YARN2

Prev Issue Next Issue

Full Name: Your Auckland Railway News

Issue Number: 2

Issue Date: August 1953

Volume and Number: 1/2

Pages: 2

Page Range: 1-2

Cover Image: n.a.

CONTENTS

Timetable changes

• From 13/07/1953 The Opua Express departs Opua 9:10am (5 minutes earlier) and has an extra 5 minutes in Otiria Junction
• Train_3 is an addition goods from Auckland - Waitakere, departing at 5:30am and returning as Train_12, departing at 7:05am
• The extra suburban arriving at Auckland at 8:07am is well patronised
• There are a number of Specials running during the school Holidays

New Station. Kinleith a fully officered station at the terminus of the Tokoroa Branch opened for all goods traffic on 20/07/1954

Waikato News

• Many slips and washouts throughout the Waikato following heavy rain on 4th and 5th July. The Waikato River in full flood by 6/07/1953
• Mercer yard kept dry by sandbagging and water still over the track in places on 19th with speed restriction severely affecting timekeeping.
• Loco_K910 broke a connecting rod at Ohaupo on 13/7/1953
• Of Frankton's 17 K_class_loco's,only 4 are running. 6 are laid up in the shed, Loco_K915 is grounded (coal dispute), Loco_K906 in marooned in Auckland, and Loco_K902 is at Hutt Shops.

Suburban Timekeeping

• Loco_Wab803 was on the 8:25pm on 7/7/1953 with several issues
• Loco_Wab802 was on the 6:30pm on 20/07/1953 with a late start due to a hot box on the earlier Papakura 'Express' requiring the detachment of the 60ft car-van at Papatoetoe

Loco Swaps (Apparently not all factual ref YARN5)

• Palmerston North received her last 5 Ja_class_locos, releasing 2 Aa_class_loco's that went to Ohakune
• Loco-Ww493 and loco_Ww494, freed up from Ohakune, will be visiting Hutt Workshops before going to Auckland

Condemned

• Loco_F257 has sadly been condemned
• Loco_Wg487 has gladly been condemned

Auckland Depot

• For shunting duties around Auckland the current allocation is: 17 Ww_class_loco's, 8 C_class_loco's, 3 Bb_class_loco's,and 1 Wg_class_loco.
• Actually available are : 11 Ww_class_loco's (nicknamed Bobtails?), 5 C_class_loco's, 2 Bb_class_locos and the Wg_class_loco are present, with some C_class_loco's due for urgent repairs. No sign of promised diesels
• the 30 Cleaners are doing a good job on Ja_class_loco's, Wab_class_loco's, and even C_class_loco's
• When the Ja_class_loco's arrived without the NZR type jack, they were taken from the Wab_class_loco's. Some Wab_class_loco's are now returning from overhauls at Hutt Workshops with replacement jacks
• loco_Ab703 ex A&G Price on 1/07/1953 following overhaul
• loco_Ab824 has gone to A&G Price for overhaul
• K_class_loco's are not allowed across the Mercer swamps while the formation is so soft.
• Loco_Ka943 (Taumaranui based) left Hutt Workshops late July following an Overhaul, Loco_Ka942 has gone into Hutt about the same time.
• With the De_class_loco's unable to keep time, the 12:30 Auckland - Papakura (return 1:45pm) departure, have Wab_class_loco's again.
• Due to loco shortages at Frankton, Auckland Ja_class_loco's are running Expresses to Taumarunui return when trains are 10 cars or less. Loco_Ja1280, Loco_Ja1281 and Loco_Ja1285 all rostered on this run.
• Loco_Wab803 Has been particularly smartened up recently, with a 'gay' smokebox door.
• De_class_loco's approaching their 1st birthday with some 50,000 mile run and still doing well.