Structured Thoughts.......

I've been thinking about how I'm going to build all those Vietnamese structures that I'm going to need for the module. Apart from a Tomix small office building I'm going to use for a 'boutique' hotel, I've got very little to fall back on in the way of kits or ready built models. I have got my eye on a couple of other Japanese N scale buildings including one of those thin tall pagodas with multi levels, and a small petrol station which looks pretty close to some of the smaller establishments I saw in Saigon and Hanoi. (A slight change to Petrolimex signage and a couple of hundred motor bikes and we're away). The problem here in Oz is that while there are plenty of hobby shops dealing in Japanese N, they tend to only carry models that can be used on lots of different kinds of layouts, so mainly modern stuff. The models are also available fairly erratically. So if I want a pagoda as mentioned above it's not something that they carry. Looks like I'll have to get stuff from overseas.

I did think about the possibility of using French inspired colonial type buildings as well, there are certainly plenty of them left in most Vietnamese cities, but I'm still trying to find a source of French N Scale structures.Unlike the Germans, the French don't appear to be into N Scale in a big way, so there aren't any major manufacturers with French structures in their catalogues. If you know of any please let me know!

The alternative of course is to scratchbuild.and as I've got to scratchbuild or kitbash any rolling stock or locomotives that I want, this is going to be a slow process. In addition most Vietnamese houses, despite being very close to the house next door, are 'stand alone' structures, so no cutting corners and leaving side walls etc out. I still haven't decided whether to use styrene or card. The card sounds good, nice and cheap, and I've seen some fantastic models built out of card. But it may be difficult to recreate those fancy fronts in card I think.

Oh well, I suppose I'm going to have to bite the bullet at some stage and 'have a go' to use an Australian expression. My hotel is looking very lonely at the moment standing there all by itself with only the loco shed to keep it company.

Progress.......

Just a couple of photos to show that I've finally laid all the track on the module. Sorry photos aren't very good but they do give some idea of the layout. The track on the right is the main line.The other tracks are all part of the repair/loco yard. That's my one piece of DSVN rolling stock sitting outside the Tomix engine shed! The lonely building is the future hotel. It does have a Vietnam Airlines sign on the top!

Now for some ballasting!

A Quick One...

Just a note to celebrate my almost completing my first piece of rolling stock! No, not the gondola, but rather the first container wagon. See the image below. The under body still needs to be painted matt black and details and lettering needs to be added, but it exists! The model is a modified NSW (Australian) kit I had in my workshop. Unfortunately not available any more, but I have several more, so at least one more container wagon can be built.

I'm also progressing with the oil tanker. Should have a photo in a couple of days, all going well.

Also I've come across a second DSVN steam locomotive in N Scale. It's a Micro-Scale model of a Japanese C12 steam locomotive. This is the DSVN 131 class. It only seems to come as a set with coaches unfortunately. I was alerted to this by Paul Ingram.

The Never Ending Story....

I've been a bit remiss and haven't updated the blog for some time so here's a few more thoughts and ideas. I recently received an email from the co-ordinator of a group called AsiaNRail located in the US which is actively modelling various Asian rail systems. His email gave me a sort of kick in the behind to get some work done. There was an article in the US 'N Scale Magazine' about this group and the great work they are doing. The modeller's name is Paul Ingram. Thanks for your message Paul. They model Japanese, Taiwanese,  Korean and Filipino railways and are planning to have a go at Thai and Vietnamese. They model in N scale using the Japanese 1:150 scale just as I am.

At the moment I'm concentrating on getting the track finished on the module I'm building and in the process have swapped the viewing side from one side to the other and slightly modified the track layout. I should have some photos up on the website this weekend. As well I found a Tomytec (Japanese) modern 2 track loco shed which should stand in for a DSVN one, at least until I get to scratchbuild a more accurate version. So many public buildings in Vietnam are painted that yellow ochre/'poo' colour that I'll have to have the same.

The houses are going to be interesting. No other country has houses that look anything like Vietnamese ones, you know the ones, about 6 feet wide and 5 or six floors (at least!)tall, with almost invariably a shop on the ground floor. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet and build my own from photos.

I plan to visit Sai Gon and surrounds at the end of July so should get some useful photos in the process. last time I visited I took nearly 500 photos! I'm aiming for a lot more this time.

Currently I have a part finished DSVN gondola/open wagon sitting on my workbench, as well as a US single dome tank car to be converted into the similar DSVN one, and also two types of Vietnamese container wagons. I also have a can of Tamiya 'French Blue' spray paint for that pretty container flat blue colour.

Soon I will have to bite the bullet and start scratchbuilding a locomotive, probably a D18E, which is quite big as metre gauge locomotives go, and is basically all flat sides and ends. Even my lousy scratchbuilding skills should be able to tackle that one! I'm going to have to produce some N Scale drawings first. I have some outline drawings, so will use those and add details from photos.

 Wish me luck!