Ten L class locos were built by the Avonside engine company of Bristol in England. Built in 1877 our loco (makers number 1207) entered service in Wanganui in 1878 and was initially numbered L30. Renumbered L21 in 1882 and later in 1890 became L219. The locomotive was transferred to Wellington in 1888. Here 219 was used on trains around the greater Wellington area before being sold to the Public Works Department (PWD) in 1903. The locomotive was then known as PWD 509 being used on construction work, firstly on the North Island Main Trunk line and later on the Raetihi branch line.
C847 was the third C class heavy shunting locomotive built at Hillside Workshops is Dunedin in 1930 maker’s number 255. The C class were designed as heavy shunting engines with a light axle loading to allow them to be used on wharfs and other light track. Until the time of their design most shunting had been done with older obsolete classes of locomotives. Twenty four C’s were built 12 each at Hillside and Hutt Workshops. They saw service mainly in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. C847 was initially based in Dunedin but was transferred north to Christchurch in 1934.
This Locomotive was built by John Fowler and Company Leeds England in 1925 maker’s number 16342. It was built to an order for the Napier Harbour Board along with sister engine 16343. They were numbered by the Napier Harbour Board 5 and 6 respectively. They were used out breakwater construction and shunting duties at the Harbour. One loco being used on the breakwater and the other in shunting service as a general rule.
Built in 1921 at the Kilmarnock Scotland works of Andrew Barclay and Sons, Makers number 1749 is now the smallest Ex New Zealand Railways steam locomotive still in existence. Purchased by the Public works Department, 1749 became PWD 531. Like many of its stalemates, 531 had a varied career firstly assisting with the construction of the Stratford- Okahukura line (now threatened with closure) before being moved to Auckland to assist with track duplication work. 531 was then purchased by the New Zealand Railways and was reportedly numbered WW5040.
Ww571 was built at the Hillside workshops in Dunedin in 1914 with makers number 147 and entered service on the 4th of November of that year. Initially based in Wellington, 571 was also based in places as far away as Thames and Napier before returning to Wellington in 1936, where it was mainly used on suburban passenger trains until withdrawn from service in 1953 following the introduction of the De class diesel electrics in 1952. 571 was stored along with other withdrawn engines at Hutt Workshops, its future uncertain.
Entering service in October 1941, Ka 935 maker’s number 318 was built at Hutt Workshops in Wellington. When built 935, along with most of the rest of the Ka class were coal fired but was converted to oil firing in 1948. They were also fitted with a “streamlined” casing over the front of the smoke box, boiler and running boards. The purpose of this was to hide the ACFI feed water pump and associated piping. 935 had its casing and ACFI pump removed in 1950 and was fitted with an exhaust steam injector.
D143 was built by Neilson and Company Glasgow Scotland in 1847 maker’s number 1847. The locomotive was one of the first of 22 D class locomotives built by Neilsons and also Scott Brothers in Christchurch New Zealand. Entering service in April 1875 143 became the first locomotive allocated to the Isolated Nelson Section. Here it was named Trout. In 1882 it became D1 and in 1890 D143. 143 was first used on construction trains on the Nelson Line and later on Goods and Passenger trains.
D137 was built in Christchurch at Scott Brothers in 1887 makers’ number 31, entering service with the New Zealand Government Railways that year. 137 was based in Wellington all its working life. In 1901, 137 was sold to the Gear Meat company in Petone becoming their number 2.
This locomotive was built by the firm of Andrew Barclay, Sons and Company of Kilmarnock, Scotland in 1913 maker’s number 1335. It was ordered by the Gear Meat Company of Petone who had an extensive railway network at the Freezing works near the foreshore in Petone. 1335 is an 4-4-0 tank locomotive that weighted 26 tons in working order. The 4-4-0 wheel arrangement was not overly common in New Zealand and 1335 is understood to have been one of only two industrial locomotive with this wheel arrangement. Both have been preserved.
Our small C class locomotive was built by Dubs and Company of Glasgow in 1875, makers number 885, the last of the class to be built and was delivered to the then isolated Greymouth Section in December of that year. At first the locomotive was not numbered but named Pounamu a common practice at the time. In 1877 it was numbered C 132 and later in 1882 renumbered C 2. When originally built it had a 0-4-0 wheel arrangement but this was changed in 1879 to a 0-4-2 after the addition of a Bissell trailing truck.
