On The Up: Greater Waikato Railway Modellers Inc. brings farming history to life

Incorporating the OO gauge trains into a rural setting. Photo / Catherine Fry

NZME has launched On The Up – a national campaign showcasing amazing stories of inspiration, success, courage and possibilities. In this story, Catherine Fry of Coast & Country News catches up with The Greater Waikato Railway Modellers Inc.

It would seem that farmers are not only drawn to collecting full-size vintage vehicles but also miniature versions.

The Greater Waikato Railway Modellers Inc. (GWRM) has a dedicated membership from various backgrounds, including farming.

Groups of enthusiasts have been meeting since the 1960s in different areas of Waikato.

Amalgamation of the groups resulted in the formation of the Greater Waikato Railway Modellers Inc. in 2015, and Paul Murphy was elected president.

The club initially used ex-dairy farmer and life member Brian Harvey’s hobby room and shed, but space was limited.

“It was always the dream to have a long-term building for the club where we can all meet and tinker,” Murphy said.

The old Bowling Club clubhouse at Leamington Domain in Cambridge came up for lease, and the club moved there in December 2020.

The club boasts a large permanent OO-gauge layout, which is a detailed and nostalgic recreation of English farming life around the 1960s.

Fifteen years of work have gone into the display, and members run model trains from several different historical train lines.

Ex-farmers Harry Davison, left, John Curtis, Brian Harvey and Dick Morton with Greater Waikato Railway Modellers Inc club president Paul Murphy (centre). Photo / Catherine Fry

“We have members covering a large range of skills,” ex-dairy farmer Harry Davison said.

“Some people are more interested in the models and running them, others are involved in the electronics, and others enjoy constructing scenery and buildings.”

An hour-long debate on how to build fences on hills ensued between the farmers and non-farmers over this now infamous fence. Photo / Catherine Fry

Former dairy farmer Dick Morton is known as a bit of a wizard at making accurate scale buildings from scratch.

Other members keep their own portable layouts at the club.

Ex-coalmine engineer Alf Stubbs has built an accurate miniature layout of Middleton Colliery in Yorkshire, UK, as it was in the 1960s.

A Fordson tractor at work. Photo / Catherine Fry

Historian Keith Rimmer has built several intricate layouts depicting gold mining over the years.

Secretary Phil Murray’s layout is the children’s favourite.

It’s not only creative things happening at the club.

Even model vehicles need the garage sometimes. Photo / Catherine Fry

Murphy has a PhD and experience with social services and encouraged members to open it to the public on Sunday mornings and invite children to “have a drive”.

“We noticed differences in how children interacted with the trains, and parents often confirmed that their child was autistic.”

After consulting the University of Waikato, two Master’s of Psychology students observed children and interviewed parents as data for their theses.

They confirmed what club members had observed and identified areas for further study.

Hopefully, with the help of club members, two more students will investigate these areas in 2025.

For public opening times, see www.gwrm.co.nz.