Towards the end of March 2024, I stumbled across a number of journals of the New Zealand Model Railway Guild. One of these, the March 2021 edition, included a pictorial article about J1211 North British 4-8-2 Locomotive No. 24534 of 1939. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/03/26/the-north-british-locomotive-company-j-class-locomotives-on-new-zealands-3ft-6in-gauge-network/ 40 No. 4-8-2 locomotives which were built in 1939 by the North British Locomotive Company and became the New Zealand Railways (NZR) J class.
As pictured these almost have a somewhat North American appearance. Railways in New Zealand are quite an unknown for me. Both past and anything currently in operation.
Yes. I read that information. Just wondering it the appearance was purely accidental? Or there was other influence?
The NZ Model Railway Guild magazines show a series of models of what looks generally like US outline rolling stock. Although the regular track gauge was 3ft 6in. Carriages tend to have opened d platforms with railings. There are pictures of caboose-style brake vans and quite a number of longer freight vehicles on bogies. British locomotive builders seem to have built these particular locos to an NZ design. It is suggested in the journal that North British built these locos as a result of jack of capacity in the NZ workshops and that later locos of the slightly modified 'Ja' Class were built in NZ.
In late March 2024, I discovered several journals from the New Zealand Model Railway Guild. Among them was the March 2021 edition, which featured a pictorial article about the J1211 North British 4-8-2 Locomotive No. 24534, built in 1939. This locomotive was part of a series of 40 4-8-2 locomotives constructed by the North British Locomotive Company and used by the New Zealand Railways (NZR) as part of the J class. You can read more about these locomotives in the linked article: The North British Locomotive Company J Class Locomotives on New Zealand's 3ft 6in Gauge Network
I am not sure where all those links came from. I posted just the one link: ... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2024/03/2...otives-on-new-zealands-3ft-6in-gauge-network/
They are pretty little things. The narrow gauges in the U.S. never ran any Mountain types. They look like they could handle Cumbres Pass.
Some of the locos that served on metre-gauge lines and 3ft 6in lines were very powerful. The Garratts in particular were monsters.
