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The NZR S class (later WAGR I class) was a class of seven 0-6-4T single Fairlie steam locomotives operated by New Zealand's Railways Department (NZR) between 1882 and 1927.
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The NZR S class (later WAGR I class) was a class of seven 0-6-4T single Fairlie steam locomotives operated by New Zealand's Railways Department (NZR) between 1882 and 1927.
During the 1870s, the railway network in New Zealand was a fragmented system of light railway lines built in rough country where short, steep grades and tight curves were common. The Fairlie type of steam locomotive was well-suited to working in such conditions. Earlier double-ended engines (known as Double Fairlies) suffered from frame breakages while operating in the Wanganui region, leading to the requirement for conventional engines with Fairlie's maneuverability. The Avonside Engine Company of Bristol, England was able to solve the problem by providing both the R and S classes of Single Fairlies, 18 of the former in 1878-79 and 7 of the latter in 1880-81. [2]
The S class locomotives were manufactured with Avonside's works numbers 1279-1285. They were considerably larger than the R class, weighing six tons more and carrying two tons more water. [3]
The locomotives were introduced into service between 1882 and 1887 and soon gained a reputation for being good steamers. Originally assigned within the Whanganui district as well as the Wellington-Summit section of the Remutaka Ranges, they were also utilized in the Taranaki and Wairarapa districts. Their smooth ride and roomy cab made them popular with engine crews over their older Double Fairlie counterparts. [4]
In 1891, despite complaints of a lack of motive power, the resident chief mechanical engineer T.F. Rotheram made arrangements to ship three locomotives (Nos. 215-217) to the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). [1] [5] These were later known as the I class Nos. I25-I27 on the WAGR roster and continued in service until 1900. [6] Over time, the remaining four members of the class were gradually phased out from NZR service, with one being withdrawn in March 1922, and the other three in March 1927. One, No. 212 was given away at no charge to the Manawatu County Council's Sanson Tramway for use as a spare. [5]
A Fairlie locomotive is a type of articulated steam locomotive that has the driving wheels on bogies. The locomotive may be double-ended or single ended. Fairlies are most famously associated with the Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-4 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles.
The New Zealand F class was the first important class of steam locomotive built to operate on New Zealand's railway network after the national gauge of 3 ft 6 in was adopted. The first locomotives built for the new gauge railways were two E class double Fairlies for the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway Company. The F class was the first class ordered by the central government, and between 1872 and 1888, a total of eighty-eight members of the class were constructed.
The Sanson Tramway in the Manawatu region of New Zealand operated from 1885 until 1945. Owned by the Manawatu County Council, it connected with the national railway network at Himatangi on the Foxton Branch. It was never part of the national network.
Locomotives of New Zealand is a complete list of all locomotive classes that operate or have operated in New Zealand's railway network. It does not include locomotives used on bush tramways.
The NZR AA class consisted of ten steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1914 to an order by Chief Mechanical Engineer, H. H. Jackson for operation on New Zealand's national rail network.
The NZR E class of Double Fairlie steam locomotives were two different types of Fairlie steam locomotives, used on New Zealand's railway network.
The NZR B class of 1874 was the first of two steam locomotive classes to be designated as B by the Railways Department that then oversaw New Zealand's national rail network. Ordered from the Avonside Engine Company in 1874, the locomotives were of the Double Fairlie type and were the first British-built locomotives to feature Walschaerts valve gear. They were not the first Double Fairlies to operate in New Zealand, as the first two members of the E class had commenced operations in 1872.
The NZR B class of 1899 was a class of steam locomotives that operated on New Zealand's national rail network. An earlier B class of Double Fairlies had entered service in 1874, but as they had departed from the ownership of the New Zealand Railways (NZR) by the end of 1896, the B classification was free to be re-used. Despite early difficulties, they were amongst NZR's most influential designs.
The Avonside Engine Company was a locomotive manufacturer in Avon Street, St. Philip's, Bristol, England between 1864 and 1934. However the business originated with an earlier enterprise Henry Stothert and Company.
The NZR LA class was a class of 4-4-0T steam locomotives used by the New Zealand Railways Department and the New Zealand Midland Railway Company. They were built by Nasmyth, Wilson and Company in 1887 for New Zealand Midland Railway Company, and were taken over by NZR in 1900, when the government acquired the incomplete Midland line. The designation also applies to the NZR 4-4-0Trebuilds of the Avonside L class of 1875 which were later reclassified LB after being rebuilt as 4-4-2Ts.
The NZR R class was a class of early 0-6-4T single Fairlie steam locomotives operated by New Zealand's Railways Department (NZR) between 1879 and 1936.
The NZR WF class were steam locomotives designed, built and used by New Zealand Railways (NZR). Their wheel arrangement is described by the Whyte notation 2-6-4T and the first members of the class entered service in 1904. The locomotives were tank engines designed by the Railways Department's Chief Mechanical Engineer A. L. Beattie, and were mainly built for suburban duties such as those between Christchurch and Lyttelton. They also saw main-line service in the Taranaki region, but most of the class members were assigned to branch line and local services throughout the country. Two were experimentally converted to oil burners in 1909-1910. The tests were satisfactory, but as coal was much cheaper than oil at the time, no further conversions took place.
The NZR WJ class was a class of one steam locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works for service on New Zealand's private Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR). She acquired the WJ classification when the publicly owned New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) purchased the WMR and its locomotive fleet in 1908.
The NZR WH class was a class of three steam locomotives built by Manning Wardle in 1884 for service on New Zealand's private Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR). They did not acquire their WH classification until 1908 when WMR was nationalised and incorporated into the New Zealand Government Railways (NZR). A total of five locomotives were purchased by the WMR but two had been sold by the time NZR took over the company.
The NZR U class, the first tender locomotives built in New Zealand, were a class of 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler locomotive designed to the requirements of Mr T. F. Rotherham and built at NZR Addington between 1894 and 1903. They were amongst NZRs' longest lived tender engines.
The NZR WA class locomotives were a class of Tank locomotive built by New Zealand Railways (NZR). Eleven were built at NZR's own Addington Workshops in Christchurch and Hillside Workshops in Dunedin. Four more were converted from old J class 2-6-0 locomotives.
The NZR L class were a series of ten small tank engines built in England for the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) during the early years of the development of New Zealand's railway network.
The NZR WG class was a development of the preceding WF class of all purpose tank locomotive. Later in their careers most (14) were rebuilt as WW class. The locomotives were designed by A. L. Beattie, who described them as a "large tank locomotive."
The New Zealand WW class was a class of 4-6-4T tank locomotives that operated on the New Zealand national railway network. They were built for New Zealand Railways Department (NZR), and were the final development of the six-coupled tank engine in New Zealand, the penultimate class of tank locomotives to be built for NZR, and the first class of tank locomotives to be built with superheaters.
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