Father's shed

Activity: Collection
Age: All ages

The Railway Museum receives many offers of donations. People are quick to think of the museum when they come across items in their attics that have a railway history. These are not always valuable additions to the collection, but sometimes we come across unexpected finds. Such was the case with the donation offered by Mrs Den Engelsman in 2011. Her father had built a magnificent model of the NS 3904 steam locomotive. Not only did this model find a place in the museum, but his entire hobby shed moved with it!

J.W. Groot

Model-maker J.W. Groot (1921–2001) from Heeze built a unique model of the NS 3904 steam locomotive in his shed in the back garden, a project that took him 15 years to complete. Every part of the model was made by hand, from the tiniest screws and bolts to the steam boiler and the wheels. Special about it: the model is fully functional and roadworthy, meaning it can be fired up with steam. The locomotives of the 3900 series were built in 1929 and 1930 by the German manufacturer Henschel & Son. The NS needed more powerful locomotives to pull the increasingly heavy steel carriages. The locomotives remained in service until 1958, when the railway was electrified.

NS3904

The model that Mr. Groot built was of such high quality that the museum was very happy to include it in its collection. However, during a visit to the donor, the museum discovered something else that turned out to be a wonderful addition to the collection. Mr. Groot’s hobby shed was so remarkable that it was agreed to move the entire shed to Utrecht. After all, what could be better than showing how such a superb model of the NS3904 was made? From lathes, soldering equipment and tools to hundreds of screws and bolts, the shed beautifully demonstrates what is required to produce this kind of handmade model. It illustrates the craftsmanship with which Mr. Groot built his models.

Father's shed

The Railway Museum has reconstructed the entire shed in its original condition within the museum. Attention has been paid to the smallest details; the coffee is steaming, the tools lie exactly as they were found, and the intercom works. “Dad, are you coming for a cup of coffee?” rings out from the speaker every now and then. The museum has named the space ‘Father’s Shed’, as the ultimate tribute to model-maker J.W. Groot from Heeze.