Antipodal in the UK: a brake with a past

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
A distant rumbling
Down here, in compressed Cornwall, a small echo of New Zealand resides. Having spent 18 months living and working in NZ in the mid-2Ks, the country has lodged itself firmly in my heart and mind.

While I was there, I didn’t do much modelling, but bought a few kits to work on. One of these, I started in my hotel room in Villefranche sur Mer in 2007, as I was journeying back to Blighty. What with one thing and another, it got put to one side. But I’ve dug it out, with the intention of trying to finish it.

It’s a 1:64 South Dock 30′ 0″ Wooden Guards Van BP8940 Kit. Mostly resin, with whitemetal around the finer bits. 1:64 on 16.5mm track - Sn3½, apparently.
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B8940 refers to the body type. There are others…I’ve plonked the part built vehicle on the drawing supplied by South Dock - very useful, because information (especially at this remove) on these vehicles is quite sparse. Fortuitously, when I was in Wellington, I picked up a copy of the NZ Model Railway Journal, that has an interesting article on the 30ft brakes. And then there’s the commercial and artistic output of Mr Boul’s very fine modelling at NZ Finescale to inspire The back end – NEW ZEALAND FINESCALE (I’d like to get some of his bits, but I’ll have to wait to see how the finances pan out; the exchange rate - heavily in the UK’s favour 15 years ago - is now a tide to swim against…). The roof (the distinctive “Turtle Back”) is just plonked on for now…

One of the things I’m going to try to do, is get this vehicle to go round corners; the relationship between bogie and footsteps was one of the stumbling blocks that delivered the vehicle to the Zone Of Frustrated Disinterest all those years ago.

Anyway, I thought I’d celebrate the return of the light…

Cheers

Jan
 
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Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
I didn't realise I've actually got one of those too, until I read your description!! :) ;)

NZ S 1/64 on 16.5mm gaiuge track is quite an accurate scale/gauge ratio, isn't it?
Hello @Jordan

I think we all have one :) I try to manage mine, but sometimes things get forgotten… like this.

Indeed. A good reason to model it (there are Aussie lines too, I think). I think the prototype gauge works out a 16.66 mm. I just need to find details for the trackwork — rail code and sleeper spacings - so I can make a plinth for this one.

Cheers

Jan
 

Overseer

Western Thunderer
You have reminded me of a mid 80s brake van tour of the South Island. I should have taken more photos of the vans as they didn't last much longer. I had a week long go anywhere rail/bus ticket and managed to obtain a special pass to travel on goods trains from the manager in Christchurch. Had a fantastic time although the plans were upset by a strike on the Cook Straight ferries. No ferries meant no goods trains so had to catch a train leaving Picton at about 11pm so did the main line to Christchurch over night instead of the next day, still impressive by moonlight.

Not quite the same vans - at Dunedin, with a DJ south of Greymouth on the west coast and with a DSA at either Greymouth or Westport I think.
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The New Zealand Model Railway Guild are probably the place to go for track details, their shop at nzmrg.org.nz sells plans but you might get enough info from the thumbnails.
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
You have reminded me of a mid 80s brake van tour of the South Island. I should have taken more photos of the vans as they didn't last much longer. I had a week long go anywhere rail/bus ticket and managed to obtain a special pass to travel on goods trains from the manager in Christchurch. Had a fantastic time although the plans were upset by a strike on the Cook Straight ferries. No ferries meant no goods trains so had to catch a train leaving Picton at about 11pm so did the main line to Christchurch over night instead of the next day, still impressive by moonlight.

Not quite the same vans - at Dunedin, with a DJ south of Greymouth on the west coast and with a DSA at either Greymouth or Westport I think.
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The New Zealand Model Railway Guild are probably the place to go for track details, their shop at nzmrg.org.nz sells plans but you might get enough info from the thumbnails.
Hello @Overseer
These are some great shots, thanks. I see an FM lurking there, I think. I have one of those, too. They used to pass me on the freight through Waterloo (Hutt Valley) on their way to the Wairapa and beyond, in that light blue livery of the time. Of course, back then, there were no camera phones, so I didn’t get any piccies…

As you say, not quite the same vans; the basis is the same - wood cladding, distinctive rooves.. - but the guards lookout (not a ducket, apparently) is different. The bogies, however, seem to be the same as the kit, in that they look to have the 5’9 four leaf spring variety (8558) frame, whereas the NZ Finescale ones are the 4’10 3 leaf spring variety..

Cheers

Jan
 

Brian McKenzie

Western Thunderer
I just need to find details for the trackwork — rail code and sleeper spacings - so I can make a plinth for this one.

Sleepers 8" x 5" x 7ft at 2ft centre spacing with spiked code 80 rail (for 70lb) on bedplates would suit the period.

However, the cross section of Peco code 80 rail, representing a heavier rail in a smaller scale, is a bit on the skinny side for S scale, so a chunkier code 70 rail may look better.

-Brian M.
 

Brian McKenzie

Western Thunderer
Fraser's photo of the Mitsubishi built shunting loco DSA739 reminds me of the slab of 1-1/4inch thick steel plate I nibble bits from in my workshop, cut from the frames of one of these locos when they were scrapped locally in the 1990s, after 20 years service (two survive in preservation).
Japanese steel was commonly made to imperial sizes years ago, as USA was the dominant market, and the locos were constructed to a mix of imperial and metric dimensions, each carefully converted on the plans (to decimal points) for the other system.

When looking up some track data for @Lyndhurstman, I saw this list of an amazing variety of Australian hardwoods, where used for sleepers in New Zealand. The cost of these timbers today may well be astronomical (if available).

Australian hardwood sleeper varieties imported to New Zealand_7776a.jpg
 

Overseer

Western Thunderer
Hello @Overseer
These are some great shots, thanks. I see an FM lurking there, I think. I have one of those, too. They used to pass me on the freight through Waterloo (Hutt Valley) on their way to the Wairapa and beyond, in that light blue livery of the time. Of course, back then, there were no camera phones, so I didn’t get any piccies…

As you say, not quite the same vans; the basis is the same - wood cladding, distinctive rooves.. - but the guards lookout (not a ducket, apparently) is different. The bogies, however, seem to be the same as the kit, in that they look to have the 5’9 four leaf spring variety (8558) frame, whereas the NZ Finescale ones are the 4’10 3 leaf spring variety..

Cheers

Jan
Yes, FM vans in both first and third photo. Most of my trips were in FM vans. The wouldn't have been many FM guards vans in service by the 2000s. Guards vans stopped being required in the late 1980s and most of the FM vans donated their bogies to ex BR Mark 2 carriages during their conversion for use in NZ. The bogies weren't really up to the task but it took some years for that to become really apparent.

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Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Sleepers 8" x 5" x 7ft at 2ft centre spacing with spiked code 80 rail (for 70lb) on bedplates would suit the period.

However, the cross section of Peco code 80 rail, representing a heavier rail in a smaller scale, is a bit on the skinny side for S scale, so a chunkier code 70 rail may look better.

-Brian M.
Hello @Brian McKenzie
Wow! That’s a great help, thank you. I tried joining the NZMRJ yesterday, but the website wouldn’t let me, so I’m scratching around for info in the interim.

Cheers

Jan
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Feel free to drop me a PM if you're after any specific drawings, we probably still have them on the system.

(Currently playing with EF overhauls for KR)
Kia Ora @Matt.S.
Thank you. That’s very kind. There seem to have been various variants of the 30ft van - with this one being the most unphotographed! #thelawofsod :) It seems odd that the drawing shows no step at solebar level for the goods compartment, when others had them - and had them modified over time. The other fascinating thing is the dog box, and the facility on some for post boxes. Echoes of rural necessity..

Cheers

Jan
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Yes, FM vans in both first and third photo. Most of my trips were in FM vans. The wouldn't have been many FM guards vans in service by the 2000s. Guards vans stopped being required in the late 1980s and most of the FM vans donated their bogies to ex BR Mark 2 carriages during their conversion for use in NZ. The bogies weren't really up to the task but it took some years for that to become really apparent.

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Hello @Overseer
Good info, and great pictures, thanks.
I think the FMs I saw might have been being converted to generator vans and used on the Wairapa Connection trains. But at such a remove, I can’t be sure. Speaking of the MK 2’s; I had a ride on them from Waterloo to Masterton - through the 9Km Remutaka Tunnel of course - not long after they were introduced on the WC. Very smooth, I thought; but then it was early doors for them.

Cheers

Jan
 

Matt.S.

Western Thunderer
Morena - I can't say I'm an expert, having emigrated from the Bristol and the mighty West Fleet a few years ago, currently residing in the Hutt Valley. That said kiwi rolling stock definitely has a certain charm.

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Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Morena - I can't say I'm an expert, having emigrated from the Bristol and the mighty West Fleet a few years ago, currently residing in the Hutt Valley. That said kiwi rolling stock definitely has a certain charm.

View attachment 167072
Morning, Matt
Ah Hillside, I presume. Lots of history there.. Yes; you’re right. There is something about NZ stock. I used to use the old Ganz-Mavag EMUs for my work run into Unity Books. And got a run on Cyclops up to J’ville after it had been restored. And used to watch the R/C shunter from end of the platforms at Welly. Lovely stuff. I hope it’s good for you.

Cheers

Jan
 

Matt.S.

Western Thunderer
Morning, Matt
Ah Hillside, I presume. Lots of history there.. Yes; you’re right. There is something about NZ stock. I used to use the old Ganz-Mavag EMUs for my work run into Unity Books. And got a run on Cyclops up to J’ville after it had been restored. And used to watch the R/C shunter from end of the platforms at Welly. Lovely stuff. I hope it’s good for you.

Cheers

Jan
Hillside has been flattened and is under rebuild, this is Hutt Workshops, near Petone.

The last Ganz is on site somewhere, I think the EE unit is at a pres railway near Silverstream.
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Hillside has been flattened and is under rebuild, this is Hutt Workshops, near Petone.

The last Ganz is on site somewhere, I think the EE unit is at a pres railway near Silverstream.
Ah... right. Whoops. My bad.
Good to know; those Ganz are lovely things. If only someone did a kit of one... :) Maybe someone with access to drawings? :D

Yes; I see that the EE unit went to Maymorn Cyclops English Electric unit arrives at Maymorn | Remutaka Incline Railway . Good to know it's still local.

Cheers

Jan
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Fraser's photo of the Mitsubishi built shunting loco DSA739 reminds me of the slab of 1-1/4inch thick steel plate I nibble bits from in my workshop, cut from the frames of one of these locos when they were scrapped locally in the 1990s, after 20 years service (two survive in preservation).
Japanese steel was commonly made to imperial sizes years ago, as USA was the dominant market, and the locos were constructed to a mix of imperial and metric dimensions, each carefully converted on the plans (to decimal points) for the other system.

When looking up some track data for @Lyndhurstman, I saw this list of an amazing variety of Australian hardwoods, where used for sleepers in New Zealand. The cost of these timbers today may well be astronomical (if available).

View attachment 167065
Hi @Brian McKenzie
I just wanted to say that that's some very interesting research material on the Australian hardwoods there. I don't suppose they have a colour chart for weathering effects, do they? :)

Cheers

Jan
 
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