I am now thinking of something railway themed. Several companies produce locomotives and stock in a variety of scale.
I am not too worried about things running, just some small static displays.
1/32 scale is very tempting but expensive (mostly Scale Link), 1/43.5 is a railway scale, lots of stuff but the figures are limited in their numbers for WW1( Wrightlines and others).
I think it will be 1/76 again. W˄D Models have a range of rolling stock, manufactures of locomotives seem limited but there are a few. Parkside Dundas produce some nice bogie wagons.
W˄D models says that they will be producing one later this year. I do not want one that runs, a static display would suffice. Nigel Lawton produces a running model.
So I will be building in 1/76 scale and may purchase some wagons from Parkside Dundas, the track will be disguised Peco N gauge as I have been unable to come across any suitable track. Figures will be from WD models.
I will attempt to scratch build a small 20hp Simplex type from scratch.
These were produced by The Motor rail and Tramcar Co. of Bedford and were available in different sizes.
I will be modelling the 20hp tractor. This had a 4 cylinder water cooled engine and was fitted with the Dixon Abbott Gearbox. This allowed for two gears in either direction. Further research suggested that some were fitted with 2 cylinder engines as well. Both engines were supplied by W. H. Dorman, the engines were the 4JO and the 2JO. Some were left handed and some right. They could pull two bogie wagons over well laid track. Larger trains were broken up well behind the front and petrol locos used to take supplies and equipment to the front.
There were other versions, the 40hp is several forms , open, protected and armoured, these were much heavier and had better traction and could pull more, they also gave the driven some degree of protection. The locos were part of the WDLR (War department Light Railways)
