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Miniatures Adventure => Railway Wargaming => Topic started by: Kikuchiyo on April 26, 2023, 10:15:08 AM

Title: 20mm ww2 burma railway, where do I start?
Post by: Kikuchiyo on April 26, 2023, 10:15:08 AM

Haven't been able to find much info about what would fit, just looking for a bit of track, suitable train and maybe a bridge for the odd skirmish battle

Can anyone advise

Title: Re: 20mm ww2 bums railway, where do I start?
Post by: has.been on April 26, 2023, 10:40:29 AM

'Bums' ????

To go with 20mm WW2 I use 'OO' gauge. If go along to a Railway swap meet/auction etc.
you can pick up 'obsolete' track cheaply.  Worth also looking on e-bay &/or asking on local
recycle sites.
Might be able to pick up other things from any of the above. Items like bridges, signals &
rolling stock. Non working engines go relatively cheaply.

Title: Re: 20mm ww2 burma railway, where do I start?
Post by: Kikuchiyo on April 26, 2023, 10:48:41 AM

 lol

Sorry a Predictive text error

I'm looking for suitable track and trains for WW2 Burma a bridge too would be handy

I know nothing about locamotives or even the gauge of track they would have used

Title: Re: 20mm ww2 burma railway, where do I start?
Post by: Michi on April 26, 2023, 01:01:30 PM

Quote from: Kikuchiyo on April 26, 2023, 10:48:41 AM

I'm looking for suitable track and trains for WW2 Burma a bridge too would be handy

I know nothing about locamotives or even the gauge of track they would have used

Burma used 1000mm (1 metre) gauge, therefore "00" gauge model track (which is the scale name for 16.5mm wide gauge 1/76th scale track, but actually 1/87th scale, because it's identical to "H0" gauge model track) would be a little too wide to be in scale, but would do for wargaming. If you want to show the weak track in Burma (and given that it's available wherever in the world you are) you could look for PECO 0n3 track, which has wider spaces between the sleepers. There is also H0m with 12mm gauge  which is continental European 1/87th scale 1000mm narrow gauge.

In 1942 the country had 3.313 km of metre gauge track, but by the end of the war only 1.085 km were operational in four isolated sections.

I can't tell how particular steam engines in Burma have looked at the time, but I think those were small engines (maximum 12.5t axle weight in Burma). A four axle-engine must have weighed no more than 50 tons, which is fairly small. I found a picture of a large engine which is an articulated Mallet to bring power to the steep gradients and curves:
https://www.irfca.org/gallery/Heritage/internet-archive/burma-mallet-1916.jpg.html

I have something similar by Bachmann for colonial wargaming in 28mm:

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ebmyX_owx5M/U4t0mzfwSAI/AAAAAAAAHWk/C0c8g4LJTYc/s1600/Tsingtao+002.JPG)

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZMIibjjFBZY/U4t0keeY12I/AAAAAAAAHWM/5IgIFZFgkpI/s1600/Michi_28mm_Tsingtao+1914_NEW_LPL8_Round10.JPG)



There were thousands of bridges and the famous River-Kwai-Bridge was one of them.

Title: Re: 20mm ww2 burma railway, where do I start?
Post by: Kikuchiyo on April 26, 2023, 02:25:12 PM

That's realy helpful

Thanks

Title: Re: 20mm ww2 burma railway, where do I start?
Post by: Kikuchiyo on April 26, 2023, 02:34:39 PM

The PECO track looks just the right side of rickety will start with that and see how I get on

Title: Re: 20mm ww2 burma railway, where do I start?
Post by: bluewillow on November 19, 2023, 11:01:17 PM

Try this website

 https://www.railwaywondersoftheworld.com/indian-hill-lines.html
 (https://www.railwaywondersoftheworld.com/indian-hill-lines.html)

Cheers
Matt