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Cranko Trains
Donald Cranko an engineer was producing a line of steam powered toys in the 1940's under the name Movie Models. The factory was in Havelock North, New Zealand. General engineering and toy production were done simultaneously. School pupils were employed, part time, to handle such tasks as toy painting, assembly etc.
About 1947 he added 0 gauge trains to his range This included a methylated spirits fired 0-4-0 with twin cylinders and drive to the front pair of wheels, also a range of very simple goods rolling stock and track were made too. These had a transfer with 'CMR' (for Cranko Miniature Railways) attached.
Soon other models were added to the range including a railcar and diesel shunter. These were powered by imported 'Taycol' 6 volt motors.
In 1952 the range changed the 0-4-0 was replaced by two new steam locomotives and an electric. The electric locomotive was powered by an `Electra` mechanism and used the railcar body. The mechanism was fitted in the center and bogies were fitted at the ends giving 14 wheels in total. The new steam engines included the Mighty Atom an small 0-4-0 with a single cylinder in the cab and the largest Cranko model a 2-6-0 Mogul. This had forward, reverse and the exhaust up the chimney. This engine was painted black but looked good with its brass boiler bands.
Later the railcar body was used to produce a passenger coach with slight modifications these included modifying the window arrangement and replacing the mechanism with bogies.
The couplings fitted were Crankos own design. A box was fitted to the buffer beam and an small stamped tinplate link went from the bottom slot on wagon to a hole on the top of the other vehicles buffer. Boxes were simple brown cardboard with a stamped CMR logo on the top. With a hand written description under this.
About 1956 production ceased and Cranko moved to Keri Keri to a citrus farm. The factory was leased to another firm and was burnt down in 1959 and a new building was erected to house the tenants. The site is now part of a supermarket car park.
In the 1970s there were a couple of attempts to get Cranko going again. 20 years after production ceased Graeme Craw had purchased remaining stock and some equipment and marketed a set including a pair of log wagons and a David Auld locomotive
Information from an article printed by the Hornby Railway Collector`s Association Australia in September 2000.
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