Barry Marchant

My model of a Christchurch double deck tram as built 1905. The trolley pole had been removed when this photo was taken. Usually the model appears after the original was built, but in this case the model came first! It was then used to persuade the unbelievers how the seating should be arranged on No 26 at Ferrymead. This is a good example of scratch building! The trolley standard is the barrel of a ball point pen, the netting around the top deck is a length of fly screen netting as used on a flyscreen door! and the windows are cut from a soft drink bottle with straight sides. Stairs were cut from a block of customwood with a fret saw. The pole (not shown) was made from a double-butted bike spoke and fitted with a trolley head and base. Wheels are the correct scale size. The truck side frames were made from two excellent patterns carved by Colin. These were embedded in plastersene and hardened in the freezer (don't tell mum!) over night. Next morning the patterns were removed from the moulds to be replaced with builders bog. The result is a set of 14D5 side frames to match the full size originals. Unfortunately the aprons are still missing their wooden tops. I think the driver has escaped to have a cuppa. The model runs very nicely and will tow a trailer.

Thank you Nikolay. Russia is a BIG country compared to NZ. May I ask whereabouts? I believe some Russian cities still have tram systems. Some photos would be appreciated. Perhaps put them on flickr and post the link.

To clarify matters, I turned the wheels out of steel bar, the axles are of 3mm bright steel rod and run in inside brass bearings, then I fitted them to the car. The couplings are made from square brass tube for the head and brass bar for the towbar. They represent the originals as used in Christchurch and elsewhere. The body of the car is entirely Colin's own work, its lovely.

Here is a better closeup of No10, the original was the 1st tram rebuilt for the Ferrymead Tramway in 1969? This model built by Colin with hardware by me. To get this in I had to brush up on my knowledge of html coding from years ago. Note my Lamborgni in the background.

Thank you All for your greetings. Looks like I will be spending some time with the camera and computer I have a website "homepages.paradise.net.nz/barry-m/" which you may be interested in. Its probably due for a revamp, but you will get an idea of the size of our tram fleet. Enjoy, Barry SORRY TO SAY MY PROVIDOR HAS STOPPED HOSTING WEBSITES SO MUNTING ALL MY LINKS, Barry

Ahaaa it worked!!! That makes uploading easy! Barry

Thanks Steve, will do. In the meantime, have a look at "homepages.paradise.net.nz/barry-m/". Some of the pics should be familiar to you but the site has not been updated for some time. There are several more models to be added some time. Could I use a url to one of these photos to upload? I will try a link showing the Kitson and wagons Some of the links to prototypes are now dead, thank you Vodafone for dropping some of your services.

file:///home/barry/Photos/trams/chch/7/e-004a.jpg this link does not work, see photo below. Barry

Hi Steve, Congrats on completing a very nice model. With your skills I am glad that you do not model trams! I have just joined Britmodeller so will feature 1 of my models shortly. Barry

Hi, My modelling interest is in modelling trams, mainly those of Christchurch, NZ. As a child I rode them frequently until the system was closed 1954. Perhaps my fondest memory is that of riding behind Kitson No 7 with two trailers in 1950 when it was recommissioned for Christchurch's centennial celebrations. It was run between New Brighton and North Beach on mainly abandoned track, and at the end of each day, with its two trailers fully laden, followed a service car back to town and then to the shed at Moorhouse Avenue. Later that year the exercise was repeated at the end of the Sumner line, but this time between service trams . I will take my model apart to photograph it due course for those interested The scale of all my models is 1:32 and the gauge 45mm. Electrical pickup is basic 2 rail with dummy overhead. BTW the prototype still runs on the Ferrymead tramway and is to receive a newly reconditioned boiler in the 'near' future. Barry