Frank Roberts (model maker)
Encyclopedia
Frank Roberts was a New Zealand pioneer in building model trains. His models were extremely accurate and reflected the history of the New Zealand railways.
Roberts spent his early career working for New Zealand Railways Department
as a cleaner, fireman and driver before becoming a partner in an electrical firm with his brother Jack. In 1903 Roberts built his first model which was of the "Wa" class steam locomotive using a scale of 1:19. Over the next 50 years he was to develop a garden railway at his home in Epsom, Auckland. His meticulously accurate working models of examples of the locomotives and rolling stock found on New Zealand railways became a local attraction. The popularity of this layout led to Robert's being commissioned in 1938 by the Railways Department to build and operate a working model train layout for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition
.
Robert's work for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition (1940) showed him at the peak of his expertise. The New Zealand Railways Department section of the exhibition was extremely popular.
Roberts sold his models to the Railways Department in 1950 and was employed by them to maintain them as working models. In 1993, just prior to privatisation, New Zealand Rail Limited
gifted the collection to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
.
Roberts spent his early career working for New Zealand Railways Department
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
as a cleaner, fireman and driver before becoming a partner in an electrical firm with his brother Jack. In 1903 Roberts built his first model which was of the "Wa" class steam locomotive using a scale of 1:19. Over the next 50 years he was to develop a garden railway at his home in Epsom, Auckland. His meticulously accurate working models of examples of the locomotives and rolling stock found on New Zealand railways became a local attraction. The popularity of this layout led to Robert's being commissioned in 1938 by the Railways Department to build and operate a working model train layout for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition
New Zealand Centennial Exhibition
The New Zealand Centennial Exhibition took place over six months from Wednesday 8 November 1939 until 4 May 1940. It celebrated one hundred years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and the subsequent mass European settlement of New Zealand...
.
Robert's work for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition (1940) showed him at the peak of his expertise. The New Zealand Railways Department section of the exhibition was extremely popular.
Roberts sold his models to the Railways Department in 1950 and was employed by them to maintain them as working models. In 1993, just prior to privatisation, New Zealand Rail Limited
Tranz Rail
Tranz Rail, formally Tranz Rail Holdings Ltd , was the main rail operator in New Zealand from 1991 until it was purchased by Toll Holdings in 2003.- Formation :...
gifted the collection to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; "Te Papa Tongarewa" is broadly translatable as "the place of treasures of this land".The museum's principles...
.
External links
- Models by Frank Roberts from the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- Film Letting off Steam Working models of railway locomotives at a model engineering society's field-day and children at an exhibition of N.Z.R. models. Held by Archives New Zealand. Ref: R.V.132
- Film Weekly Review No. 379 (1948) Auckland Garden Railway. Held by Archives New Zealand. Ref: R.V. 689