remember our Production Editor producing masters for some of these kitsets as well as
four-wheel wagon underframes and bogie sides for them; I still have several in various
stages of completion. The late Bob Stevens was a great NZR modelling protagonist with whom I found a common interest. Bob
Wallace was a renowned airbrush painter and Noel Atrwood was Natty Accessories. Ihere was a time when the Sunlander
F-class was the one and only loco kit avail able. 1 can't remember whether around 1981 a Da or a Dg kit was the next one on the
market: a market that was starting to look prett)' good. There was .some stupidity in earlier days, which resulted in duplicated manufacture of some locomotive kitsets, but
happily some burnt fingers put a stop to this costly and counter-productive competition. Cxilin McHarg was into photo engraving and produced some locomotive and wagon etches in zinc or bra,ss, as well as locomotive
number plates which allowed builders to
put really great finishing touches to their models. He also produced the original wagon number sets and gold carriage
Starting in 1984, Ken Cloughs Railside range provided a big boost in the quantity
and quality of locomotive kitsets to haul all
the rolling stock then available. 1 was initially dismayed when the late Ciraham Selman, on launching North Yard, promoted RP25 wheel profiles and metric
fastenings. Most of the imports to that
time followed the British BRMSB standards and used BA thread fastenings. However,
his vision was greater than mine and my
Top; Competition time spent on models.
An inch to the foot drawing of this underframe made me do it. and it shows
vou can get detail Into 1;64-scale models. It's an X 25243, as used under the 1934 50ft wooden A cars and some 50ft steel cars. Mine wil be used under my 1934 wooden A car if I ever get it finished.
Right: North Yard l:64-scale A-class loco. The first North Yard A loco I built, and still operating today.
ibc introduction of the Ajin NZR brass
transfers.
standards have for a long time now followed
Prior to one of his many overseas trips, around I98t 1 think, John Agnew supplied
(itaham's lead. Nowhere in NZ or Australia
ready-to-run guards van, also in 1988. was
have I seen a comparable range of materials and hardware for our hobby: we are indeed
modeling, a.s was the laterA,m Ka loco
me with Railmaster stock and convinced
another notable event for NZR 1:64-^=110
me to open a mail-order specialist NZR supply business as an addition to my normal employment. So, I re-entered the
fortunate. Graham's A-class kits were the
motive. Sales of both these were slower
equal of any locomotive kits produced over seas. His bogie range also brought .sophisti
climate at the time. Additionally the Ka
commercial arena which had started with
cation and runabilty to the local scene while
my previous employment as manager of
widening the selection of types available.
unfair trade review. At that time u required
Model Railway Manufacturers' catalogue
tins kind. Today, brass etchings are more
Stoker Model (ientre after the death of Bob
Stevens. I believe that much of the early
popularity and growth of i:64-.scale NZR modelling can be attributed to the extensive range of Kailmasier kit.seis.
Publication of two issues of the N/.
- the first in 1988 - enabled purchasers to
than expected, due to a poor econonuc
wasnt' hep l ed bv what 1 slticonsd i er was an an enormous capital outlay for a proiect of
know what was available; information that
readily achievable and can be done ocaly in smal production lots without such large
previously had been very difficult to obtain.
capital outlays.
22 NZ MoDI-.I RaIIWAY joURNAl MAK<.il20l2
Les (left) prepares to conduct openwallet surgery on the Stoker stand
and materials have built on the efforts of
scries that appeared in iha Jourml during
those pioneers, much like motor cars, aero
during the 1978 NZAMRC convention.
planes and most other things.
1985. 1 thought I had ample material and knowledge to model Ahuroa, but when it came to writing the story 1 realised just how
My involvement with MOTAT's rail section
'Hie year 1988 al.so saw the Railrnastcr business sold for the first time, but I think the venture suffered from the loss of Joiin's
started in 1970 as a fringe interest, but esca lated beyond belief at the expense of some
of my modelling opportunities. My primary
extensive NZR knowledge. I he British firm of Branchlines produced an etched-brass G-class horsebox wagon, sold in NZ and in
and provided the incentive and knowledge
West Australia (WA introduced an almost
needed for building better models.
identical wagon following the move there
Building more detailed models brought the urge to enter the competitions at the Hastings Convention in 1974. To my
by CME Rotheram and a number of his staff)- Dynamic Diesels produced a decent
modelling interest, however, was enhanced by my involvement with the rail section
little I did have. It motivated me tremen
dously to find out about other things.
I joined the late Don Allans casual NZR
train running group in December 197^^: this enthused me enormously because it
was catering solely for 1:64 NZR, my own primary interest. This casual group eventu
ally became the informal Three-sixteenth NZR Railfhns - Auckland District, based around the model railway which the Citoup
set of decals for lettering and numbering
surprise I was awarded first place in the
built for MOTAT. The use of railfim in the
wagons and I am still using them to this day.
passenger rolling stock (open) class. I
name aroused some controversy, but Don believed that bccau.se we were also inter
No mention of the prolific commercialists
is complete without adding the name of
Cdiristchurchs John Gardener, whose readyco-run locos and kitsets have graced most layouts at some rime.
'Ihere were, and arc, many others too
numerous to mention, but this article is
not intended as an in-depth who's who and naturally, because of my location, is slanted
towards the Auckland area happenings and specifically those I had most to do with, lo _,ny i niiiy "hssed who may be upset bv the omission I apologise and ask your forgivene.ss. as so years of memories without
pondered whether I would ever have rime to
achieve a layout if I spent tcvo years building one model to enter in the competitions. As I was a first place winner I was invited to enter the Master Modellers section at the next Convention.
Ihis seemed to me to be fostering a trend towaids elitism rather than encouraging newcomers, which 1 believe should happen,
NZAMRC competitions. 1 now only enter
local, more informal, shows just for the fun
and participation.
compare witli flie present super detailed oHerings 1 don't think we should belittle
ling experiences in the /o/o'W and other
http;//nzmrg.org.nz/
niu.seums, preservation grovips, photogniphiand filming, as well as models, that railfans
was an appropriate-name. It was amazing that several people were so busy arguing about whether the name was right that they
lost sight of the objective of the group. We did a lot of things differently, such as
logether with all the complex compe our annual competition night. Instead of tition rules and die two years building points judging based on imported NMRA time I decided against entering any further ideas, we hivited NZR or Mu.seum rail
1 tliarv are hard to summarise. Ahlmugfi many of the early models don't
earlier offerings as all the iittproved methods
ested in twelve-inch-to-the-foot railways,
1 have also enjoyed sharing mv model
publications. Ihis has often inspired me to greater things. An example was the Ahuroa
section officers along to do the judging.
We had a great rapport with them and the\
judged soieb- on appearance, authenticity to
the prototvpe, and in-ser\ice weathering. It was very successful, very relaxLL am
great tun.
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Bridge 78A, Wairarapa Line Kevin Crosado
INprogramme i nr..IA 'u i .v 1to92replace 0s NZdangerous GR staredlevel a crossings with overbridges. When this was done as part of duplication or grade case
wasn't included in early programmes, but in
a vengeance under the first l,abour govern
1925 it made its first appearance, as N0.30
ment. In a 1937 Evening Post interview
on a list of 30. The crossing, which involved
transport minister Bob Semple stated that there were about 2500 railway level cross
a sharp S-bend in the then State Highway
31 (now SH2), was fairly accident-prone - in 1929 the secretary of the Wairarapa Automobile Association mentioned "the
ings in New Zealand, of which 530 were on main highways: it had been decided to eliminate 250 of those main-highway cro.ssings. The first stage ofSemple's programme
ment works NZGR covered the full cost
record being four in twenty-four hours"-
itself. In other cases the cost was shared
but few, if any, were fatal.
covered 193 crossings, 126 of which were to
equally with local authorities. The crossing at Opaki, six kilometres north of Masterton,
Depre.ssion-era retrenchment put a stop to the programme, but it was resumed with
be eliminated by overbridges, 50 by highway deviations and 17 by subways. The design plan for the Opaki overbridge was, he said, completed. It was, and still is, a four-span reinforced concrete structure skew to the track, with a
central step-over pier across the railway line. Tenders were advertised at the beginning of
June and closed on the 22nd of that month.
Some items from the tender specification
may be of general use to modellers: Surface Finish
On the superstrin tnre nil form marks and
projections shal he removed hy rubbing with Top: The view looking south on the
eastern side of the bridge in 2003. There is
a footpath under the bridge at this end. Left: The west side of the bridge seen from the old main highway, now a local access road. This view is
looking towards the south-east. 26 NZ Mooi-.i. Railway JouKNAi March 2012
Top; Piers D (left) and B (right) on the west side of the bridge in 2003. Marks from the concrete form work are still visible
on these piers and on the bridge spans. Left: Site plan of the Opaki bridge (not reproduced to any specific scale).
http://nzmrg.org.nz/
NZ MODFi. R.■\II\V.•\^■ loi UN.M MaIU'H 2012 1~
carborundum stone or other approved abrasive until a smooth and even surface is obtained. This need not be done on the piers and abut ments unless projections are noticeable and in
the opinion of the Engineer require removal. Fencing
All plain wire shall be No. j S. W.G. Gal mild steel. All barb wire shall be galvanised four point, thick set, 448 yds per cwt. All posts, strainers and struts shall be reinforced concrete to the design shewn and shall be made by an approved manufacturer. The posts shall be supplied with an approved means affixing the wires. All battens shall be 2 y. 2 split totara or silver pine, to be stapled with standard fencing staples when fixed. The gates required shall consist of jarrah timber and shall be to the design shewn. They shall be hung on heavy hinges and fastened with an adequate fastener all to the approval of the Engineer The fence shall consist of strainers at all angles and gates, andfour ordinary posts to the chain, and three droppers between posts. The strainers shall be adequately strutted to take the strain of the wires. The wires shall consist of seven plain wires and one barbed wire as specified, and properly strained and fixed. The barbed wire shall be placed at the second or third wire from the top as the landowner
I
may elect.
Surface finish
The suface of the road, when the top course has
been completed, shall be such that no point on
the surface will vary more than half an inch from a ten feet straight edge laid parallel to the longitudinal axis of the road, atid not more
than one quarter inch from a 2 feet straight edge laid longitudinally or in any other direc tion on the surface of the road. There shall be no depressions that will allow water to lie on
the suface. The standard of riding smoothness of the surface shall be such that, when tested at 25 M. P. hi. with the Roughometer attached to the P.W.D. V.8 Ford Car under correct
tyre pressure and mechanical conditions, the roughometer reading shall not exceed so units to the mile.
Vintage Opaki: The Public Works Department's Masterton resident
engineer took the top two photographs
In January 1939 to show the signs that had been erected by NZGR's
Advertising Branch. The top view is at
the north end of the bridge and the lower view is at the south end. Both
views are looking towards the north. He took the lower pair of photographs in April 1947 to show earthquake damage
to the central step-over pier C. This is the column on the east side of the bridge, which was the worst affected. Note the
prominent marks from the concrete
form work, which disappeared when this pier was repaired and enlarged.
2H N/. M()()E-;I-RAILWAY JouRNAC- MARCH 2012
Scale as reproduced 1:64
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it
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Ajter the completion and compaction of the
top course, the contractor shall apply ^
layer of maintenance screenings unifot^nly over
' 3 '
the metalled surface to a depth of Vz ■
""
Road metal
S~
The materialfor forming the road crust shall consist of either naturalpit gravel as specified or a mixture of pit metal, river shingle, crushed
f
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■El
I-
stone, sand or approved clay.
The natural pit gravel or any mixture as above set out shall comply with the following.
When tested by laboratory sieves the
folloiving shall obtain:—
• Passingi' circular hole sieve-100% to yy/o
• Passing i" circular bole sieve and retained
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cmMM
u 1
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Ttea JZ/P: T t r v
77/^/
/23
on No. 10 mesh — 4$°''° to _
• Passn i g No. 10 mesh se i ve and retan i ed on
Scale as reproduced 1:120
No. yo mesh - iy% to 2y%
" Passn i g No.yo mesh se i ve and retan i ed on No. 200 mesh -10% to 20%
— Apfiaraac/r /jyree Pe/a/'/a —
• Passing No. 200 mesh -10% to 20%
.■ Jji'/M. • /p:
The material between i and No. 10 sizes
shal be evenly graded. No stone over iA on any dimension wil be allowed m the percentage on i sieve.
J w y y j f e j y ^ y y. ^ i y p ^ \ y Vr ^ ^ i < s . y y.
Maintenance screenings
V,e nmintenance screening, shall consist of hard crushed rock which is approved by the
Engineer. V,cy shal be that portion of the product of the crusher, including the dust of fracture, which when treated by means of laboratory sieves shal meet the folowing requirements.
Passn i g Vf cricua l r se i ves - Not e l ss than 90%
Retained on A ' "circular sieves - Not less than S0%
This land plan, prepared in 1939 in
connection with preparations for revoking the portion of old highway that became a local access road and declaring the overbridge deviation a main highway shows the position of the bridge in
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relation to the former level crossing. http;//nzmrg.org.nz/
NZ Model Railway Journal March 2012 29
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Scale as
reproduced 1:64
N
N
Bituminous joints
road widening near the road junction about
Joints shall he proihdcd where shown by painting the surfaees of the concrete thoroughly with hot bitumen. At the piers the joints. Aliliougli the use of various pastel blue,
a mile north of the cro.ssing. Work on the construction of the overhead bridge it.self was expected to commence at the end of
green and yellow colours for the infill portion
the week.
(ionstrucrion was finished some rime
9 ft X 4 ft (2745 mm X 1220 mm] .slgn.s adver
tising the Wairarapa rariners ('o-operative As.sociati()n at each end. Ihc PWD resident
engineer at Masterton wasn't impressed, pointing out that the signs were well outside the railway reserve. He informed NZGR's advertising manager:
of the handrail panels has [)een a distinctive feature of this type of bridge for many years,
during the financial year ended }\ March 1958. although I haven't been able to
there is no mention of any form of painting
establish the exact date, lotal cost of the
iti the specifications. I haven't been able to find oiii when this painting stal led. ()n 1 SeptemhLT lyiy the Evening Post reported that preliminary work had started. Ihere was to he 15,000 yards (11,470 cubic metresi of filling in the approaches, the spoil for which was being obtained from
bridge was £9488 [$908,400 at present
the f'ont view, the hack, ivhich is visible jor the trajfic, is just iron ivith old advertisements
day valtiesj. of which NZGR conrrihuted
almost obliterated and is not an ornament.
a sixth. Perhaps it was this contribution that lead an entrepreneurial officer in NZGR's Advertising Branch to believe he
could take advantage of the opportuni ties offered by the new bridge. I le erected
,to N/-Modki, Railway Joi'RNAi. March 2012
Although these signs are most attractive jrotn
Further, it must be admitted that the more
attractive the sign the more a drivers attentio)/ is likely to be diverted from the road and, as these signs are on the curve approaching the bridge, they are likely to cause a serious acci-
r^- ss/2-/^'' 7
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/vk'e fif eaffA cayum^- 7*^ Ce/7f>^
^
dent with trfiffic tmi>elli)igtttspeeds oj40 to so
wiles per hour. However, / have referred this auUter to the Highways Board as the road is a State Highway under their direct control. In the meantime i have removed the signs
jivm their supports and am holding same in our depot at Masterton until some instruc tion is received from the Hightvays Board. If the Board agrees that they do not constitute a
potential source of danger they can he replaced at the expense of this Department.
Ihc Main Highways Board was equally
unimpressed and the signs weren't replaced.
Ihe resident engineer was most anxious to
avoid die bad publicity that would result hom anv accidents on the new bridge. http://nzmrg.org.nz/
N / l i V - M l W AV l o t K N . M M . - X R f U 2 0 11 t l
Although the level crossing had been acci dent-prone, these weren't fatal and many in the conservative rural area saw the bridge as a prime example of an evil socialist government wasting their taxes. NZGR's
Advertising Branch had also erected similar signs at an overbridge south of Dannevirke and these were apparently also removed. Dealings between the Railways and the Public Works departments over the land at
the bridge site were rather more collegia). The railway line had been constructed on the line of the original road and sections of it were located on road reserve. At the same
time, portions of the road were on land that had been taken for railway purposes in 1883. It wasn't until 23 September 1940,
though, that the convoluted process of the two departments exchanging the relevant parcels of land, the Masterton County
Council taking over the surviving portion of the old main highway as a local road
and the local residents getting frontage
onto a legal road instead of a railway was completed.
Sixty-rwo overbridges and ten subways
had been constructed by the rime World
War II stopped work on the crossing elimi nation programme. It wasnt restarted in post-war years.
Damage
In 1946 NZGR staff noticed that the bridge had suffered some damage, presumably as a result of the 1942 Masterton earthquake. The cracks in the concrete were generally minor, except in the centre step-over pier. 32 N/. Modiu. Railway Journal Marc;h 2012
■s e - * '
- Jgc-t*"-
Scale of road cross-
-1
section drawings as
reproduced 1:192
^'^p/hat/ ^^c/'/ojTs S/k^e Access ^aacf.
—
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The Opaki bridge contract called for concrete posts and ordinary wires on the approach fences, but it isn't clear whether this was o owe
in practice. Certainly when a 1927 Pontiac driven by a member of a Masterton jeweller's family damaged the eastern fence on south approach
S/'r*iAs
'^"kJ
in 1951, the repair items included hardwood posts and cyclone netting. Similarly, when a 20-year-old from Mangamahoe took out the fence on
e^/rere/'e
the other side of the road with a 1945 Willys Jeep in 1954, the repair
costs again included hardwood posts and cyclone mesh netting.
y£c*tr
S''ee*fs. P// ^/'ray'/r^^ST'v
Scale of details as reproduced 1:64
S Z
P/'^''ex /<S'-£''eefrj.-''
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which had more extensive cracks exposing some of the steel reinforcing. NZGR's Chief
Engineer passed the details on to the Main Highways Board in March 1947 and the
Public Works department's Masterton
Resident Engineer was asked to report. He
proposed to chip out and fill the damaged
concrete, but it would appear that nothing was done at this time.
http://nzmrg.org.nz/
^zzz^z'z^ et/Tx.
"
J L
By 1950 Ministry of Works (the Public
Works Department was merged into the Ministry of Works in June 1948) engi neers were more concerned. It had become
apparent that many of the so-called simptysupported-girder concrete bridges of the same period were suffering from trouble at the junction of the beams and the piers
because of poor detail design and insufficient
concrete cover, lliings were worse at Opaki because the original contractor hadn't placed
the reinforcing steel in accordance with the drawings. There were also problems with
water getting in between the joints in the spans and finding its way to the reinforcing steel in the deck through the cracks caused by the earthquake. Tliis latter problem was also common to manv bridges of the type.
NZ MoiOKi. Railway Itii'RN.Ai. MARCH 2012 ^3
For weathering and dilapidation fans,
we present these photographs, taken in misty weather at Opaki early in 2000. In November it was decided that ilie
concrete cover would be cut away, addi tional reinforcing would be welded to the
existing .steel and new concrete would be gunited on. A.s this work couldn't be prop erly costed until the piers were opened up. it wa.s contracted on a cost-plu.s-ro% ba.si.s to Downers subsidiary the (.ement (mn
Company of N/ l.td. All the piers were
repaired with a minimum cover to the
injecting bitumen into the expansion joints to keep Kirther water out was done by Mini.stry o(' Works .stall.
W4485, Box 29, C/43/4
Opaki Overbridge and Construction of New
Road Approaches to Overbridge, AAXJ,
More wtirk wa.s required in 1971, when Mini.stry o( Works staff carried out repair work to the sheathing which retained the fill behind the bridge abutments. While
W2H99, Box 23, MHW/872
tliey were doing this work, the bridge was
Woodville-Masterton State Highway Opaki overbridge, AAXJ, W2899.
closed and the old level cro.ssing reinstated
tor two days. At some time also, the original drainage system was replaced by the plasticpipes .seen in the photographs.
I langerous Level Crossing near Opaki, AA1 â&#x20AC;˘, B, W3199, Box 209. 13/1824
Opaki overbridge, W2899. i6/MHW/[/872
R Bridge no.78, Wairarapa line, RierC., details ofcrackingSHp Woodville-Masterton - Opaki overbridge, AAXJ, W2911. J1/S/15/M774 National Library
References
steel of i'/>in. [401001] while the central
Archives New Zealand
step-over pier wa.s increased in thickness by around 24in |6fomm|. Ihe work ol
('.rossin^s - Opahi Overhridgc. AATI!,
Main Highways - Flimhiatiou of Railway
34 N/. M()i>i:i Kaii.way jot'iiNAi Maiu.ii 2012
Papers Past <http://paperspast.natlib.govi. nz/cgi-bin/paperspast>. mmL Members can download tivo additional
drawings from the (luild website.
•
•
Vv . . 7 ^. 1«
Lighting up Graham Dredge
IOlated FTENnight LK IEtime TOR UNlove myra tnisnilook sm i uof and the
By way of comparison,
a fully lit model train running around my layout, watching the working signals
Si kit could realistically
changing as the train passes by. But some thing was missing; so, as 1 progress with building the layout, I have been adding lighting to rolling stock, scenic areas, vehi cles and buildings to enhance the effect and make the night scene really come to life. 1 have decided to share my experiences with
the Detailz Landrover
only have front lights fitted, as the rear lights, represented by pips on the kit shell, don't have the clearance required to fit
Top: The Ford Angiia continues it's journey after passing over the
LEDs.
Above: The Angiia makes another
Some die-cast models are a lot harder to
Rangoon Street one-lane bridge. trip over the same road by day.
alter, as the body sides can be quite thick
Bottom: The Detailz Angiia kit as received.
around the corners and the die-cast metal
T h e r e ' s s o m e m i n o r fl a s h t o c l e a n o f f a n d
can be a bit difficult to drill. Other die-cast
the front of the body tub to be removed.
a series of articles that will show you how
1 have added lighting to various scenes on my layout. Vehicles
What makes a good vehicle to convert? When selecting a vehicle the main consid erations are: can the vehicle be easily disas sembled and reassembled? Can you drill out holes to accommodate the LEDs you intend
to use for the lights? Do you require front
and/or rear lights? And can you get the right sized and coloured LEDs to fit? For this article 1 chose the Ford [05E
Angiia kit from Detail?., which met the
requirements exactly. Manufactured using polyurethane it was easy to drill and had enough clearance to fit front and rear lights. http://nzmrg.org.nz/
NZ Model Rah.way Journal March 1012 35
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The Anglia was painted and the LEDs a n d t h e r e s i s t o r b o a r d w e r e fi t t e d . The areas around the LEDs were
painted with black paint to prevent
models have plastic headlight inserts and these can be removed or modified easily. I have converted a few die-cast models with
different types of lighting, including fitting
emergency vehicles with electronic flashers from the Westimation LiteMate range.
If you wish to see more of my lighting effects and some videos of my layout go to
<www.youtube.com> and type Westimation into the search box.
light seeping through the translucent polyurethane. After the paint was dry the LEDs were fixed with black
fingernail varnish ($2 at the local S o u r c e s
Anglia kit: DetaMz, email <jasondonna@hotmall.com> LEDs: High brightness. Use Warm W h i t e < h t t p : / / w w w. l e d s t u f f . c o . n z > Due to the cost of obtaining Kynar wire, LEDs and SMD resistors in small quantities, email me at <westimation@ xtra.co.nz> for a price list.
36 NZ Model Railway Journal March 2012
$2,3,4 shop). When power is applied you may just see light escaping from
the top front headlight -1 fixed this with more varnish. The rear light holes were filled with a 1.5mm length of 1.6mm clear plastic rod. A 1.6mm h o l e w a s d r i l l e d i n t h e fl o o r n e x t t o
a rear wheel and through the road for the wires to pass through. Finally, the Anglia car was assembled, placed on the road and wired to an accessory decoder so the lights can be switched on at night.
Chnstchurch NZR Modellers' Group NZR modellers in all scales getting together to share their common interest
in our own railways; phone Colin Barry on 0-3-3583681 for details.
Wh ti h te Bgi those Modeinvolved lTrani Swith howtheni One h te offing,
Track Minds layout formed their own little huddle to discuss last-minute preparations. The show itself - the first in two years
because of the earthquakes - was the usual
success, although numbers were a little down. To everyone's great satisfaction the OTM layout went together and operated the best yet. But what stole the show was not even a train. Crowds gathered as Jason Home's radio-controlled delivery truck
easy post and wire fences beside the tracks around Kaitangata. Some thin electrical cable proved a useful source of scale Number
van and passenger car and some dirty track
on a modelling spurt to complete a useful rake of L and La wagons, as a well as making some black tarpaulins from ordinat}' copy paper. Highslders of course need complicated little hand grabs to go on the ends, which prompted Wayne Williams to
in a tunnel.
make a jig to simplify the process (more
threaded its way along roads on the layout in every way like a real truck. Meanwhile, back at the Sunday gath
erings, tired of wandering stock, Athol Hamilton had been busy erecting quick and
Athol Hamilton's P.133 and goods train pass a scene on the One Track Minds layout, most of which is actually an art print used on the spur of the moment as a makeshift backscene.
On being given a styrene Dsc body by
details soon). These two also needed an M
8 wire, with fine nails serving as scale posts,
Brendon Lean, Dave Cook's initial thinking
and thicker copper wire as battens. Athol used a simple jig to hold a few posts at a
was to mate it to a spare Piko centre-cab
wagon part full of clinker for their Lyttelton modules so it was quite fortuitous when
diesel chassis. Realising that an Athearn
Bryan happened to notice that sawdust
time while soldering the wires and battens
chassis would be more suitable somehow
Robin Knight bought a Nano Bug from The
another Athearn model.
incredibly tiny electric motor inside.
Shadbolt had built his two new DXs from
on. Always alert to a possible modelling use,
then led on to thoughts of basing a Dh on
Warehouse and was delighted to find an
Following a more orthodox route, Scott
Tlte usual exchanges of intelligence about
diecast vehicles included John Dudson
pronouncn i g Dave Cooks' de i cast Kombi van
'find' undersize for 1:64 scale. John himself had been converting an Oxford Models London ntxi into an Austin 7 tourer as well as repairing and making improvements to tNvo
second-hand i:64-scale vans - a Mate ox
Ford lOOE and a Husky Ford Anglia. All
three required much making of new parts and refining of rather coarse original detail.
Online and Railmaster kits. So far painted in the latest KiwiRail scheme, but not yet
decaled, these had turned out well. They will run as a pair with only the Online unit powered.
Tlie Brendon Lean locomotive works produces a constant flow of scratchbuilt
i:64-scale models. Currently on the shop floor are a Wf in brass as well as a styrenebodied F and DX. The F chassis, built
partly from trial etchings, was needing more
It fell to Athol to settle a debate that
clearance between the front wheels and the cylinders, while the etched Wf chassis
to whether 'FX' was actually an authentic
required some slight horn guide filing to fit
tive answer in Special: 7?^^
advice Brendon only filed one side so as not
According to Wright it wasnt. Athol had
are much less trouble! Back in more familiar
had been raging among OTM members as
Holden designation. He found the defini
the Australian Holden by John M Wright
picked up a i:64-scale Johnny Lightning
the bearings. On Kevin Leigh's very good
to upset the chassis-rod match. All this only confirmed to Brendon that styrene diesels
territory, he took up the AKF Df s etched
,956 Chevy Bel Air convertible during a control cable overlays challenge and made stop in a Palmerston. and fitted similar cabling from fine styrene Just a glimpse from the door into Colin rod along both sides of his DX frame. Barrys' layout is enough to reveal the poten tial of his in-progre.ss Rewanui scene. Ihe
Speaking of the AKF kit, James Cmbbe
had nearly completed his - his first major
proliferation of ochre and brown buildings locomotive build - and it was looking
and tlte scenicking done so far all look great. More scenicking and ballast are ill that is stil needed. In the meantime. James Clobbe and lessy Blun.sdon had been sorting out some running problems; the main culprits
being restricted bogie swing on a guard's http://rizmrg.org.n2/
very tidy and crisp, in keeping with the outstanding quality and detail in that kit.
Fiom a small workbench set up in a
corner ol the lounge Irom where he could also watch TV, Brvan l.awrence had turned
from cutting ACM board (a kind of sign board with a foam core and aluminium
skins) looked just right. An enthusiastic smaller group has spunoff from the main Sunday group to model
together one evening each week - more details from Les Frost <l-b-frost@xtra.
co.nz> or Tim Marshall <tim4jenny@ paradise.net.nz>.
What is the dollar value of an important photo collection? Or anything for that matter. In the simplest terms, things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them. What is not so simple in the wake of
Graham RadclifTe's tragic death, is where to look for willing buyers. And, for the best return, whether to sell the collection
complete or piecemeal? On a more practical
note, if it could be bought how much storage space and looking after would it require? From Glen Anthony we hoard that the
late John Rappard's outdoor SHR {Sig)ial Hill Railway) has recently been resurrected. Now at Wals Fun World, beside Walliss
Nurseries in Mosgiel, it is still known as the SHR (now for Saddle Hill Railway). A call from Colin Barry for modelling
articles for tW Journal got an immediate
response from Bryan Lawrence who produced notes and photos of his aiul Wayne Williams' recent Lyttelton water column project. Now. who else is willing to write about their recent modelling? 1!
you've made something recently we would love to hear about it. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Peter Ro.<s
NZ MODKI RAII.WAV Jin'RNAi- MARCH 2012 n
Tr a d e N e w s n
Railmaster Exports, 29 Pupukc Road, Birkenhead, Auckland 0627, phone/ fax 0-9-419 1994 <www.railmaster.co.nz> advise that their i:64-scale T class 2-8-0 locomotive kit is now at the casters. The first twelve nickel silver chassis have been assem
bled and the instructions are being worked on. The kit will depict the locomotive with its original round firebox, three-windowed cab, large lamp and a flanged funnel, appro priate for the pre-1904 era {NZR started fitting new boilers with Belpaire fireboxes
business would suit a purchaser who is expe
Top: T.102 photographed at Lyttelton in the late 1890s shows
reboilered in 1904). The price is expected to
rienced in assembling ready-to-run models from kitsets, as this forms an important part
be around S799 including GST. Proprietor
of the business operation. Tlie web site will
John Agnew has had difficulty obtaining round can motors, so the T's production
also be part of the sale, as will the too plus
reproduced by the forthcoming Railmaster Exports 1:64-scale kit.
run will be limited to 20 models
pewter and lor lost wax brass castings. Ihe all-important pattern masters will also be included. Seriously interested individuals or
in 1900 and the last locomotive, T.106, was
ihis will be the last year that On Line Railway Models, PO Box 79044-
rubber production moulds forwhitemetal or
under its current management. Owner
Heights, Auckland 0656 will operate
parties can contact Ken (lotisins on 0-9-833 8929 or email <kdcousins^0xtra.co.iv/.>.
Ken (lousins proposes to sell all the rolling
in the meantime. On Line has new stocks
the form of these locomotives as
Above: NZ Finescale's new point lever castings. See Trade News on page 39.
.sets for the Railmastcr/Railside/On Line Da and Db locomotives and Vtilcan, .Standard
and twinset railcars, all produced from new m e a s u r e m e n t s .
stock, locomotive and raitcar parts ol the
ol the i:(i4-scale A-class steam locomo
l>usiiess as a going concern. Ihe sale wil
tive kitsets developed by the late (itaham
noi incltidc the sotind files or the l.ok.Sound
â&#x20AC;˘Selman. Also in stock are the re-mastered
aiul Digitrax dealerships.
Ninemill Scale Products. Ihis will see
While Ken would prefer to .sell as a unit,
i:64-scalc Dt; locomotive kit, complete with a fully derailed chassis, and a limited
lonsideraiion will be given to selling the
stipply ol i:64-scale steam heat vati kits.
chassis, freight bogies and passenger bogies
screen-printed decals for its l)t., I )f, l)i-.atui k.nglish |-.lectrit I)i- locomotives, as well as
originally created by NeLson Kennedy back in production, and some unfinished projects (inished off and added to the product line
rolling stock range separately aiul perhaps even splitting the locomotive ratige between steam and |)ie.sel {including railcais). Ihe
On l.itie has a good .stip[ily of i:64-.scale
?8 N/Morn.i Raii.wayJoi rnai Maiu 11 2012
Patil and Cdalre Woods, also known as
Wood.sworks Scale Stripwood Supplies, advise that they have recently acc|uired the i:34-.scale kits for four-wheel wagon
in due course. Woodssvorks have also added
Humbrol acrylic paints to their range, with the most commonly used colours such as
Comment
black, white, metallics and clear varnishes
held in stock. E-mail <paul@woodsworks.
co.n7.> or phone 0-9-432 3060. On-line price list from <www.woodsworks.co.nz>. Just out from NZ Finescale <\\avw. nzfinescale.com/> are i:64-scale brass cast
ings for two types of yard points levers,
both mastered by the rapid prototyping
Time to connect the dots
We all know that kiwis punch above their weight. For a little country we do better in many fields than our relatively small population could ever justifyThis certainly applies to our best model building. Our top modellers (however you
judge that) rank right up there with those in other countries. People like Americans Tony Koester and Jack Burgess, and Brits Iain Rice and Barry Norman, all guests at
process. One $7.50 BS032 sprue yields two base castings, two quadrants, two cranks,
recent conventions, really rate some of our efforts.
two throwover levers with integral counter
o ff s h o r e .
weights, and one gooseneck lever - enough
for either two normal throwover points
levers or one throwover and one gooseneck.
Although these can be worked in fully
As further evidence, our top professional model builders send much of their output But is this altogether a good thing? Its quite possible that we've become outstanding scratchbuilders simply from having no choice. Some will always want to scratchbuild
or tackle a craftsman kit, but it's odds on that our hobby is being held back by the lack
of an NZR equivalent of Athearn, Bachmann or Hornby. Or at least some reasonably
prototypical fashion, they should really be
accurate injection moulded plastic kits that go together easily and don't cost the earth.
running, although still under development after a delay due to their Christchurch website designers losing their premises in
Tlie downside in some eyes is that in places like the USA and the UK scratchbuilding has almost died out and the market for kitsets has sagged. Quite simply, it makes no
treated as cosmetic only unless the lever is strengthened in some way. North Yard's website is now up and
the February quakes. Tlte URL is <http:// northyard.co.nz/> or simply Google for 'North Yard model parts'. Owner Rodger
Cullen tells us that the site will soon feature
online shopping from a list that wil include photos to make looking for and ordering parts as trouble-free as possible. In the meantime you can download the current
print catalogue in PDF format, and e-mail to place orders, get quotes or request further
Those who can't or don't want to build their own models are missing out. Almost everywhere but here the quality and range of model railway products has gone through the stratosphere. And at the same time the price in real terms - how long you have to work to pay for something â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has plummeted. sense to build something when you can buy at least as good for roughly the cost of the materials.
This hasn t meant those people model any less seriously. There's compelling evidence that they re putting the time they save into building more complete and realistic layouts. Our craftsmanship may compare well with the world's best, but it's also become obvious that having to build everything is holding our layout building back. The Chinese manufacturing phenomenon has been behind much of the change overseas but its being simplistic to simply say that our small market counts us out.
Thercs stil a heap of good stuff being made in relatively small quantities in countries with business costs similar to ours.
colours is now on the shelves along with a
Should we really be condemned forever to pay three times the price of a high quality American or British RTR equivalent for a whitemetal and brass loco kit that, it has to be said, is at best a challenge to build? Locomotives, especialy steam, may be more
complete range of mechanisms for i:64-scale
of injection moulded NZR models, either RTR or kits.
information. We are informed that a new a
line of airbrushable paints matched to NZR
NZR diesel locomotives.
Glenorchy Models, which for some time
has offered a range of kits for small diesel locomotives and laser cut lineside build
n i gs n i 1:34 scae l , has announced that some
of these are now available in assembled,
ready-to-run form. Delivery is typically
one month from receipt of order for kits, and three months for RTR models Ihe initial RTR offering includes a Hudswel Clarke D29, Ruston Hornsby 48 DS, and A & G Price Da. Should this new service
of a challenge, but 1 see a nice little opporrunit)' for someone to be making a range Lets look for a moment at Steam Era Models in Australia. 1 have no reason to suspect
that they are philanthropists, so we can assume their business is profitable. Among other things they make good quality plastic kits. Their growing range includes kits for around 20 different goods wagon and about four passenger cars. These retail in the S15 -$17 and $45 range respectively - including etched detail parts, wheels and decals!
But, I hear you say, Australia has over five times our population. True but not that relevant. Its the state population that really counts. Victoria, where Steam Era Models operates, has a population of 5.5 milion - not massively greater than New Zealand.
So, there doesnt seem to be any question that the economics must be viable, wc
just need the right person to connect the dots and bank the cash.
One thing we can learn from China is to exploit the latest technology and really
prove popua l r enough ti may be extended
pay attention to detail. Ihere must be some way we can punch above our weight in
and Hillside NZR Tr, kits which will be available on special order during late 2012. More information can be found at <http://
- Peter Ross
to cover a larger Ruston, as well as Hitachi
the model manufacturing field too.
and that new supplies are now to hand of the
glenorchvmodels.co.nz>, which has been Au.scin 7 van kit and logging tram curved completely revamped and now provides for online shopping. For further information or
quotes re as.scmbled models, and to advi.se colour pretbrences. etc, e-mail <krisalysC'/^
iluig.co.nz>. Our informant also adds that
designs are in iand for an Irish railcar and
Billard ysT French WWII 0-4-0 narrow
spoked wheel sets.
Of intere.st to i:i2o-scalc modellers,
(denorchy is developing a range of etched locomotive bodies and fittings. Ihe first two. a nrewry (Vulcan) Ds and GE Du. are designed to fit the Bachmann BR C.lass 08
gauge diesel to run on scale 2 ft gauge track. and Atlas MPis mechanisms, respectively. http://nzmrg.org.nz/
Ihe Ds should be out by convention time and the Dn by the end of June.
Another recent entrant to the ready-toritn market is Phillips' Models, who tell us thev can now offer kits from their i:64-scale
range assembled, painted and weathered, and complete with transfers and appropriate couplers. Deiivcrx' time is normally aboiu four weeks, depending on dcmaiul, Ftir a
NZ Modki Rahwav |t>i RNAt Maiu iiioii
firm quote e-mail <adrian@philllpsmodels. co.nz>, but as a guide an assembled model including courier delivery costs about twice the GST-inclusive price of the kit. The firm now also stocks Kadee couplers, visit <w\vw.
of the NZAMRC convention organising committee. However, they are now back on track and the organisers have drawn up a draft programme.
phillipsmodels.co.nz/> for details.
Amora (formerly Duxton) Hotel, 170
turer Bendigo Rail Models has released a
Wakefield Street, Wellington â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will open at 6.30 pm on Thursday 5 April for early registration and setup. Friday's programme
possessed of a wry sense of humour.
will include the official welcome, clinics,
a gentle man. The nearest thing to an exple
displays and workshops, with more work shops and special interest groups after dinner. Competition entries will be accepted
tive in his vocabulary when really frustrated
NZ i:87-scale modellers. BRM's exclusive
until midday and the buy, sell and swap,
distributor is Auscision Models <www.
traders, displays, coffee &c will be available
his f^tidious approach to railway research accumulated over 40 years into an encylo-
auscisionmodels. com. au/p roduc ts_page.
at all times. Clinics will cover DCC (basics
and advanced), working with plastics, bush tramways, garden railways, CAD design, assembling brass etches, layout design,
paedic knowledge of the Rangiora line and
htm> and a limited number are still available.
New Australian model railway manufac
i:87-scale Victorian Railways flat-top T-class locomotive. This General Motors G8 loco motive is similar to NZGRs Db class. The VR version is a Bo-Bo with a different cab
design, but still has conversion potential for
British manufacturer Backwoods M i n i a t u r e s < w w w. b a c k w o o d s m i n i a t u r e s .
com/> has announced that they will soon release a i:48-scale resin kit for a double-
ended locomotive loosely inspired by Oily Smiths 1952 machine for Gammans Mamaku tram. It is based on a pair of
The venue - Amora Chambers in the
scenery, making fir trees (that's pines for
kiwis), blogging, and laying small-scale track. Special interest groups are expected to cover US prototypes and models, 1:34,1:64
1939-41 Plymouth cabs, rather than the
and 1:120 NZ, British, European, G, On30, sound and mini layouts.
Dodge and Ford cabs on the real thing and will mount on a Bachmann 16.5mm gauge
in the morning and local layout tours in
GE 45-ton side-rod diesel mechanism.
the afternoon. There will also be all-day
Happy shoppers
will remain open for those who do not wish to travel, although there will be no formal programme in the afternoon. In the evening
Bryan Lawrence says he's very happy with his new FINI Compressor. Specially designed for airbrushing, it comes complete with a mois ture trap and pressure valve. The 6-litre tank
provides an even flow of air and a maximum
pressure of 1000 kPa [i5opsi]. The i.ikW motor is a bit noisy, but fills the tank in no time and then shuts off for long periods. Cost was $288 from Hindin Marquip Ltd,
died-in-the-wool steam fan and railway researcher. To those who knew him he seemed
quiet, private and unassuming, but as often happens, at his funeral we met another
Robin. Adventurous, imaginative and
The very embodiment of someone from the old school he was both a gentleman and
was 'botheration'.
Robin's memory for facts was legendary and
the Eyreton and Oxford branches. With the
firm intention of writing a book he amassed
a vast stock of plans and photos relating to those areas. Gerald Petrie credits Robin with
teaching him what it means to be a pains
taking researcher. He and many other railway
historians drew regularly on Robin's resources, a service he was always happy to provide.
A self-reliant and practical man - this
On Saturday 7 April there will be clinics latter trait no doubt nourished by a large
trips to Wairarapa and Kapiti. The venue
there will be a barbecue dinner at Main
Line Steam's depot in Plimmerton, special interest group meetings and clinics. Sunday will see clinics in the morning,
layout tours in the afternoon and the awards dinner in the evening.
The NZAMRC AGM and organisational
boyhood Meccano set - Robin was also a very fine model maker. His i:64-scale
model of the Lake Brunner Sawmilling
Company's 0-4-2T Barclay won the Guild Cup at the 1970 Christchurch convention and he was currently building a Wb from an NZ Finescale kit. Robin became a regular at the
Christchurch NZR Group's Sunday gatherings at Colin Barry's. A founda
tion supporter of railway preservation at Ferrymead, Robin wholeheartedly backed the National Railway Museum and hoped
close up business will take place on Monday morning. The buy, sell and swap, traders,
to be at next years' opening.
until midday. Note that the Guild AGM will be held in Auckland on 15 April, not at
worth the cost'.
all-metal, double-action and has a reversible
air cap to allow quick changes from fine to
this convention.
105 Main South Rd, Christchurch.
Paul Christensen recently gifted himself a new Omni airbrush. From the Thayer & Chandler stable he's very pleased with it. It is
In the words of one of his daughters, 'If
displays, coffee, and so on will be available grief is the price we pay for love. Dad's was Graham Baker. 1959 - 2012
coarse work. Available online from ABD Inc,
Full registration is $95. Breakfasts will
With the sudden passing in March of
<www.abdcorp.com/>. Also spotted by Paul in local hobby shops
be available in the hotel restaurant or there
Graham Baker at the age of 53, Cobden
are numerous cafes within a few minutes
(near Greymouth) and the West Coast
walking distance. These are not included
region lost one of its best-known and most
was Tamiya Light-Curing Putty. That's right, a modelling putty that sets when exposed briefly to bright light! Maximum thickness in a single application is 2 mm. Under normal lighting you have two or three minutes working time, curing takes
in the convention fee. Lunch will be avail
enthusiastic NZR modellers. Graham liked
able on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the convention area at $15.00 per head. Dinner will be available in the hotel on Friday
to experiment and many years ago made some 1:120 wagons out of clay. The approach to building his subsequent Bright Mine
for $20.00 per head. The Saturday BBQ
one minute in bright sun or two minutes
at Mainline Steam, Plimmerton, will cost
under bright fluorescent lighting. Once set
$20.00 per head and the convention award
it can be filed, drilled, etc, like epoxy filler. Retails for around $30 for a 34g tube. Happy with somethingyou bought recently? Let the Journal know. Just e-mail details to
dinner on Sunday will cost $50.00 per head. For more information email <wgtn2oi2(ÂŽ
<peterr({i>inet. net. nz>. NZAMRC
convention
Things have slipped a little behind, due to a
series of medical mishaps affecting members
nzamrc.org.nz> or visit <http://nzamrc. org.nz/>. Robin William Sutherland 1 9 4 1 - 2 0 1 2
modular 1:120 layout was more orthodox,
but as a 40-year-old student still with an eye to saving on cost. Over the years he dabbled in almost every other scale, including N, 00, HO, G and most recently O.
Graham is especially well remembered for successfully starting a model railway club in Greymouth and, while president, leading an attempt to build a model of Rewanui and its
Robin Sutherland was a loved husband
famous incline in the old Runanga station. Writes Andrew Wilson, 'He was my friend
and father, highly respected surveyor and
and 1 will miss him'.
40 NZ Model Railway Journal Marc.h 2012
Wairarapa words The important news for members of the Wairarapa Railway Modellers is the departure of their treasurer Ian Galbraith
Grant Morrell found a plan for the proposed Rimutaka Garratt in The NZR Garratt story by EJ McClare. North
and his wife Ann, who have moved to
British touted the 2-6-0+0-6-2 machine
be closer to their family in Rangiora.
back in 1931, but the idea never came to
With the water tanks made and the
Ian and Ann have been stalwarts of the
anything after the problems with the three
main base frame to house the boiler and
Wairarapa club for nearly thirty years and they will be missed. No doubt, however, Canterbury modellers will be delighted to have them in their midst.
M a i n Tr u n k G a r r a t t s .
Ian will continue to edit the Mataraivn
Halt through the wonders of electronic communications and the March issue was the first to be edited from the South Island.
Phillip Charles Cooke 1957 - 2012
Tragically, in January of this year Phillip Cooke ended his own life and with it partici
Grant thought this was an opportunity to 'have a go' and scratchbuild a Garratt might-have-been, he found a Bachmann 'Prairie' 2-6-2 loco which had the right wheelbase and length on the Internet, so he bought two. These were stripped down to the frame castings. Over a couple of evenings he made some major changes to house and corporate offices were spared any damage, as were most of the manufacturing buildings. Business continues as usual, according to sales director Gale Cousins.
pation in a wide range of rail-related and other hobbies dating from intermediate school. Tltough a modeller of British proto
Woodland Scenics is the largest industry in
types rather than NZR, Philip was very much
area, employing about 150 people.
was a keen scratch and kit builder. How, when
Chinese manufacturer
many couldn't even manage one entry in the
goes belly-up
akin to the average NZR modeller in that he Garden Ciry MRC's annual model competi tion, could Phillip usually come up with three
or four? His simple repost, T took them to
work and did them in my lunch hour. As a member from its inception, Phillip
served long periods as a GCMRC committee member and secretary and was also on the 1980,1988 and 2000 Christchurch conven tion committees. Phillip was an enthusi
Linn Creek, in the US Lake of the Ozarks
On II January over 1,000 Chinese workers
protested at the sudden closure of the Hong Kong-owned Creative Masters Limited
factory at Dongguan in Guangdong prov ince. The owners fled without paying outstanding wages, leading to a street march with workers carrying banners demanding the "heartless bosses" pay them for the
Chinese New Year. Fearing an escalating
the mechanisms, by turning the motors
over 180 degrees and turning them hori zontally to accommodate the tanks that would sit on top.
cab and the ash pan assembled, it was time to test the machine. Both engine units are currently DC, but will be converted to DCC in time. They run very smoothly
around the layout and, being a twin motor drive, have a bit of pulling power. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Newsfrom our friends in the Wairarapa, extracted with thanks from the Matarawa Halt.
portfolio includes Hornby, Scalextric, Electrotren, Lima, Jouef, Rivarossi, Airfix,
Humbrol and Corgi issued a trading update for the period from i October 2011. The company noted growing sales in its Continental European subsidiaries, but said UK sales in the pre-Christmas period were below the corresponding period in 2010, particularly for high-ticket items such as Hornby and Scalextric sets.
The Company expects profits for the year to 31 March 2012 to be below market expectations and that trading conditions will continue to be challenging for the foreseeable future. In response it is putting more effort into media tie-in toys, such as
Star Warsslot racing products, pte-school products based on new TV Series Oily the Little White Van and children's entertain
astic member of the Friends of Ferrymead,
protest, the local authorities promised to
ment brand Moshi Monsters.
who, among other things, provided vintage dining experiences in Curragh Cottage.
pay two months wages to the workers, and
turer of die-cast models for firms including
On the same day, Leicestershire rival Bachmann Europe Plc (a subsidiary of the Chinese Kader group) announced that 2011 had brought the company its highest turnover and profit levels since it was estab
Philip's whole working life was spent with
Corgi, Tamiya, Mattel, PMA Models, MBI,
lished in 1989.
NZR, and for the last 12 years with its various .successors in the relay room at Midas Place.
SMS, Bianti, Ciear and Hallmark. In more recent years CML also manufactured model
Ian Allan magazines sold
railway product.s branded for Athearn,
Well-known British transport publi.shcr Ian
In full Edwardian costume, Phillip - who
loved to dress up - would play the waiter with great finesse.
the real railway. Originally as a cadet with the
New Zealand railways go Stateside
Jom i ud-Aynhov Max Magn i ncss descrb i es hsi
Totara Hat layout in the January/February 2012 issue of the Narrow Gauge andShortline Gazette. 'Ihe Gazette isn't distributed locally,
to hunt down the employers.
Established in 1987, Creative Master was once the world's largest contract manufac
Roundhouse, Hornby, Heischmann, and
Roco. It hadnt reported a profit since 2009 and was divested by parent company Creative Master Bermuda Ltd in 2010.
The closure of the Dongguan fiictory - the companys last - is an indication of the
mpact the world economic crisis is having but if you know anyone who subscribes its ion China's export intlustries. Athearn brand well worth checking out. owner Horizon Hobby has announced
Woodland Scenics fire
One of scenery supplies manuhicturcr Woodland Scenics' buildings was badly
that delivery of some new products may be delayed by the unexpected shutdown.
profit warning damaged by an electrical fire at the begin Hornby On 27 january Hornby Pl.t;, the interna ning of january. No one was hurt and the tional hobby products group whose brand
company's shipping department, ware http://nzmrg.org.nz/
Allan has sold its magazine portfolio, with effect from 2 March 2012. Tlic new owner
is Key Publishing, previously an aviation specialist. As far as our hobby is concerned, this means that Hornby Magazine has new owners. Prototype magazines Modern Railways, Railways Illustrated, Modern Locomotives Illustrated and Steam Days are
also affected, as is Vintage Roadscene. All stafl
working on the titles will continue with the new
owners.
RMweb
sold
B r i t i s h i n t e r n e t f o r u m R M w e b < w w w.
tmweb.co.uk/communirv/index.php/index>
NZ Mom-.i. RaiiWAY jmuiNAi Marc h 2012 41
N Z M O D E L R A I L W A Y J
O
U
R
N
A
Tr a i n a d v i c e Coming events for NZ modellers
L
Administration Manager Ken Lankshear Production
24-25 March 2012 Grand Hobby Show, Matamata Railway Modellers in
Editor
conjunction with Tauranga MRC at Matamata Memorial Centre. Email <jjdorset@xnet.co.nz> for details
Kevin Crosado Features Editor
24-25 March 2012 Nelson Model Railway Exhibition, Stoke Memorial Hall
Peter Ross Please send all Journal articles and other
editorial material to the publisher's post
7-9 April 2012 Model Train Show, Race Course, Fenton Street, Rotorua.
Phone Barry Jenkins on 0-7-348 1450 for information
box or email address.
6-8 April 2012 NZAMRC Convention, Amora Hotel Convention
Advertising Manager
Chambers, 170 Wakefield Street, Wellington, email <info@
Terry Bradley
Please send all bookings and digital ad files to <journalads@vodafone.co.nz> or by mail to the publisher's post box. Publisher
New Zealand Model RailwayGuild Inc
PO Box 180116, Royal Heights, Auckland 0656.
nzamrc.org.nz> or visit <http://nzamrc.org.nz/> 15 April 2012 NZ Model Railway Guild AGM, Cropper House, MOTAT, Western Springs, Auckland, 1.30pm 12—13 May 2012 Dunedin Model Train Show, Forbury Park 12 May 2012 Auckland Collectors Hobbies Fair, Freemans Bay Community Centre
Email: <secretary@nzmrg.org.nz>
7—8 July 2012 Hobby Expo, Taupo Model Railway Club Inc, Taupo Events Centre, Spa Road
NZ Model Railway Guild Inc President
Terry Bradley Vice
14-15 July 2012 Rail—X, Palmerston North, Barber Hall Arena
President
Colin Zeff
18-19 August 2012 North Shore Model Train Show, North Shore Model
Secretary
Railway Club, 9 Recreation Drive, Birkenhead 8 September 2012 Auckland Collectors Hobbies Fair, Freemans Bay
Greg Keay T r e a s u r e r
Alan Curtis
Community Centre
Committee
Trevor Cheer, Phil Rzoska, Neville Connew
7—8 October 2012 Christchurch Big Model Train Show, Pioneer Recreation
and Sports Centre, Lyttelton Street, Christchurch
Area Representatives
8-11 Novemberzoiz Pokaka Cultural Convocation, Taylor Memorial
Northland
Paul
Woods
0-9-432
3060
Lodge, State Highway 4, Pokaka (Milepost 333) - email
Auckland
Neville
Connew
0-9-836
3751
Hamilton
Trevor
James
0-7-856
6866
Bay of Plenty Russell Jones
0-21-045
1931
<pokaka27@vodafone.co.nz> for information
2-3 March 2013 NI Model Expo, Wanganui. Email <modelrailwanganui@ gmail.com> for details
11-12 May 2013 Guild area meeting and AGM, MOTAT, Western Springs, Auckland
Ta r a n a k i
l a n To n k s
0-6-756
5879
Wairarapa
1-3 June 2013 AMRA Convention, Palmerston North, email Neil Lovejoy <lovejoy@vodafonc.co.nz> for details
Situation vacant
Wellington Don Clement 0-4-564 Nelson/Marlborough Trevor Borlase 0-3-544 West
4247
Christchurch
7778
30 May—I June 2015 AMRA Convention, Auckland North Shore
Coast
Situation vacant
If you're organising an exhibition, meeting or other gathering open to NZ modellers
Canterbury
Robin Knight 0-3-376 6436
write to PO Box 180116, Royal Heights, Auckland 0656 or email <secretary@nzmrg.org.
nz> to have it included here. There is no charge for this service. Details must be with
Otago
Don
19-20 October 2013 Rail 150 Christchurch Big Model Train Show, Pioneer Recreation and Sports Centre, Lyttelton Street,
Weston
0-3-467
2630
the publishers at least three months before the date of the event.
Southland
Trevor McMurdo 0-3-215 7240 Australia - Queensland
Les Downey -i-61-7-3386 0564 United Kingdom
Ian Hammond -t-44(0)1284 761215 The New Zealand Model Railway
Guild exists to provide a link between model railway enthusiasts for the
encouragement of modelling the New Zealand prototype.
is now owned by Warners Croup, publishers
of British liuilway Modelling magazine. RMweh, which started In March 2005,
is rhc busiest online railway modelling
fourth busiest railway modelling sire in
the world by web analytics company alexa. com. Although British-focused, the forum also caters to rho.se niodclling other proto
comnuinity in the UK, with a memhcrship
types and has a number of New /ealand
over 85.000 unique visitors eacli month
by a group of modellers dissatisfied with
of around 15,000. On average it attracts and continues to grow in terms of member ship, iraffit and content. Its ranked as the
42 N/. Modki Rah.wav joiiuNAi Mak(.ii 2012
members. Ironically, RMweh was started HRM'^ then online forum, so ir's a case of
what goes around comes around.
Model Railroad News back in print
US magazine Model Railroad News (December 2011 Journal) has resumed
publication with a combined January/ February issue. It is now owned by White River Productions, publishers of NMRA Magazine, Passenger Train Journal and Railroads Illustrated. There's no word yet on whether New Zealand distribution will continue.
Reviews KiwiRail Locomotive and
Rolling Stock Register- 2011 Compiled by the editors of New Zealand Railfan. Published by Triple M Publications, PO Box 4450, Manawatu Mail Centre, Palmerston North 4442.
218 pages, 150 x 210mm, spiral-bound, 211 colour photographs. ISBN 978-09582072-2-5. $35.00 plus $4.50 p&p
Reviewed by Kevin Crosado
Many readers wil recall the New Zealand
Locomotive and Rolling Stock Handbooks put out by Gerald Petrie in 1994 2000. Petrie and Daniel Garland started work
on a revised edition a few years ago, but were unable to complete it. Tlie baton was
then passed to the current publishers, who finished the job with help from KiwiRail staff and others.
The book covers locomotives, passenger
cars, wagons and maintenance vehicles.
There is generally at least one photograp 1 of each item, some brief notes, a table
of leading dimensions and a list of the numbers carried by vehicles m service at
the end of September 2011. Tbe r)'pe size is fairly large and the entries are easy to rea
Layout is functional rather than elegant and many of the notes are a bit repetitive.
Space is provided on many of the pages for people to note changes and updates
railways or would like to be able to make a more intelligent comment than some sort of incoherent gurgle about passing trains, this book is an essential purchase. Realistic Color for
ByTroels Kirk. DVD published by Coast
together and I have great admiration for the job the compilers have done. I nevitably
coastline/shop.html>, 59 minutes,
tt) be very, very minor. Its biggest tailing is
Ihose modellers who spend quality time
.some mistakes have crept in. but they appear the lack of data on KiwiRails containers -
given their critical importance to the freight business, their omission is a bit strange.
Line Productions, <www.no13.se/
Reviewed by Kevin Crosado
in the more culturally-sound corners of the
internet will be familiar with the work of
Iroels Kirk, a Danish painter who lives in
the briefcase or the desk until the publishers
colouring, and Kirk has now produced a DVD explaining some of his techniques.
ecessors. with the lie-Hat spiral binding a
then goes on to sections on colours and
It opens with a brief slide show of his get round to Ls.suing a tablet version. Stil, layout and an outline of Kirks philosophy, it s much easier to work with than its pred
big help. If vou model recent New /ealand http://nzmrg.org.nz/
accident that put a Wairarapa railcar on the station platform as illustrated in The Auckland Star two days later. See Brian Pearce's letter on page 44.
NTSC video, usd35, including shipping
and models Maine narrow gauge Ihe original handbooks were intended to Sweden i n 1:48 scal e. His work has attracted many be pocketable. at least until they tell apart admirers, parti cularly for its atmospheric from wear and handling. The greater size and
weight mean that this version is restricted to
supports survive as part of McKirdy Station at the Silver Stream Railway. Bottom: The 12 November 1946
Railroad Modeling
Reliable information of the sort contained
here is often surprisingly difficult to pull
Top: Da.1451 hurries a southbound goods past Wallaceviile station in July 1972 The building was demolished in March 1978 but the railway-iron verandah
brushes, natural colour, brush techniques.
and the practical application of rhe.se ideas to weathered wood, rust, weathering an enamel sign, roofs, enhancing computerprinted brickwork, weathering rolling stock and painting figures. He finishes with some thotights on landscape colouring and final totiches, then the credits roll over another slide show of the lavout.
Kirk mostlv uses artists" paints and mate
rials in preference to special modellers' piXKlucis. so his insights will be a revelation to manv. He isn t reallv at ease as a pre.senter,
but his lutglish is excellent and the video is easv to h)llow. Ihe music has been specialK'
N/. MODI I, R,\ii WAV lointN.Ai March 1012 45
CEDRIC GREEN P L A N S The NZ Model Railway Guild
^
New
Zealand
announces a new range of plans in the renowned Cedric Green format. This series of plans Is a continuation of those made famous by Cedric Green. They are available in black & white
and in replica "blueprint" format. A new high quality binder Is also available.
RAILSCENE KiwiRail Scene Steam Inc's Art Deco Excursion
See the Shop on the Guild's website for details and pricing or write to the Guild Secretary at the address In the Journal.
GVR Railfans' Day 60 minutes of NZ RAILSCENE action
NZ RAILSCENE covers KiwiRail operations in New Zealand, main line excursions, heritage railways, historical footage and special events.
DVD's $35.80 each plus $4.60 p&p MA3IK VIDEO SYSTEMS
P O Box 15, Westpark Marina Waitakere, Auckland 0661, New Zealand
www.majikvideo.com composed by his wife Anne and is a vast
doesn't like the bandoneon). Kirk has stated
study of the prototype photograph shows that there are two pipes at running board level. One pipe is the air brake pipe, running behind the other pipe to under the side tank. The second pipe, I believe, is for fresh
in the past that his emphasis is very much
air to the cab. This can be identified by close
on color, impression and overall effect. His individual models don't stand up all that
inspection of the photograph, which shows what appears to be two flanges at running board level, with a smdl pipe coming out of the middle of these flanges - check out the photograph of the left hand side of the loco, just below the smoke box door clip. After much agonizing and queries 1 concluded these fittings were some form of injector for
improvement on the canned stodge used
on most modelling DVDs (unless, of course, you're one of those soulless people who
well to close examination, but the overall
effect is absolutely stunning. Even if you don't share Kirks impression istic modelling approach, the DVD provides
an excellent theoretical and practical guide to understanding and applying colour. It's well worth watching and thinking about how st)mc of Kirk's insights might be applied to the local scene. A preview of the
fresh air to the cab, one on each side, hence
Occasionally a train of 10 to 12 carriages would halt at Wallaceville with its trailing portion strung across the road, requiring passengers in the last carriage(s) to detrain onto the roadway. 1 also recall a few instances of passengers alighting from long trains just south of the level crossing. The collision between Rm.6 and a truck
on 12 November 1946 was not a minor incident. The northbound railcar was hit
on the right-hand side and came to rest on its left-hand side on the station platform. Tlie truck driver was seriously injured and
a railcar passenger was admitted to hospital with shock. A photograph depicting the
the sweeping bends to allow free movement
railcar on the platform appeared in Ihe
of the air. Also of note are the two bulges
Auckland Star on 14 November 1946, and
DVD can be seen at <www.youtube.com/
under the front of the smoke box. 'Ihe.se are
in the December 1946 N.Z. Locomotive
watch?v=iLK-t4ghcpE>.
the supports for the front end of the boiler; they have sprung plungers on them. 1 don't
Engineers'Jo u rnai.
know if there was any other support for the
Postbag
front end of the boiler. Wallaceville station
From Brian Pearce, Upper Hutt Thoughts on E.66
Ihe .Station file feature in the December
From Robin Knight, Christchurch
interested nie. as from the 1940.S to
Ihe photographs of the model of 1-..66 in
the mid-6os 1 resided in the Wallaceville
the September Journal Sihow a pipe running from the front of the locomotive up and
area. Over a lengthy period 1 became very
over the top of the tank to the cab. I his has been modelled as the i>rake air pipe. 1
would suggest this is wrong, as a prolotiged
familiar with the station and its environs.
A memory from the early iy50s is that the station platform was too short for some
of the workers' trains from Wellington.
44 N/. M()i>i:i Raii.way loi'RNAi MAitcti 2012
Another serious accident at Wallaceville
occurred on the morning of 30 April 1953, when a northbound pa.s.sengcr train collided with a truck towing a heavy trailer. Ihe truck driver escaped with minor injuries, but the outcome for the truck was cata
strophic. It became entangled with the
locomotive and was carried some 70 yards
to finish up as a twisted mass of wreckage in from of the station building.
Regarding the street names: McLean is spelt Maclean, atui I'm quite certain Ward Street was formerly Mangaroa Valley Road, not Mangaroa Road.
Phillips' Models Manufacturers of Downloadable Cardboard Architecture
Heritage NZ Railway Art posters
Photographic Art Prints Modeling Products for model railways
omaijsaFTiiE
gcrGJiiiiTnta]:iE^^ These Detailed kitsets are now aualiable from
wuiui.phiUipsmodels.co.nz
The Heritage series:
Full Birdcage Coach of 1889
F R E H P O S T; P H I L L I P ' S M O D E L S , PO Box 91 Ashhurst, Palmerston North 4810
Phillips' Models
Phone: Fax 063 269934 Freephone:0800 74455477 0800 phillips
emalhadrian® phillipsmodels.co.nz All products online 'paypal' Fully commercial website
THE ALL NEW f GUILD 1 WEBSITE EST
1947
The NZ Model Railway Guild highly featured interactive website is proving a hit with members and others interested in the hobby, in New Zealand and around the world. Join us now at www.nzmrg.org.nz Features of the Guild website include:
• Personal login for members • Automatic 20% discount for members when logged on • Online subscription renewals with fully secure payment services
• Online shop offering: A New range of Cedric Green plans in B&W and as blueprint replicas Complete range of Guild structure plansets
Traditional range of wagon plans A High quality binders for your Journals and for your Cedric Green plans • Photo galleries including additional photographs supporting Journal articles
• Special members only area for detailed information and photographs for Journal plans • Links to our sustaining advertisers and to retailers and manufacturers.
Contact details are on the website for the Guild Executive and your Area Representative.
See the www.nzmrg.OTg.nz/HOME page for details on how to log on. Log on regularly as the site changes often.
http://nzmrg.org.nz/
NX. Moi>i:i Kahway joruNAi March loiz