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Full Name: Your Auckland Railway News

Issue Number: 5

Issue Date: November 1953

Volume and Number: 1/5

Pages: 4

Page Range: 1-4

Cover Image: n.a.

CONTENTS

Planned Trips

Christmas Train services

Auckland Provincial News

• The first 8m 52ch of the Murupara Branch (Hawkens Junction to Kawerau) were opened for traffic on 26/10/1953, and being worked by Ab_class_engines
• 24 Railway Houses being built at Kawerau.
• Loco_Tr61 ex Putaruru is to be relocated to Kawerau in the interim and coupled De_class_loco's are expected before end of 1953
• Tauranga Yard had had lots of material for the Mt Maunganui Branch stockpiled with track laying well under way.
• It is understood that Murupara will become the mainline terminus and Taneatua a Branch Line.
• The 2 mile deviation at Tirau to Putaruru is still awaiting rails
• The extensive deviation south of Whangarei is progressing . rails are not yet on site and one large cutting still needs to be excavated.
• The future Down Main was brought into use as the Main Line to allow upgrade of the older track with 85lb rail.
• Auckland's two new suburban stations are reporting good public support.

Mile-post intervals between Tuakau and Mercer are not regular. the 35th mile being 3ch short, several others about o.5 chain short. the 39th mile (through Pokeno Station) is just over 19 chain long.

Engine For sale. The Government Stores Board have a 32t Heisler for sale at Mamaku, ex Loco_TTT9

Errors Reported. These have been corrected in the wiki data

Specials for Pageant Planes two trains ran from Otahuhu and Auckland, to Kumeu worked by loco_J1208 and loco_J1216 with their length restricted by the Newmarket Triangle.

Auckland Depot News

• Loco_J1213 suffered a tender bearing failure c.1/10/1953 at Papakura. Recovered by special train with a crane the following Saturday.
• Loco_Ja1275 suffered a tender roller bearing failure at Pokeno on 8/10/1953. Recovered by special train with a crane the following Saturday.
• Loco_J1236suffered a fractured cylinder head while up north
• Loco_De512 has been giving a lot of trouble of late
• Loco_Ka946, loco_Ab663 and loco_Ka945 all came to Auckland from Taumaunui between 7th and 9th November 1953 for attention to their tyres.
• Loco_Ka946 worked Train in and out of Auckland for a few days and went home on 16/12/1953.
• Loco_J1205 returned from Taumarunui on 16/12/1953.
• A J_class_engine was again seen on the Papakura train following minor issues with Loco_Ab803
• Loco_C861 left for Hutt workshops on 29/09/1953
• The following are under repair at Auckland; Loco_Ka945, Loco_Ab663, Loco_Ab830, Loco_Wab765, Loco_Wab769, Loco_J1236, Loco_Bb624, Loco_C858, Loco_Ww566, Loco_Ww677, Loco_Ww687, Loco_Ww495
• The following are under repair at Frankton as at 15/10/1953, Loco_K914, Loco_K905, Loco_K915, Loco_J1218, Loco_J1225, Loco_J1232, Loco_J1214, Loco_F254, Loco_Bb147, Loco_Bb55, Loco_Ab664, Loco_Ab759, Loco_A583 and Loco_X588 also Loco_Tr61 and Loco_Tr31.
• On 10/11/1953 loco_Wab687 (ex Wellington earlier) returned from Putaruru with a long train, the first time a loco of this class has been recorded on the Rotorua Branch.
• Loco_Wab686 (ex Wellington) is now based at Putaruru in place of an X_class_loco
• Northern District engines expected back from Hutt Workshops soon are, Loco_Ka940, Loco_K904, Loco_K906, Loco_K916, Loco_K919, Loco_K921 and Loco_K923

Turntable limitations at Huntly means the Auckland - Huntly goods is restricted to Ab_class_loco's. Trials were made on 8/10/1953 using Loco_De501 and loco_De503 running Train_255/246 with considerable success. This working has since become regular