New Zealand Model Railway

[beakaboy]

Hi all. Not sure If I have already posted this link, but a video from back in 1993 of a lovely narrow gauge layout which has been dismantled some years ago. Merv Smith , the owner , was also into Japanese N scale and I have recently purchased some of his N scale fleet at a local show.

Edited November 2, 2016 by cteno4
Fixed YouTube embed

[velotrain]

I'm greatly disappointed there is only a one second clip of that most strange engine at 0:40 - do you know anything of it?

[beakaboy]

I'm greatly disappointed there is only a one second clip of that most strange engine at 0:40 - do you know anything of it?

Charles, I have the original VHS tape of this production and there were several layouts displayed from all around New Zealand in different scales and gauges. I still have an old VHS player, so at some stage I must review this tape again and identify the layout in question. Its been many years since I have viewed it. I suspect the video was converted to DVD in later years, so I must check at local shops for a copy. quality still won't be great , but at least it will be quicker to view particular portions.

[kvp]

It looks like a barebone 2 truck Heisler. They seemed to be popular at New Zealand bush lines.

[velotrain]

beakaboy - You implied that the whole video was Merv Smith's NG layout, but perhaps that's not the case.  I did notice many locos with rod-connected driving wheels, and took that to mean a single modeler, but perhaps it's because all were modeling NZ bush NG.

 

kvp - what grabbed my attention was the action above the driving wheels.  It's clearly a vertical boilered steamer, but I tend to associate Heislers with the traditional opposed, sloping cylinders - at least on the Heislers made in the U.S.

 

Here it looks like a horizontal cylinder is driving each end through linkage, which is certainly a new arrangement to me.

[beakaboy]

beakaboy - You implied that the whole video was Merv Smith's NG layout, but perhaps that's not the case.  I did notice many locos with rod-connected driving wheels, and took that to mean a single modeler, but perhaps it's because all were modeling NZ bush NG.

 

kvp - what grabbed my attention was the action above the driving wheels.  It's clearly a vertical boilered steamer, but I tend to associate Heislers with the traditional opposed, sloping cylinders - at least on the Heislers made in the U.S.

 

Here it looks like a horizontal cylinder is driving each end through linkage, which is certainly a new arrangement to me.

Sorry Charles not my intention to confuse! The chap who placed it on you tube has not put all the Merv Smith layout segment on the video, possibly due to copyright or another reason. From vague memory, at this stage, I seem to recall that the loco in question was part of a bush tramway layout based on the Piha Tramway. Heres a link to the history with some photos

https://movin2newzealand.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/the-piha-tramway-piha-karekare-and-whatipu/

[marknewton]

Charles, there were many weird and wonderful geared locos built by NZ engineering firms. You might find this page worth a look:

 

http://www.trainweb.org/nzgearedlocomotives/index.html

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[kvp]

So the horizontal piston arrangement is like a Dispatch, but the side rod coupling is like a Heisler and none of the linked locos had sets of horizontal pistons on both ends. It would be interesting to find out if the model had an exact prototype or was freelanced based on several types.

[beakaboy]

found the old VHS tape and will view it over the weekend and hopefully provide more info!