A Review of 2025

Another year has passed and for me it's time to review this year's progress on my little Nystrup Gravel layout and other railway modelling activities. The year has not been a great leap forward, but rather the usual determined strive for progress.  

The new Fowler in service pulling skips on the Nystrup Gravel layout. 'Finally' some would say!

In my main modelling scale 1/19 2025 became the year when my Fowler locomotive was finally finished with a new paint job, weathering, detailed cab as well as working lights. Seen in hindsight the loco came to play the role as the project that could always be set aside when something easier or more enjoyable came along. But now the long suffering loco is on track to be the main source of motive power on the line.

Rolling slowly toward the refueling site. The pump held only petrol and the diesel powered Fowler had to be fuelled from canisters.

Three more underground skips in 1/19 scale joined the finished rolling stock for Nystrup Gravel in 2025. Some among the readers may ask if I have finally covered Nystrup Gravel's need for skips. My answer must be a loud 'no'. On most Danish narrow gauge industrial railways skips were plentiful and the most normal piece of rolling stock. Thus skips should be the foundation of any model of a small Danish railway like Nystrup Gravel. Many (modellers and others) are drawn to subjects that are unique and colourful, but my model railway is supposed to look like the prototype did in the 1950's - dull, boring and normal. and with lots of skips! 

All 6 underground skips assembled in the Nystrup Gravel yard with loaded skips pulled by loco no. 3. The new ones (numbered 31, 34 and 36) are seen in the foreground.

With last year's addition of timber bogies I looked forward to the rhubarb season that usually includes running agricultural trains in the garden to bring in the first harvest of the year. I wasn't disappointed as with a set of timber bogies the traffic was definately easier to handle than ever before. Even if my tiny Lister R was only able to pull one set of loaded timber bogies it was great fun! Although I have no plans for a permanent model railway in the garden I'm always thrilled that my model trains are sturdy enough to run back and forth outside.

Usually not a big spender on modelling tools and fancy gadgets, 2025 saw me replace practically all my most expensive tools; mini drill, air brush and compressor. If there is one challenge 2026 is not going to present me it should be investments like that!

A recently received Soviet reefer wagon from Ukraine. 2025's last new model to be added to my H0e collection.

With plenty of 1/19 projects ready on my shelves I have been investing a little more in H0 scale narrow gauge. Not that it will ever be my main modelling theme, but the advantage of small, well detailed models of interesting prototypes is too much for me to resist. Consequently my H0e Soviet 750 mm gauge collection expanded during 20205. I have primarily picked up models from Ukrainian manufacturers and I enjoyed detailing and painting a tiny MD-54-2 loco as well as a small underground loading machine. In the other end of the scale spectrum I added a really large scale project to my modelling experience when I built two laser cut 1/10 scale kits from a Dutch manufacturer. They will never become part of a large collection, but they were wonderful models to assemble and paint, and they are great for display purposes.

Easily the largest models I have ever built: Two 1/10 scale laser cut standard skips. Here the finished versions photographed in the garden.

With my professional work increasingly involving projects in Norway, 2025 has been a year with a lot of travelling. Usually there is very little time to spare when working abroad, but I nevertheless managed a ride on the most northerly tram line on the planet in Trondheim. Fortunately I have also been able to visit full size narrow gauge railways in Germany and Hungary. The 33. Internationales Feldbahnertreffen was hosted by the Stumpfwaldbahn in Germany and provided opportunities for networking and trainspotting. As usual very usefull to learn from other enthusiasts' challenges and help them celebrate their succes. 

The year also saw me becoming part of a consortium owning and renovating a Swedish speeder. As a standard gauge speeder it has been regauged to 700 mm gauge, but with a technical setup giving the possibility of changing the gauge as needed. The speeder can thus accomodate gauges from 600 to 785 mm gauge. I already dream of a tour through Europe visiting narrow gauge friends and their railways!

As part of the Feldbahnertreffen I enjoyed climbing a disused standard gauge railway viaduct above the tree tops. Not for the faint hearted. Photo: Robert Sand.

In spring 2025 I visited Budapest again and had the pleasure of a full return ride on the 760 mm gauged childrens' railway. 

The Swedish speeder has arrived at the vintage narrow gauge railway in Denmark. Still in standard gauge condition. Currently the vehicle is under restoration.

2025 has seen the blog's page views rise considerably with an average of 11.000 views pr. month against the last few years' 3.500-4.500 views. I have no idea why and the statistics isn't giving a clear indication. Perhaps the developing multi-scale activity give H0 modellers more incentive visiting the blog? The rising number of visits is not caused by me being more productive as I have managed nothing but a quite moderate production of 41 posts. December (as usual) is the month with most posts - due to holidays, traditional modelling season and of course the 'extra' post of review of the year.

Let me say happy New Year with a short video of the Fowler returning from the lorry loading ramp - with working head lamp and all. Best of luck modelling to the best of your abilities in 2026!

33. Internationales Feldbahnertreffen

Four days of narrow gauge trainspotting, forest trekking, a guided tour around a closed clay mine and good German beer. That was some of the ingredients in this year's Internationales Feldbahnertreffen at the 600 mm 'Stumpfwaldbahn' in Ramsen, ca. 16 km northeast of Kaiserslautern in Germany.

Henschel 24011/1939 with a pair of timber bogies moving through the forest.

The 'Treffen' is the major annual event for vintage narrow gauge industrial railway enthusiasts in continental Europe. As usual the event had four days filled with networking, presentations, train rides and visits to usually off limits workshops and storage buildings. 

A pair of visiting Hatlapa locomotives pausing in front of the station building at Eiswoog terminus.

American Fairbanks-Morse speeder visiting from France speeding along the line.

A large concrete and steel girder viaduct towers over the Eiswoog Station. Here a view down on a Jenbacher Werke 'Pony' visiting from Romania.

The 'Stumpfwaldbahn' is located in a hilly, forested area and with beautiful autumn weather both resident and visiting locomotives looked their best. The hosts must have been relieved with the weather turning out so nicely!

Gmeinder 1992/1937 with three skips being filled by a 1970´s hydraulic excavator.

The loco shed in Ramsen with Henschel steam loco being readied for service in the foreground.

Two Deutz locomotives in the 4-track shed.

As usual the event provided a good view into another organisation's way of doing things and several observations was noted that may be useful on the vintage railway where I volunteer myself. As a modeller inspiration was picked up and as usual the details on several types of steel skips made me think about the next project.

The viaduct above Eiswooge Station is an impressive structure.

Henschel 24011/21939 taking water from a small stream.

The sign from the event's bar is passed on from this year's hosts to next year's from Apedale in the United Kingdom.

Most Northerly Tram Line in the World

No three week vacation lasts forever and I had only one day to settle in on the company office before heading to a sister company's office in Trondheim, Norway. I'd been there on two short visits before the vacation, but this time I did a 10 day shift of writing text and organising a bid process. While I like to bring models or kits with me to the cottage, bringing them on a work trip so far north is stretching the enthusiasm a bit. Consequently I have no progress to report from the Nystrup Gravel modelling table.

Tram 95 arriving on Breidablikk Station a rainy July evening. Notice new steel catenary mast. The trams were built by German company Linke-Hofmann-Busch in 1984.

On two of my trips to Trondheim I managed to visit the Gråkall-line twice - and even getting a short ride. The 1000 mm gauged tram line is the world's most northerly tramway system, following the 2004 closure and dismantling of the Arkhangelsk tramway in Russia. The Norwegian Gråkall line is almost nine kilometers long, running from St. Olav's Gate in the city centre gradually climbing up through residential districts to end at Lian Station in the hills south of Trondheim.

Tram 97 rolling gently into Munkvoll station from Lien. Munkvoll is home to the company's workshops and a tram museum open during the summer months

Steel catenary mast in Dronningens Gate (Queen's Street). Currently no trams operate on the line inside Trondheim city due to planned sevage and road works. 

Wooden catenary masts between Breidablikk and Belvedere stations.

On Munkvoll station there is a pizzeria in the line's balloon loop and a restaurant with outdoor second floor seating. I chose the restaurant and could photograph tram 93 starting towards Ila while enjoying a good meal.

The Gråkall line was opened by a private company in 1924 after a troubled and lengthy planning and construction phase having begun in the field back in 1917. The line was lengthened to Ugla in 1925 and to present day terminal Lien in 1933. Trondheim city took over the line in 1966 from the private company and the line was closed in 1988 at the same time as the tramline in Trondheim. Locals took over the Gråkall line in 1990 and a new company is running the line with great success today. Even if the trams are rather old (built in 1984) trams as well as the line are well maintained, with new steel catenary masts gradually replacing the charming wooden ones.

The summer has also been used for volunteering on the 700 mm gauge vintage railway in Denmark and I have been out working on the line as well as participating in the traffic.

8-coupler Da 7 (Henschel 18449/1921) pulling out of Hedehusgård Station passing M 12 with a works train.

Narrow Gauge In Budapest

When I visit cities abroad I usually try to get a railway attraction on the programme. Recently I was in Hungary's capital Budapest that has a very varied selection of railway features: plain normal standard gauge, trams, Europe's oldest metro, funicular, rack and pinnion line, railway museum and a narrow gauge 'childrens' railway'.

Mk-45-2002 arriving with train at Széchenyihegy station on the Budapets childrens' railway. The loco was built in Romania by the 23. August Works as 1569/1972.

I was fortunate to get a taste of several of the dishes at the Budapest railway buffet, but the 760 mm gauge childrens' railway took first place as it is a lovely scenic train journey through the hills of eastern Budapest that also has great value for non-railway enthusiasts (at least my travel partner said so). I visited the railway back in 2009 and not much had changed since my first visit. The railway was built in 1947 as a pioneer railway, an institution many countries under communist rule was blessed with. Here the young pioneers (besides getting a (un)healthy dose of political teachings) could learn working together running a railway with adults only taking care of the most demanding tasks. That's basically also what is happining on the railway today just without the communist indoctrination.  

The large mosaic above the ticket counter at Széchenyihegy station reminds of the time when the Hungarian flag had to be accompanied by the red banner on a depiction of the young pioneers. The uniforms have changed slightly, but the children are still saluting every passing train with (what to me looks very much) the communist pioneers' salute.

 

Despite visiting in early April two trains were operating on the almost 12 km long railway. Here trains meet on Szépjuhászné station. The train from Hűvösvölgy is pulled by Hungarian built Mk 48.2024.

The railway is a (for a Dane) steep climb from Hűvösvölgy to Széchenyihegy covering 235 meters in height including a horse shoe curve with a tunnel. Absolutely worth a visit.

If you visit the railway museum in the northern part of Budapest to see narrow gauge items you'll be disappointed: I saw only one small 760 mm draisine representing Hungarian narrow gauge railways at the museum. There is a lot of interesting standard gauge things to see (of particularly interest to me was the track maintenance machines and rail cranes). 

The single narrow gauge item exhibited at the Hungarian railway museum in Budapest. Draisine GV 179. 

Budapest is a nice city to visit, rail transport is extremely cheap, has good regularity and while very few foreigners understand Hungarian, Hungarians understands English just fine.

Visiting Railways in Sweden and Germany

I have lived through some pretty modelling deprived weeks lately. Work and travelling has prevented progress at worktable and layout. Fortunately some of the travelling has been to railway locations in Sweden and Germany. 

One of the locations in Sweden was particularly interesting as it clearly illustrated why narrow gauge industrial railways were once popular. On a privately owned estate a 600 mm railway with light rails provided transport for timber to a small saw, processing the timber into boards. Short of using a horse to pull out the felled trees, a railway was the only method in an area either hilly or very wet. As trees were cut individually and not 'area harvested' no modern forest machine could navigate the area without destroying neighbouring trees or nature. See the website of the Örkaggans Järnväg here. 

The railway's loco 4 'Edvin' (Simplex 9335/1948). Today running with a 10 hp Hatz engine. Here seen pulling no less than 3 timber wagons up a considerable gradient.

The railway's owner pouring sand from old oil cans like there was no tomorrow! Wet weather and a healthy growth of moss didn't exactly help traction.

With my own plans of making simple trackwork and my experiments with wooden rails the simple, homemade turnouts on Örkaggans Järnväg obviously caught my attention. The points have no frog and only a single tongue rail present. Simple points very similar have been used on industrial railways in Denmark too, and it was interesting to study working examples in detail.

The trip to Sweden saw me and my mates visiting several other railways. A small selection of images can be viewed on my Flickr site. Captions should enable you to get a resonable idea of what we saw.

A week after my visit to Sweden I was off again exploring railways at the 31. Internationales Feldbahntreffen hosted by Frankfurter Feldbahnmuseum and Feld- und Grubenbahnmuseum Fortuna. With well over 120 participants it's a good to see clubs teaming up for the task. The event took place at Frankfurt for 2 days and then moved on to Grube Fortuna for the last 2 days. Both locations with 600 mm gauge , comparatively short lines, but with many and very friendly volunteers. The amount of well restored and operational locos and rolling stock was equally impressing! More images from the Feldbahntreffen can be viewed at another of my Flickr-folders.

A selection of steam locos in front of 'Lokhalle 1' at Frankfurter Feldbahnmuseum.

Lok 1 (Henschel 23170/1936) from Grube Fortuna visiting Frankfurter Feldbahnmuseum. Here with a lovely train of skips crossing the huge lawn of the Rebstock Park.

Frankfurter lok D 7 (Ruhrthaler 3347/1955) with standard DIN-skips.

In the forest near Grube Fortuna: loco 28 (Deutz 5464/1927) type MLH228 with a short train of underground skips.

Hand-over of the traditional bar sign from the German hosts to next year's hosts from the Hedeland vintage railway, Denmark. The ceremony took place in front of O&K 9244/1921.

With eight days of narrow gauge trainspotting in 3 weeks what passes for normality has set in again. I'm having one of the H0e Soviet PD-1 draisines set up ready for air brushing before I will be devoting more time for my main 1/19 scale effort.