Greymouth man on track to make dream a reality

John Winter surveys the miniature scale Howe truss bridge, a feature of his model train circuit being shown to the public next weekend. Photo: Greymouth Star
John Winter surveys the miniature scale Howe truss bridge, a feature of his model train circuit being shown to the public next weekend. Photo: Greymouth Star

Model train rides sparked the imagination of a small boy and now the man is shaping what will be a new attraction for Greymouth.

Tony Winter's scale model railway has been steadily taking shape at South Beach over the past year.

Mr Winter said a special part of childhood holidays in Nelson was the rides on the model railway there, and he continued the tradition with his own children. This in turn sparked a dream to bring something like it to Greymouth "one day".

That impetus got a hurry up a few years ago when a friend's life was cut short and Mr Winter realised "you can't really wait until you retire".

With the kernel of an idea he bought three working scale model steam locomotives after spotting them for sale on-line.

"That really kicked things into gear. You go away and see these little kids going for rides, and they love it so much, and there's nothing like it in Greymouth.

"Mainly I've done it for kids. There are a lot of train-mad kids around," he said.

Originally he envisaged a straight piece of track to steam his scale model locomotives at his South Beach home on to neighbour Peter Haddock's adjoining section, "just to give them a bit of a run" after .

However, Mr Haddock's subsequent clean-up of blackberry and scrub towards the Mill Creek bridge opened up much greater possibilities of a loop track.

"You couldn't do it by yourself," Mr Winter said today.

The result is, the dream of a real miniature rail circuit which in turn sparked the enthusiasm of others.

With his two brothers and "a few working bees", several hundred metres of multi gauge 7 inch and 5 inch scale metal track was manufactured and welded using an ingenious jig, and then laid in a circuit around the site. It includes two bridges.

Mr Winter's brother John, who happens to be the bridge and structures inspector for Kiwi Rail on the Midland Line, put his practical knowledge and expertise to work in a real feature, building an exact replica 11m-long miniature Howe truss bridge for the model train line. It is the same as the type used on the old Cobden rail bridge.

Other brother Neville spent many hours on a three-tonne digger shaping the site.

Mr Winter said the project had a lot of scope to grow, with the potential to extend to the other side of Mill Creek, and the possibility of forming a club eventually and running public events.

However, good things take time.

"It was supposed to be going before last Christmas that was the plan but things happen . . . there's only so much you can do."

It is now at a point where things are ready for a public open day next Saturday afternoon, October 7.

Mr Winter will steam up some of his scale model locomotives and anyone interested is welcome to visit during the afternoon.

 - by Brendon McMahon

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