Observer22

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Full Name: The New Zealand Railway Observer

Issue Number: 22

Issue Date: August 1947

Volume and Number: 4/4

Pages: 16

Page Range: 85-100

Cover Image: n.a.


CONTENTS

Society Notes

ARTICLE - The Mount Somers Tramway

  • Springburn Branch
  • Ashburton County Council Tramway owner. Line opened 1887, operating rights leased to Edward F Wright for 14 Years, horse operated
  • First Loco Orenstein Koppel side tank Builder's No 2686 weight 7 ton, cylinders 7in x 12in stroke, (in pieces as scrap at Otago Iron Rolling Mills 1947)
  • New wagons made by Habgoods, England 3Ton capacity
  • Engine shed at Peaches Lime Kilns
  • Mount Somers Coal Co
  • Chapmans Creek Branch
  • Peaches Branch
  • Southern Cross Glass Company
  • Blackburn Coal Company rebuilt nearly 9 miles of track to 3' 6" gauge in 1930
  • ex NZR Loco_Fa10 bought for ₤2,000 from Ohai Railway Board fitted with airbrakes but Company wagons not so. Abandoned in 1940
  • Four 10T capacity wagons built on ex NZR Yb_class_wagon underframes
  • Two ex NZR L_class_wagons of 8T capacity
  • One 5T capacity flat deck wagon
  • ex W&MR 2-6-2T bought from Timaru Harbour Board converted to 0-6-0 powered by a 4 cylinder Leyland truck motor
  • Mount Somers Lime Company utilised the two spare axles and wheels to fit to a Foden steam truck
  • Ex NZR wagon_Yb150 underframe fitted with Macormack Deering tractor. Abandoned 1944

Locomotive Stocks - 1946

Locomotive Notes

  • The first of 8, loco_Wab792 entered Hillside in March for conversion to an Ab_class_loco and was out-shopped on 27/06/1947.New Tender (similar to G_class_Loco) New cab, shortened frame to accommodate redesigned trailing truck running on roller bearings, new makers plate
  • There are now 11 oil burners, loco_K919 19/05/1947, Loco_Ka950 31/05/1947, Loco_Ka936 6/06/1947, Loco_Ka947 23/06/1947, and Loco_Ka956 7/07/1947 converted at Hutt, Loco_Ka957 06/1947 and loco_Ka939 18/07/1947 converted at Otahuhu
  • Loco_X443 converted from 4 cylinder compound to 4 cylinder simple propulsion ex Hutt shops 3/07/1947 and now has new Vertical spark arrester and chimney
  • the following have left Hutt shops with altered smoke box ash hoppers, Loco_Ab741 22/05/1947 plus ballast block, Loco_Ab750 4/06/1947, Loco_Ab745 13/06/1947 plus ballast block, loco_Ab753 1/07/1947, loco_Ww677 20/06/1947, loco_Bb622 18/07/1947
  • Loco_Wab794 now fitted with the new type of smoke box hoppers but had been fitted with a vertical spark arrester in August 1944, about a year after arriving from the South Island.
  • Loco B304 ex Hillside at end of May with new tender-can, canvass side screens and a backup sand-dome, new dynamo position but retains its standard headlight
  • Loco_F152, Loc0_F163 and loco_Ww634 all left Hillside recently
  • Kaitangata Coal Co's loco (0-6-0T) in Dunedin awaiting overhaul at Hillside
  • Loco_F256 used for odd jobs on Auckland Section, on loan to Taupiri Coal Mines 1/06/1947, has been used on the Frankton Junction coal-shunt and on local trains from Kimihia.
  • The dismantled parts of loco_F254 at Frankton ex Railway Sawmill at Putaruru, for overhaul?
  • Loco_Ab815 was overhauled at A & G Price recently with loco_Ab759 undergoing overhaul there now.

Taupo Totara Timber Company

  • Loco_TTT9 (Heisler) and loco_TTT10 (Price 1937) standing in Putaruru yard
  • Loco_TTT7 (Mallet) under overhaul at A & G Price
  • Along the line they have 14 flat wagons, 2 end platform vans and 1 box van

News, Note and Comment

  • The first 19 miles of the Taupo Totara Timber Co's line is being taken over by the Public Works Department for goods and parcel traffic from 1/06/1947.
  • From May 1947, the use of foot warmers is being completely discontinued, though they have not been in general use for some time.
  • Auckland Suburban alterations
    • A temporary stopping place 45 ch south of Mangare to serve the new Middlemore Hospital from 5 July 1947
    • Purewa Station was closed on 7 July 1947 and temporary facilities provided 40 chains closer to Auckland which is supposedly a better location for users
    • 8 trains each way on the waterfront route (up from 5) from 7 July

NIMT incidents

  • Following a derailment between Waiouru and Hihitahi on 4 June 1947, of a troop train due to a broken rail, the expresses on the 4th and 5th June were diverted via Stratford - Okahukura
  • As a result of particularly bad weather, the NIMT was blocked by flooding and a suspected washout on Friday 27 June 1947 affecting many trains. Some Gisborne trains were diverted through the Wairarapa

Mt Maunganui Excursion

  • On Jan 1st 1935 an excursion from Taneatua to Mount Maunganui was hauled behind train_322 from Taneatua to Te Maunga. A light engine ran from Tauranga - Te Maunga then took special train_F35 to Mount Maunganui, and returned light to Tauranga. For the return trip, the same process was followed in reverse, with the Excursion being train_F36 to Te Maunga, where it was attached to the back of train_121 for the trip to Taneatua. Special procedures were required at Te Maunga and Mount Maunganui.
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