French model Engineers

Hi all,

I posted earlier in this thread regarding model engineering/ steam activities in my part of the South of France. Also noted the incredible friendly welcome that I received at my club. I failed to include, that this is in complete contrast to the indifferent welcome that I met in some clubs in the UK.

I have met and enjoyed talking to Simon the times when he visited our club exhibitions before Covid. He kindly made an ER collet holder by 3D printing for me, which has proved so useful. The gauge 1 steam railway of Chris Ludlow in his garden at Toulon deserves another mention, though Covid has stopped his annual international steam week ends.

At my club we are now planning our first exhibition since Covid, for February 2023.

I was attracted by the mention of Tourtour by Rolster. We went there yesterday (Friday) evening to enjoy a glass of local wine and admire the sunset. The village offers great views over the local countryside and splendid sunsets can be seen there. Tourtour is only 20 minutes away from Lorgues so it would be great if we could meet up. I have just finished my 1” Minnie traction engine and have now started making the Stuart models Williamson engine.

Cheers

Hi Raymond, I am very glad you enjoyed the sunset on Friday, I arrived around 22:45 and all was quiet as I passed through Lourges and Tourtour.

It would be lovely to meet up, I am at Tourtour this and next week so if you fancy a meet up during the day or evening Let me know where and when and we will make it happen.

BR Roland

Hi Roland, good to hear that there’s another model engineer local to me (where local equates to about 2 hours!). My interests tend towards CNC and general bricolage although I restarted work on a clock I started some 10 years ago.
I am based in St Cannat, 13760, always interested to meet up with fellow enthusiasts.
Simon

Hi Simon yep not to far away so would be good to do a meet up.

My sausage fingers and eyesight are just not good enough for clocks, but have a great respect for those that have the accuracy and patience to make them.

I have never managed to do any proper CNC work myself, I just have an old school manual Myford super 7 and a manual Warco milling machine as my main machine tools, but I have allot of tooling and hand tools and quite enjoy the challenge of conversion from drawing to surface plate to machine. Not to say I don’t get envious watching the CNC machines cut out drill and tap in thirty minutes what it would take me a week to do.

I am trying to sort out my workshop and get my tooling out of their crates, but hope to complete that in the next two weeks.

BR Roland

Hi Rolster, would you be able to meet up in Tourtour on Friday 16^th at 6.00pm? I suggest La Farigoulette, across the road from the Bar des Ormeaux. We will be on an outside table. Would this be suitable for you?

We have visitors, the week following.

Ray

Hi Raymond, that sounds like a plan to me and I’ll meet you there then. I think I can recognise you from the photo in the earlier post.

I sometimes like to go to the Bar des Ormeaux in the mornings when I have guests staying for their coffees and the pastries from the other side of the fountain. it’s very pleasant to be sat in the square under the trees.

BR Roland

Roland, PM sent.

Hi Rolster, I have just noticed that I am not in the photo that I posted. We will probably be easily recognizable as the only two people in the bar, with white hair.

Good morning all.

Just come across this thread and thought I would add a club which I don't think anyone has mentioned, Cvdp Chitenay.

I don't live in France but have travelled through many times wondering if there are any clubs with tracks and a member of a Facebook group posted a video of his Silvercrest loco in action. I know France is a big country and you might not live close by but, by the looks of the video, it's an impressive track.

The annoying thing is, I have driven by it many times and didn't even know it was there. It is now on my list of future visits.

Hi RMA many thanks for the Cvdp information they have an excellent links page on model engineering and materials suppliers in france and europe which was most helpful. Simon 0362 had let me know of a track near to us in the south east of france Musee provencal des Transports which amungst other attractions seems to have a multi gauge ground level track setup. They appear to have regular running events on the lines.

BR Roland

Hi to all model engineers in France,

I have recently moved to France, Lot et Garonne, 47800 and I wonder if there are any engineer type guys in the area.

I am interested in model engineering in general and also in classic and vintage cars and steam also. I don't have an old car at present (I used to have Austin 7 and Austin H 12/4) but I have one and a half Velosolex motorised bikes and a Lister D stationary engine. I brought all my stuff with me as I don't know where to get things yet.

I logged on using my old email address but I have a new one which is: [email protected]

Cheers,

Jerry.

My goodness, the SW of France is filling up with MEs. Hello Jerry, we are in dept 46 - just next door! MEs are about as common as chicken teeth around here, I have just about finished a 5" gauge SPEEDY loco and there are few if any public tracks in dept 46. and very few private ones. The Petit Train de Grenade is a 71/4 inch track

Petit Train de Grenade

They are in the process of building a new track and moving to a new location and need help building it.

Can't help you with other club names local to you.

Bob

Hi Jerry great to see France is filling up with model engineers. I am over in Dept 83 so a little way from you over in the south west. There is quite a good modeling scene here as well as vintage cars so i hope you find some in your area.

BR Roland

Hi Jerry, I also live in Lot et Garonne 47800. I was very active in model engineering in the UK before I moved to France, and am currently building a 7.25" Crampton loco "Le Continent", but have nowhere to run it unless I build a track in my garden! I am aware of le petit train de Grenade but it is a long journey from here.

If you are interested in meeting up please pm me, be nice to meet a fellow enthusiast in this area.

Dennis Johnston

Hi all. I'm a new member who has just moved from the UK to a village near Confolens 16500 in Charente. Looking for other MEs in the area (or anywhere, really) as well as information about clubs, sources for materials, tools etc.

Robin

Hi Robin welcome to France and this little area on the forum.

You'r quite away from me here in the south east of France.

I hope a few memebers more local to you will raise their heads, over time and give you some local information that may be helpful.

The OP on this thread Speedy builder 5 is about half way between us, but seems to know quite a few people scattered around the country.

BR Roland

Hi Robin,

I'm 80kms from Roland so equally unlikely to help you, but that won't stop me welcoming you here - bienvenu!

Simon

Hi Robin, we are about 100 miles SE of you. (46320). We know Confolens as we used to pass through on the way to Mansle.

I am into 5" steam loco at the moment (amongst other things). What do you like doing?

Bob