Arthur Sherwood

Arthur A. Sherwood is credited with building the world's smallest operating steam locomotive in 1:240 scale (Z gauge). Arthur Sherwood served as associate professor of mechanical engineering at Sydney University, Australia.

Smallest Models
From Railway Modeller, March 1973

Last year we revealed Z gauge, now we have something even smaller. Not, this time, from the Trade, but from Arthur Sherwood of Sydney, Australia. Many readers will be familiar with his work in connection with 00 gauge live steam, but here we show the smallest yet, a 1:480 scale model of a GNR 0-6-2. As they say in show business that! As a relief from such small work, Mr. Sherwood has built an extensive system, to 1:240 scale, with several locomotives based on LMS and Southern projects. I'm not quite sure if he was inspired by Z gauge, or arrived at substantially the same dimensions independently, but the whole model is certainly a great achievement. What is more, as one might also expect, he has built a working live steam locomotive in 1:240 scale, based on a Delaware & Hudson 4-8-0. An even more detailed model, an American Great Northern 2-8-2 is under way.

His extensive 1:240 scale layout has already appeared at several Australian exhibitions, but his real love is his live steam models. I only hope all those jokers who made fun of Z a twelve-month ago are paying attention!