Maker record
France Trains
France Trains was a French maker of miniature railway models, including locomotives, passenger coaches, freight wagons and postal vans. Its products represented French railway prototypes, from historic company liveries to SNCF stock. The range included TY Est and OCEM coaches, Transat and CIWL cars, and the Train Bleu. The first model, an Arbel wagon, was presented in 1969. Production continued through changing workshop arrangements and stopped around 1981; related work and sales of remaining stock later continued under L’Aiguilleur.
- Founded
- 1976
- Countries
- France
- Locations
- France
- Founders
- Pierre Marc
The story of France Trains
Albert Millet founded Hobby Import in Paris around 1960. The company imported railway equipment and commissioned French-outline models from manufacturers including Rivarossi and Liliput. In response to the shortage of French prototypes in miniature form, Millet launched France Trains. Its first model was an Arbel wagon, presented at the Nuremberg fair in 1969. Passenger coaches became a central part of the range, alongside locomotives, freight wagons and postal vehicles. Products included TY Est and OCEM coaches, Transat and CIWL cars, the Train Bleu, 2D2 locomotives and later TY Nord, Pullman and CIWL Sud-Express cars.
France Trains began in a rented workshop in Issy-les-Moulineaux. René Collard worked as engraver and Auzolle as painter. In 1976, after Millet’s death, the workshops moved to Pommeuse in Seine-et-Marne and production resumed with the CC 65500 locomotive. Around 1981, administrative difficulties led to the cessation of France Trains. Its tools and machines passed to the newly formed Tram, which produced some former France Trains models before closing after a few months; Jouef later bought the tooling. Nadia Millet then opened the L’Aiguilleur train shop in Paris and ran a workshop in Seine-et-Marne for building, painting, decorating and repairing models. The operation handled remaining France Trains stock and related work until it stopped again on 31 December 1993.
