Voie Libre international

Discover every three months in this international issue of Voie Libre in english, new products reviews, layout descriptions, model building, historical information on secondary lines and prototypes...

SACKCLOTH AND ASHES…

Voie Libre international

REE LES SECONDAIRES THE DION-BOUTON NC/ND RAILCARS

HALLING TRAMWAYS

ZIMO NANODECODERS

PREISER A WHEELWRIGHT

MODEL SCENE LEAVES

IKEA EN HYLLA FÖR DINA MODELLTÅG (H0)

THE VIVARAIS CFD SEEN AT GROUND LEVEL

A “SO BRITISH” DECAUVILLE!

STEAM GALA ON 25TH AND 26TH APRIL 2026: A BRILLIANT SUCCESS!

SHOW

REVUE DE PRESSE

16.5MM GAUGE DRIVING BOGIES • Clément had told us: «I am retiring». This wasn't at all like Mister Schmitt, who soon set up a new structure dedicated to manufacturing driving bogies – good news for modellers with building projects.

Laboutanche S.A. Skipping across the deck • We are familiar with the old saying “Why make it simple when things can be complicated”. The Escadrille Saint-Michel has come up with another one: “Why make it complicated when things can be kept simple.” However, ultimately, things are… complicated all the same.

Riesa in industrial version • To operate services on his H09 layout «Les Etablissements G. Lambert», Bruno bought the Riesa steam locomotive produced by MinitrainS under reference 2061.

Mount Lowe Railway • What prompted us to review Jim Lowe's project was a combination of factors: a clover-leaf shaped looped layout, using 9mm gauge track in the uncommon S scale (1/64), and highly documented sources of inspiration. A project that was successfully completed.

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE MOUNT LOWE RAILWAY

A small steam engine FOR A SECONDARY STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY • The Dapol 0-4-0 tank engine is a delightful 0 scale locomotive. It is affordable, runs smoothly and has the perfect appearance for a secondary standard gauge railway, subject to some minor modifications. Let's follow Geb's team at work!

Using AI for backscenes • Saying that I am against, and even hostile, to constantly using “generative AI” would be an understatement. But I must admit that Yann Roszak's approach and the quality of his work impressed me!

The CFD hub at Matha • The Charentes and Deux-Sèvres network of the Chemins de Fer Départementaux featured two major stations: Cognac–Saint-Jacques and Matha. The latter was the only one to survive the destructions that took place after the system closed in 1950.

Monsieur Jean-Paul's SNOW-PLOUGH • What better way of keeping cool during a May heat wave in Britanny than to build a snow-plough? At any rate, that was Éric Fresné's choice.

A DRÔME TYPE TURGAN RAILCAR IN H09 • In 1904, the Chemins de fer de la Drôme metre gauge company introduced two petrol-driven railcars for its Montélimar – Dieulefit line. They were built by Turgan, Foy & Cie at Levallois-Perret, a Paris suburb. Raymond shows us how to build an adaptation in H09.

WOOD FACADES • For his American or European layouts, Gilbert Gribi is very fond of wood facades. In this article, he tells us how he colours and weathers them with oil paints or solvent-based acrylics of the Tamiya type

A change OF CHASSIS • Having had some trouble with the MinitrainS chassis – premature wear of some gears – and being unable to obtain spare parts, Christophe set out to find an alternative solution.

A small castle BUILT OUT OF FOREX • Alan Jockmans shows us in detail how he works with Forex. He tells us about the tricks he uses, so there is no reason why we cannot do as well as he does.

Luc and the fantastic animals • By now, we all know Luc, with every new layout he builds, he comes up with fantastic stories. His very own way of being a railway modeller, far from reproducing...