NZR X class

Last updated

NZR X class
"X" class (compound) steam locomotive 588, 4-8-2 type. ATLIB 257736.png
X class 588, photographed leaving Petone Workshops circa 1913. Godber Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder NZR Addington Workshops
Build date1908 - 1909, 1913 - 1915
1943 - 1949 (rebuild)
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 4-8-2
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Driver dia.45 in (1.143 m)
Length56 ft 9.75 in (17.32 m)
Adhesive weight 46.7 long tons (47.4  t; 52.3 short tons) (original)
45.6 long tons (46.3  t; 51.1 short tons) (rebuild)
Loco weight66.7 long tons (67.8  t; 74.7 short tons) (original)
66.6 long tons (67.7  t; 74.6 short tons) (rebuild)
Tender weight27.3 long tons (27.7  t; 30.6 short tons) (original)
28.55 long tons (29.01  t; 31.98 short tons) (rebuild)
Total weight94.0 long tons (95.5  t; 105.3 short tons) (original)
95.15 long tons (96.68  t; 106.57 short tons) (rebuild)
Fuel type Coal
Fuel capacity4.0 long tons (4.1  t; 4.5 short tons) (original)
5.0 long tons (5.1  t; 5.6 short tons) (rebuild)
Water cap.2,200 imp gal (10,000 L; 2,600 US gal)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		37.1 square feet (3.4 m2) (original)
37.5 square feet (3.5 m2) (rebuild)
Boiler pressure230  psi (1,586  kPa) (original)
215  psi (1,482  kPa) (rebuild)
Heating surface2,066 sq ft (191.9 m2) (original)
1,185 sq ft (110.1 m2) (rebuild)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating areaNone (original)
168 square feet (15.6 m2) (rebuild)
Cylinders 2 high pressure + 2 low pressure (original)
4 high pressure (rebuild)
High-pressure cylinder13.5 in × 22 in (343 mm × 559 mm)
Low-pressure cylinder22 in × 22 in (559 mm × 559 mm)
Performance figures
Maximum speed30 mph (48 km/h)
Tractive effort 26,620  lbf (118.4  kN) (original)/ 31,150 lbf (138.6 kN) (starting)
29,500  lbf (131  kN) (rebuild)
Career
Number in class18
Numbers439–446
588–597
Locale North Island Main Trunk
First run1909
Last run1957
Retired1935–1950
Current ownerFeilding & Districts Steam Rail Society (1)
DispositionWithdrawn, one preserved

The New Zealand X class was a pioneering class of eighteen 4-8-2 steam locomotives built for New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) and designed by A. L. Beattie that operated on the national rail network of New Zealand. In 1908, a heavy and powerful locomotive was required to haul traffic on the newly completed mountainous central section of the North Island Main Trunk Railway, and as a logical progression of the 4-6-2 Q class design, the 4-8-2 wheel arrangement was created for the X class. [1]

Contents

Overview

When the first X was completed in 1908 at NZR's Addington Workshops in Christchurch, it was the very first 4-8-2 tender locomotive built in the world. The 4-8-2 design went on to be popular in the United States and was nicknamed the "Mountain" type; one theory suggests this name stems from the mountainous terrain that inspired the X's design, [1] while another suggests the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway first coined the name in reference to its 4-8-2s of 1911 that were built to operate in the Allegheny Mountains.

The X class were restricted to the 93 miles (150 km) Taumarunui to Taihape section for some years, as the track north and south was 53 lb/yd (26.3 kg/m) rather than 70 lb/yd (34.8 kg/m); and their trains were restricted to 25 mph (40 km/h) for passenger trains or 20 mph (32 km/h) for goods trains; a source of frustration to general manager Hiley who would have liked to run them over the entire NIMT (they had had to be partially dismantled for their initial journey to Taihape). [2]

The X class initially operated as the freight counterpart of the passenger A class, but they struggled to operate at speeds higher than 50 km/h (31 mph). [1] They were built as de Glehn compound locomotives, but during the 1940s, most of the class were converted to simple, superheated locomotives. [3] This increased their power but did not prolong their lives and most were officially withdrawn from service on 2 March 1957, [3] though a few had been taken out of service earlier and two were sold to the Ohai Railway Board (ORB) in 1946 that operated a private industrial line at the end of the Wairio Branch.

Preservation

When the ORB introduced diesel locomotives in 1968, X 442 was donated to the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society, and it was eventually stored at Ferrymead in Christchurch. [4] In 2002 X 442 was relocated to the Feilding and District Steam Rail Society depot in Feilding. [5] Two X class boilers are held by Mainline Steam.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railway preservation in New Zealand</span>

Railway preservation in New Zealand is the preservation of historically significant facets of New Zealand's rail transport history. The earliest recorded preservation attempt took place in 1925, although the movement itself did not start properly until 1960. New Zealand appears to have a higher proportion of organized railway enthusiasts per 1,000 of population than any other part of the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR F class</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR A class (1873)</span>

The NZR A class of 1873 consisted of three types of steam locomotives used on New Zealand's railway network of similar specification but differing detail. The first and most numerous were from the Dübs and Company, the next from the Wellington firm E.W. Mills Lion Foundry, and the last from the Scottish firm of Shanks. The specifications are for the Dubs Yorkshire engines.

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.

NZR W<sup>D</sup> class

The NZR WD class was a class of tank locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works to operate on New Zealand's national rail network.

NZR O<sup>C</sup> class

The OC class, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR) in New Zealand, consists of a solitary steam locomotive. Ordered in 1896 as an externally similar but more powerful version of the OA class locomotive ordered in 1894, it entered service in June 1897 as No. 16. It was a Vauclain compound locomotive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR B class (1899)</span>

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.

NZR B<sup>A</sup> class

The BA class was a class of steam locomotive built by the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) for use on New Zealand's national rail network. The first BA entered service in November 1911, with the last of the 11 class members introduced on 14 May 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR C class (1873)</span>

The NZR C class tank locomotives operated on New Zealand's national rail network during its infancy. They are sometimes referred to as the little C class or the original C class to distinguish them from the C class of 1930.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR C class (1930)</span>

The NZR C class consisted of twenty-four steam locomotives built to perform shunting duties on New Zealand's national rail network. It is sometimes known as the big C class to differentiate it from the C class of 1873.

NZR W<sup>AB</sup> class

The NZR WAB class locomotives were steam locomotives designed, built and used by New Zealand Railways Department (NZR). Their wheel arrangement is described by the Whyte notation 4-6-4T. The locomotives were designed by NZR chief draughtsman S.H. Jenkinson as tank versions of the AB class 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive. Initially, the locomotives were separated into two classes, designated WAB for mainline work and WS for suburban work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand EW class locomotive</span>

The New Zealand EW class locomotive was a type of electric locomotive used in Wellington, New Zealand. The classification "EW" was due to their being electric locomotives allocated to Wellington. For two decades until the advent of the DX class they were the most powerful locomotives in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR G class (1928)</span> Type of Garratt locomotives used in New Zealand

The NZR G class was a type of Garratt locomotives used in New Zealand, later rebuilt as Pacific type locomotives. They were the only Garratt type steam locomotives ever used by the New Zealand Railways (NZR). They were ordered to deal with traffic growth over the heavy gradients of the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) and to do away with the use of banking engines on steep grades. They were one of the few Garratt designs to employ six cylinders. A mechanical stoker was used to feed coal into the locomotive. The locomotives lasted longer in rebuilt form as standard Pacific locomotives than they did as Garratts, but their numerous mechanical issues lead to their final withdrawal following a union ban on their use in 1956.

NZR K<sup>B</sup> class

The NZR KB class of 1939 was a class of six mixed traffic steam locomotives built for New Zealand Railways Department (NZR), that operated on New Zealand's railway network. After the success of the K class, the KB class were built to meet the increasing traffic demands on the Midland Line in the South Island. The locomotives had a wheel arrangement of 4-8-4 and first appeared with distinctive streamlining, mainly to hide their ACFI feedwater systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR D class (1874)</span>

NZR D class steam tank locomotives operated on New Zealand's national railway network. The first entered service in 1874 all had been withdrawn by the end of 1927, which allowed the D classification to be used again in 1929.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR W class</span>

The NZR W class consisted of two steam locomotives built at the Addington Railway Workshops in Christchurch, New Zealand by the New Zealand Railways Department (NZR). They were the first locomotives to be built by NZR.

NZR E<sup>C</sup> class

The NZR EC class was a class of electric locomotive used in Christchurch, New Zealand. They replaced steam locomotives on trains through the Lyttelton rail tunnel between Lyttelton and Christchurch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NZR V class</span>

The New Zealand V class steam locomotive was used on New Zealand's railway network from 1885 onwards. They were operated by New Zealand Government Railways and the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company.

NZR U<sup>A</sup> class

The NZR UA class were a class of 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler locomotive built by the Scottish firm of Sharp Stewart and Company to ease a motive power shortage. They lived relatively short lives amongst NZR ten wheelers, mostly at the southern end of the country where they were seldom photographed.

NZR U<sup>C</sup> class

The NZR UC class were a group of ten 4-6-0 steam locomotives obtained from Scottish builders Sharp, Stewart and Company for New Zealand Railways (NZR). Essentially they were developments of the firm's previous batch of 4-6-0s' for NZR.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Palmer & Stewart 1965, p. 86.
  2. ↑ Pierre 1981, pp. 203–205.
  3. 1 2 Palmer & Stewart 1965, p. 121.
  4. ↑ Cavalcade125 1988, p. 7.
  5. ↑ "X 442 Information". Feilding and District Steam Rail Society . Retrieved 23 March 2019.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.