German prototype in 7mm?

[WM183]

Hi folks.

"Regular" German 0 scale is 1:45 or something, correct? Is deciding to work in 1:43 absolutely verboten, or do people do it? I'd love to build a couple small Prussian tank engines (T9.3 and maybe a T11 or 12) somewhere in the eastern bits where German gives way to Polish, circa 19-teens. I'd have to do most all of it myself - MAYBE I can use wheels from Slater's, but I kind of like the challenge of making my own - but I also do hope to choose a scale people actually may have interest in.

I'm guessing scratchbuilding in 7mm for German stuff is very much "roll your own" for virtually everything? W irons, buffers, axleboxes, and so on?

Looking for my "Place" in modelling. I love British stuff but cor blimey, it's expensive nowadays to get - the literature being in English is a bonus though. My German is passable - it's close enough to Dutch I can fake my way through - but it's still a difficult read for me.

Was denken ihr?

Amanda

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Guten Tag und Wilkommen

To build or not to build 1/43 or 1/45 - at the end of the day rule#1 applies - it's your railway.

If you were going to use RTR rolling stock then I'd go for 1/45 as the newer models in both kit and RTR form are produced to this scale - older models were produced to 1/43.

The good news is you don't have to fabricate everything as there are German O gauge suppliers and the best place to start would be here Spur Null Magazin. Alles über die Spur 0 Modellbahn.

However, a mix of 1/45 and 1/43 would not be as noticable as modelling an Australian NSWGR/VR change of gauge station. NSWGR (New South Wales Government Railway) models are 1/43 scale while VR (Victorian Railways) models are 1/48 scale (same as US). Despite both being O scale the difference is more noticeable.

Unfortunately I don't have the space to model DB O gauge and have stuck with HO for my DB stuff. However, I did acquire an old Pola Maxi/Raimo O gauge Br 169 (E69) which I have been slowly rebuilding as 169 003-1 (E69 03) by shortening (well, slicing sections from) the cab, chassis and bonnets - ending up with 1/43 body but a 1/45 wheelbase. So it's a bit of a compromise.

The bonnet access doors, cab roof and handrails all need re-making to match 169 003-1.



Tchuss

 

[WM183]

Güten Tag, Dave.
That looks like a very very fiddly build. Wow. How did you manage to cut those thin strips out and then get the taper of the ends, etc to line back up again??

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

With a sharp intake of breath and careful cutting with a Zona 52 tpi razor saw.
As I'm finishing model in epoch IV condition I don't have to worry about the rivets when I come to remove and replace the bonnet access doors. I already have the decals from Andreas Nothaft Modellbahn-Decals Andreas Nothaft - Modellbahn-Decals Andreas Nothaft

 

[michael080]

Hi there,

As Dave said, the difference in scale is not too big. No reason for any drama.
If you need components for prussian engines, check Bauer Modellbau . My T18 received a lot of additional brass parts from him.

The German Spur null forum has a group for english speaking memebers. Other fora of interest would be Forum Modellbahnbau Spur 0 - Foren-Übersicht and Spur0Forum . All three are gauge 0 specific. There are a lot more groups. If you are more the rmweb type, you may also be intersted in Drehscheibe Online Foren . Quite rude manners, but very informative.

I have a list of suppliers in my T18 thread if you need to find components. T18 thread

Schönen Abend,
Michael

 

[michael080]

I forgot: Unfortunately, scratch- and kitbuilding has declined since Lenz and other suppliers started to produce nice RTR-models. One of the remaining kit suppliers is Reinhard Uhde . He has some lovely kits in his portfolio.

Michael