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.
Built in 1938, Rm 30 was the first of 6 Standard railcars. They were designed with a driving cab at each end and seating in two compartments with a centre toilet. When built Rm30 had seats for 36 passengers in second class and 12 in first class. This was changed later when the first class seats were removed and 16 second class seats fitted in there place. The original Leyland Diesel engines were replaced in the early 1950s with Meadows diesel engines. They are mounted under the driver’s seat at both ends.
Built in 1968 by A and G Price in Thames #221 is a 0-6-0 diesel hydraulic shunting locomotive. 221 was built for use at the New Zealand Steel mill at Glenbrook south of Auckland. Powered originally by a 315hp Rolls Royce engine it is now powered by a similar horse power Perkins unit. Used at the steel mill up until 2000, a damaged final drive saw the locomotive withdrawn from service.
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.
