New Zealand Heritage

[Gavin Sowry]

8| One of the fortunate things about our national museum, Te Papa, is that you can freely take photographs of the exhibits.

Hidden away in the Pacific Islands Habberdashery area, is a display of some ½" to foot scale models of NZ locomotives and rolling stock. Many of the locomotives come from the Roberts Stewart Roberts Railway, that existed in Auckland from 1927 to 1950. This garden railway was 3 rail operation.

This is the exhibit, not exactly condusive to the taking of good photograps, due to the lighting, and the use of back mirrors. :thumbdown:

This model is 80 years old. Built in 1930, by Frank Roberts, it is a model of a Single Fairlie, and numbered R 273.

Also in the collection, is model of a Dubs A, of unknown origin.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

I imagine another gentleman, who shall remain nameless, has dribbled on the floor while trying to will the Dubs A out of it's cage. Cheers Grant.

Frankly, JR's model is far superior to the one on display. Incidently, I found out more about the A model. It was built in 1960 by Harold Joynt, and used cab fittings made by Frank Roberts

Hi Gavin,
PS - have you done any more to the Climax?

Yes.

 

[mbiff]

thanks for sharing - single fairlie is a cracker

 

[Gavin Sowry]

- single fairlie is a cracker

8| It's a locomotive, actually..... (ducks for cover, assumes anonimity, books fast submarine to South America to join Fred Nerk......)

 

[Richie]

Nice collection Would love a case like that to display my locos

 

[Gavin Sowry]

:- Like I said, conditions not the best for photography.

What with glass, mirrors, and stray light, I've managed to capture the essence of one of Frank's last models, made in 1948. This is a Richmond (later part of Alco) 4-6-0 NZR class Ub number 371. A rather handsome machine, reminesant of the Bachmann Big Hauler.