect.

So because of room layout I've started at the China/ Beijing End - I managed to aquire a Chinese Diesel Locomotive from Ebay and some Chinese Coaches from Hattons closing down sale. The big hurdle is Russian Trans-Siberian Coaches and Locomotives. Today I ordered online from France a 5 Coach set of sleepers/coaches in the era I'm looking for - paid in full. To be fair they emailed me an hour or so later saying not in stock but they have pre-ordered but refunded my payment - same with an outfit in Germany - pre-order only. I've also scratch built the Obelisk at 1777km which marks the Europe / Asia Border standing next to the Trans Siberian Railway that we passed in 1989. Apparently where people exiled to Siberia said goodbye to Family and Friends never to be seen again.........

So as they say - a Model Railway is never finished - it's a constant journey to perfection.........

Any advice and information much appreciated - my friends first question was - 'you've never done this before and your doing the Trans-Siberian Railway as your first project?'

I'm off to the SECC Model Rail Scotland Exhibition on Saturday 24th February so hopefully will pick up more info there and if anyone else is going let me know.

Must say a big Thank You for That Model Railway Guy on his Youtube Channel who seems to hit the sweet spot for beginners advice and advice for everyone - a genuinely enthusiastic guy who is doing lots for the modelling community.

 

[parkender102]

Get a copy of the magazine Continental Modeller, published by Peco Publications; it comes out late in each month. This will include adverts from virtually all the main stockists of non-UK railway models, so you can see what is available.

(If buying it in a shop, beware! Forty years or so ago I asked for a copy in a shop in Barnstaple and was told, “Sir, we do not stock that sort of magazine.”)

I actually spoke to the Editor (Andrew Burnham) of Continental Modeller at the SECC Model Rail Scotland Exhibition. He was very helpful in sourcing Russian and Chinese Locos and Rolling Stock. It looks like Chinese stuff is going to be a lot easier than getting hold of Russian stuff although I do have a Russian Diesel Unit and Rolling Stock on order.