Who are We?

The Chosen Scale Cooperative is an organisation of modellers dedicated to expanding the modelling of New Zealand Railway prototypes in NZ120.

What is NZ120?

NZ120 is the common name (within New Zealand Model Railway Guild circles) for a scale more accurately referred to as TTn3.5,that is 1:120 scale (or 1/10" to the foot) modelling of a 3'6"prototype (the gauge of all of New Zealand's rail lines).

(For a guide to current New Zealand Rail passenger services see Tranzscenic Timetables)

NZ120 uses standard 9mm N scale track, wheelsets and locomotive mechanisms. The appeal of the scale is similar to that of N Scale: it is ideally suited to small layout areas, and to more fully recreating the glorious mountain scenery of New Zealand than is possible in the larger scales.

West Coast River Scene. Photo A Wells.

There have been modellers active in NZ120 for many years, and credit has to be given to John Rappard from Dunedin who was instrumental in the birth and development of the scale. Iin the late 1980s sizeable groupswere formed in Christchurch and Dunedin, where a major aim was to make NZR modelling available at a lower cost than was available with the predominant Sn3.5 modelling kits.

More recently the scale has received wider notice through the excellent"Cass and Otaki" exhibition layout, and through a number of NZMRG Journal articles.

Until now all rolling stock has been either kitbashed or scratchbuilt. However, as part of the drive to expand NZ120 modelling,The Chosen Scale Cooperative now has some associated companies who make available kits of NZ120 models.