Meiji Era railways

[Chris_Nicole]

Hi,

I am interested in Japan's earliest railways.

Particularly locomotives or rolling stock imported or derived from Britain or America.

I have two of Micro-Ace's 2-4-0 tank engines and coaches.

One is as imported from Stephenson's Vulcan works. It's finished in black and gold lacquer, presumably what a Lancastrian engineer thought a Japanese loco should look like.

The other model is the same loco as modified, improved and preserved in Japan. It actually looks more British than the original !

 

I suspect that Kawai's kit of the B6 Class 2100 0-6-2T is a Dub's / North British Locomotive.

About 300 were imported in the early 1900's.

 

Kawai also do two sets of 'Classic Passenger cars' in brown or red and yellow:

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10133136

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10133134

 

The yellow ones would not look out of place on a Disney wild west show!

Can anyone tell me what these represent or when they ran ?

 

I am wondering if there are any other models of early Japanese railways rolling stock ?

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Kitayama]

B6 Class 2100 0-6-2T:

According to the lists in "Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914" (ISBN 978-4-8053-1006-9) - THE book in English on this subject - class 2100 was imported from Dubs in 1890,1891,1898 - in total 17 locomotives of this class.

 

But, isn't the Kawai loco a Class 2120? (Very similar, I don't know the difference).

Class 2120 was imported from both Dubs/North British, Sharp Stewart and Schwartzkopff in 1898-1905 - in total 268 locomotives.

[Nick_Burman]

The Kawaii coaches are American cars painted to resemble Japanese equipment. Coaches like this were used mainly in Hokkaido.

 

 

Cheers NB

[bikkuri bahn]

The Kawaii coaches are American cars painted to resemble Japanese equipment. Coaches like this were used mainly in Hokkaido.

 

 

Cheers NB

 

Yes, in the early phases of railway development in Japan, the Americans were tasked with building railways in Hokkaido, the British with Honshu, and the Germans with Kyushu.

[westfalen]

The Vulcan 2-4-0 and coach in the Omiya Museum. They also have a Manning Wardel 0-6-0T.

[Chris_Nicole]

B6 Class 2100 0-6-2T:

According to the lists in "Early Japanese Railways 1853-1914" (ISBN 978-4-8053-1006-9) - THE book in English on this subject - class 2100 was imported from Dubs in 1890,1891,1898 - in total 17 locomotives of this class.

 

But, isn't the Kawai loco a Class 2120? (Very similar, I don't know the difference).

Class 2120 was imported from both Dubs/North British, Sharp Stewart and Schwartzkopff in 1898-1905 - in total 268 locomotives.

 

 

Thanks,

When ever I search for info on early Japanese railways I come across references to that book...

I really ought to see if I can find a copy.

 

The figure I had of 300 may include all the imported Class 2100/2120 locos.

It was mentioned in passing on a Dubs / North British preservation group newsletter.

 

I don't know the difference between Class 2100 and 2120 either. I was working from the kit details on HS and a link I found on the Oigawa steam railway website.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Chris_Nicole]

The Kawaii coaches are American cars painted to resemble Japanese equipment. Coaches like this were used mainly in Hokkaido.

 

 

Cheers NB

 

Yes, in the early phases of railway development in Japan, the Americans were tasked with building railways in Hokkaido, the British with Honshu, and the Germans with Kyushu.

 

Nick, Bikkuri,

Thank you both.

That clarifys the situation re USA influence.

Those coaches might run well with MA's Benkei or Yoshitsune  Type 7100 locos...

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Chris_Nicole]

The Vulcan 2-4-0 and coach in the Omiya Museum. They also have a Manning Wardel 0-6-0T.

 

 

Westfalen,

Thank you for those great photos.

 

I had seen photos of the Vulcan before, but I had no idea that there was a Manning Wardle tank loco.

The photos of the carriage are very useful too.

I assume that the chap on top is a museum employee not part of the exhibit!

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[marknewton]

But, isn't the Kawai loco a Class 2120? (Very similar, I don't know the difference).

 

Yes, the Kawai model is a 2120 class engine. The differences are minimal between the two classes, the 2120 has a slightly longer boiler and smokebox, and is slightly heavier.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Chris_Nicole]

But, isn't the Kawai loco a Class 2120? (Very similar, I don't know the difference).

 

Yes, the Kawai model is a 2120 class engine. The differences are minimal between the two classes, the 2120 has a slightly longer boiler and smokebox, and is slightly heavier.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

 

Mark,

My mistake. As you note, the Kawai model is a Class 2120, not 2100.

The preserved loco 2109 from Oigawa is a Dubs class 2100.

 

Doh!

:)

 

I found an article in the North British Locomotive Preservation Group newsletter May 2010:

 

"NBL WORLD 1 - Big In Japan

 

Although not widely reported, NBL built nearly 300 locomotives for Japan between 1903 and 1923. The

vast majority were 0-6-2 Tanks but the total included 4-6-0’s, 2-6-0’s and very interestingly, two classes of

early electric locomotives which were built in conjunction with English Electric. There are four survivors

comprising three Class B6 (later Class 2130) 0-6-2T’s and one Class ED17 electric."

 

They've missed another preserved Dubs loco. No 1080 was imported as a 4-4-0 tender loco in 1901.

Later she was converted to a 4-4-2 tank engine and is now preserved in Umekoji:

http://homepage3.nifty.com/EF57/museum/e-ume/Um-flame.html

 

Now that would make a nice model in either version!

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Chris_Nicole]

Hi,

can anyone identify this loco:

The 4-4-0 tender loco #6250;

 

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~toyoyasu/bt_1.htm

 

Who made these, are they still available ?

 

I assume that the motor is in the tender, apart from that it's stunning...

 

Are there any other Meiji era model locos or rolling stock ?

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[angusmclean]

It's not a model made by the main three, and anyway, Microace would probably be the only one prepared to take it one, as they have done the 2-4-0 and the 7100 series. It gives the impression of a manufactured model, but with detail such as brake shoes in  line with the treads on the tender, unusually well-detailed coupling on the front, things normally only seen in the last few years, but spring leaf detail is missing on both the bogie and tender axles.  Either made by a smaller producer or a very clever individual.  I would guess the former, seeing that it is being compared to other models in this website.  I would love to have one, along with other types of this era up to the mass production of Japanese designs, but sadly the home demand and interest by Microace is probably lacking.

 

Angus

[Kabutoni]

can anyone identify this loco:

The 4-4-0 tender loco #6250;

 

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~toyoyasu/bt_1.htm

 

Who made these, are they still available ?

 

I assume that the motor is in the tender, apart from that it's stunning...

 

That model was made by World Kougei. Probably a very rare model that would have been sold as a brass kit at around ¥25,000 at that time (maybe over 8 years ago?). It's now a bit more worth I think.

[Chris_Nicole]

can anyone identify this loco:

The 4-4-0 tender loco #6250;

 

http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~toyoyasu/bt_1.htm

 

Who made these, are they still available ?

 

I assume that the motor is in the tender, apart from that it's stunning...

 

That model was made by World Kougei. Probably a very rare model that would have been sold as a brass kit at around ¥25,000 at that time (maybe over 8 years ago?). It's now a bit more worth I think.

 

Ouch!

 

Thanks for the info.

I live in hope that MicroAce will reissue more of their early locos and some rolling stock to go with it.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[keitaro]

$300 plus http://www.dauphin-railwaymodel.jp/37_66.html

 

my japanese is very basic not sure if this is still even valid sale page

 

edit* seems like still possible don`t ship intl though.

 

these guys have some thirdparty stuff i think would be hard finding elsewhere such as hw hs

[bikkuri bahn]

$300 plus http://www.dauphin-railwaymodel.jp/37_66.html

 

my japanese is very basic not sure if this is still even valid sale page

 

edit* seems like still possible don`t ship intl though.

 

these guys have some thirdparty stuff i think would be hard finding elsewhere such as hw hs

 

Looks like they have just one in stock.  Nice model, as long as you don't look from the waist down (my those flanges!).

[Chris_Nicole]

Thanks for finding that.

I'm afraid it's rather beyond my means at the moment.

Still it's good to know that they are still available.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Martijn Meerts]

Lovely locomotive, but the one at Dauphin doesn't have $300 worth of detailing on it ;)

[keitaro]

i was thinking of buying one of those realline premium models they looks so well done :O if i do buy one i will post it with lots of youtubes hahah

[Martijn Meerts]

i was thinking of buying one of those realline premium models they looks so well done :O if i do buy one i will post it with lots of youtubes hahah

 

I've been considering that as well, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that they don't run well, and that you're better off buying MicroAce/Kato/Tomix. Unless you want a display model of course ;)

[keitaro]

http://translate.google.com.au/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww5a.biglobe.ne.jp%2F~toyoyasu%2Fd51rrl_2.htm

 

This guy seems to say same thing however this was 2007 model so must be improvements since then