Observer23

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Full Name: The New Zealand Railway Observer

Issue Number: 23

Issue Date: October 1947

Volume and Number: 4/5

Pages: 20

Page Range: 101-120

Cover Image: n.a.

CONTENTS

Society Notes

ARTICLE - The South Island Wab_class_locomotives - New Zealand's Last Mainline Tank Engines by S. A. Rockliffe

• K_class Loco
• X_class_loco
• Ab_class_loco
• Loco_Ws686 built at Addington, entered Service in NI July 1917
• Loco_Wab687 built at Addington, entered Service in NI April 1918
• 10 more built at Hillside in 1923 (boilers made at Addington) numbered Wab763 and 772 ans Ws764 - 771, all sent to Auckland for mainly Suburban work
• During 1926-27, there were another 10 built
• Loco_Wab786, Maker No 243, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service July 1926. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab787, Maker No 244, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service August 1926. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab788, Maker No 245, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service September 1926. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab789, Maker No 246, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service October 1926. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab790, Maker No 247, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service December 1926. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab791, Maker No 248, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service December 1926. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab792, Maker No 249, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service March 1927. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab793, Maker No 250, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service March 1927. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab794, Maker No 251, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service May 1927. Based in Dunedin
• Loco_Wab795, Maker No 252, Built at Hillside (boiler Addington), Entered service May 1927. Based in Dunedin
• 8 ordered from A & G Price for NI work being Loco_Wab796 - 798 and Loco_Ws799 - 803
• The NI Wab_class Loco's were used mainly between Taihape and Taumaranui and the Ws_class_loco's mainly on Auckland Suburban services but some went to Wellington
• Loco_Wab786 - 795 were run in on Dunedin suburban services, then operated Dunedin - Oamaru
• New design trailing trucks fitted between October 1931 and July 1935 and Ws_class_loco's reclassified Wab_class_loco's
• Rear cowcatchers removed from Dunedin based locos to enable double heading
• At nearly 15t axle loads, they were restricted to Pukeuri - Otokaia plus Port Chalmers Branch
• Loco_Wab790 sent to NI in May 1943 and Loco_Wab794 sent to NI in June 1943, 2 Class_Ab_locos, sent south in return
• Loco_Ab792 (converted from loco_Wab792 at Hillside) entered service, with others to follow as they need general overhauls

Electric Locomotives and Railcars

• Electric Locomotive
  • Eo_Class_loco (originally E_class_loco's) Bo-Bo - Otira - Numbered 2 - 6
  • Ec_class_loco Bo-Bo - Christchurch numbered 7 - 12
  • Ed_class Loco 1-D0-2 Wellington - Numbered 101-110
• Electric Motor Coaches
  • Dm_class_unit Numbered 1 - 9
• Diesel Rail Cars
  • Railcar_Rm4, type 'Wairarapa' named "Maahunui" entered Service PE 20/06/1936
  • Railcar_Rm5, type 'Wairarapa' named "Mahuhu" entered Service PE 12/09/1936
  • Railcar_Rm6, type 'Wairarapa' named "Mamari" entered Service PE 12/09/1936
  • Railcar_Rm7, type 'Wairarapa' named "Matahourua" entered Service PE 12/09/1936
  • Railcar_Rm8, type 'Wairarapa' named "Mata-atua" entered Service PE 10/10/1936
  • Railcar_Rm9, type 'Wairarapa' named "Aria-te-uru" entered Service PE 2/01/1937
  • Railcar_Rm30, type 'Standard' named "Aotea" entered Service PE 23/07/1938
  • Railcar_Rm31, type 'Standard' named "Tokomaru" entered Service PE 20/08/1938
  • Railcar_Rm32, type 'Standard' named "Pangatoru" entered Service PE 15/10/1938
  • Railcar_Rm33, type 'Standard' named "Takitimu" entered Service PE 23/07/1938
  • Railcar_Rm34, type 'Standard' named "Tainui" entered Service PE 4/02/1939
  • Railcar_Rm35, type 'Standard' named "Tikitere" entered Service PE 22/07/1939
  • Railcar_Rm50, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 9/11/1940
  • Railcar_Rm51, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 21/06/1941
  • Railcar_Rm52, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 21/06/1941
  • Railcar_Rm53, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 6/12/1941
  • Railcar_Rm54, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 6/12/1941
  • Railcar_Rm55, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 6/12/1941
  • Railcar_Rm56, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 31/01/1942
  • Railcar_Rm57, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 31/01/1942
  • Railcar_Rm58, type 'Vulcan' entered Service PE 12/09/1942

Mount Somers Tramway

New Zealand railways Statement - 1947

Locomotive Notes

• Loco_Ja1245 new ex Hillside PE 16/08/1947
• Loco_Ka948 now oil burner ex Hutt 28/07/1947, also had A.C.F.I. feed-water heaters replaced by exhaust steam injectors, and streamlining removed, 20 others to follow
• Loco_Ka934 now oil burner ex Hutt 30/07/1947
• Loco_Ka954 now oil burner ex Hutt 15/08/1947, also had streamlining removed
• Loco_Ka937 now oil burner ex Otahuhu 22/07/1947
• Loco_Ka907 now oil burner ex Hutt 5/09/1947
• Loco_Ka955 now oil burner ex Hutt 9/09/1947, also had funnel fitted similar to Loco_Ka956 and 957
• Loco_Wab802 had smokebox ash hoppers altered ex Hutt 4/08/1947
• Loco_Ab665 had smokebox ash hoppers altered ex Hutt 5/08/1947, but did not receive a ballast block
• Loco_Ww558 had smokebox ash hoppers altered ex Hutt 14/08/1947
• Loco_Bb663 had smokebox ash hoppers altered ex Hutt 28/08/1947
• A further 20 North Island Locos are to be converted for Oil burning, a total of 70 are required to overcome the coal supply issues.
• Following tests, it was found that the Oil burner's fuel tanks do not need insulating allowing the 1300 gallon tanks to be increased to 1550 gallons
• Additional Oil fuel swtations are being installed and when completed, the following will be the capacities
  • Paekakariki ------ 22,000 gal
  • Palmerston North - 66,000 gal
  • Napier ----------- 15,000 gal
  • New Plymouth ----- 11,000 gal
  • Taihape ---------- 33,000 gal
  • Taumaranui ------- 66,000 gal
  • Frankton --------- 66,000 gal
  • Auckland --------- 66,000 gal
• A_class_loco conversions from 4 cylinder compound to 2 cylinder simple propulsion
  • Loco_A582 ex Hutt March 1941
  • Loco_A476 ex Hillside August 1941
  • Loco_A410 ex Hillside November 1941
  • Loco_A419 ex Hillside December 1941
  • Loco_A423 ex Hillside February 1942
  • Loco_A581 ex Hutt March 1942
  • Loco_A472 ex Hillside March 1942
  • Loco_A587 ex Hutt March 1942
  • Loco_A474 ex Hillside May 1942
  • Loco_A475 ex Hillside July 1942
  • Loco_A422 ex Hillside September 1942
  • Loco_A71 ex Hillside October 1942
  • Loco_A161 ex Hillside March 1942