.gif)
NZR A class (1873)
Encyclopedia
The A class was the second class of steam locomotive
(after 1872's F class
) ordered to work on New Zealand
's national railways. It should not be confused with the more numerous A class
4-6-2
tender
locomotives of 1906. Initially ordered by the Public Works Department
for use in the construction of lines, the A class was a small tank locomotive
with a wheel arrangement of 0-4-0
T. An initial twelve were constructed by Dübs & Co. in 1873 and two more were built in 1875 by the Yorkshire Engine Company
. They were not just used by the Public Works Department; the New Zealand Government Railways also utilised the class to operate revenue services on smaller branch lines. None existed in government service by 1905, but their small size made them perfect for use on bush tramways
and small private industrial sidings. Many members of the class survived for years in private use, and although all are now retired from commercial service, four have survived to be preserved by railway enthusiasts and two of the four are currently in full operational condition. One of these preserved locomotives, A 67, was the first in a cavalcade of locomotives at the celebration of the hundredth birthday of the Dunedin Railway Station
.
A batch of A class engines, with differing external details was built at Wellington's Lion Foundry, by E.W. Mills Ltd in 1873, for use on the Foxton Section.
The term "Dido", as applying to New Zealand shunting locomotives, can be traced back to the small A class. Crew members from the ship , moored at Bluff Harbour, in May, 1875 were looking for a night on the town, while in port. They took a small 4-wheeled rail trolley, and taking turns, both rode and pushed the trolley into Invercargill. When the southern enginemen saw the first A class locomotive arrive for use as a shunter, the name "Dido" was given as a nickname because of its diminutive size. Today, the term "Dido" is used to describe any small shunter on the NZR network.
A62 Anawhata Museum Trust, Whangarei
A64 Plains Vintage Railway
, Tinwald
A66 Waimea Plains Railway, Mandeville, Southland
A67 Ocean Beach Railway
, Dunedin
Mills A class
"Opossum" Shantytown Museum, Rutherglen
A 65 - Chassis Shantytown Museum, Rutherglen
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
(after 1872's F class
NZR F class
The NZR F class was the first important class of steam locomotive built to operate on New Zealand's railway network after the national gauge of 1067 millimetres was adopted. The first locomotives built for the new 1067 mm railways were two E class double Fairlies for the Dunedin and Port Chalmers...
) ordered to work on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's national railways. It should not be confused with the more numerous A class
NZR A class (1906)
The A class were steam locomotives built in 1906 with a 4-6-2 wheel arrangement for New Zealand's national railway network, and described by some as the most handsome engines to run on New Zealand rails. The class should not be confused with the older and more obscure A class of 1873. They were...
4-6-2
4-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
tender
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
locomotives of 1906. Initially ordered by the Public Works Department
New Zealand Ministry of Works
The New Zealand Ministry of Works, formerly the Department of Public Works and sometimes referred to as the Public Works Department or PWD, was founded in 1876 and disestablished and privatised in 1988...
for use in the construction of lines, the A class was a small tank locomotive
Tank locomotive
A tank locomotive or tank engine is a steam locomotive that carries its water in one or more on-board water tanks, instead of pulling it behind it in a tender. It will most likely also have some kind of bunker to hold the fuel. There are several different types of tank locomotive dependent upon...
with a wheel arrangement of 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
T. An initial twelve were constructed by Dübs & Co. in 1873 and two more were built in 1875 by the Yorkshire Engine Company
Yorkshire Engine Company
The Yorkshire Engine Company was a small independent locomotive manufacturer in Sheffield, England. The Company was formed in 1865 and continued to produce locomotives and carry out general engineering work until 1965...
. They were not just used by the Public Works Department; the New Zealand Government Railways also utilised the class to operate revenue services on smaller branch lines. None existed in government service by 1905, but their small size made them perfect for use on bush tramways
Tramway (mineral)
Tramways are lightly laid railways, sometimes worked without locomotives. The term is in common use in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and elsewhere. In New Zealand, they are commonly known as bush tramways...
and small private industrial sidings. Many members of the class survived for years in private use, and although all are now retired from commercial service, four have survived to be preserved by railway enthusiasts and two of the four are currently in full operational condition. One of these preserved locomotives, A 67, was the first in a cavalcade of locomotives at the celebration of the hundredth birthday of the Dunedin Railway Station
Dunedin Railway Station
Possibly the best-known building in the southern half of New Zealand's South Island, Dunedin Railway Station is a jewel in the country's architectural crown. Designed by George Troup, the station is the fourth building to have served as Dunedin's railway station...
.
A batch of A class engines, with differing external details was built at Wellington's Lion Foundry, by E.W. Mills Ltd in 1873, for use on the Foxton Section.
The term "Dido", as applying to New Zealand shunting locomotives, can be traced back to the small A class. Crew members from the ship , moored at Bluff Harbour, in May, 1875 were looking for a night on the town, while in port. They took a small 4-wheeled rail trolley, and taking turns, both rode and pushed the trolley into Invercargill. When the southern enginemen saw the first A class locomotive arrive for use as a shunter, the name "Dido" was given as a nickname because of its diminutive size. Today, the term "Dido" is used to describe any small shunter on the NZR network.
Preservation
Dubs A classA62 Anawhata Museum Trust, Whangarei
A64 Plains Vintage Railway
Plains Vintage Railway
The Plains Vintage Railway is a heritage railway near Ashburton, New Zealand that operates on three kilometres of trackage that was once part of the Mount Somers Branch before it closed...
, Tinwald
A66 Waimea Plains Railway, Mandeville, Southland
A67 Ocean Beach Railway
Ocean Beach Railway
The Ocean Beach Railway is a heritage railway that operates in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is located between John Wilson Drive in the suburb of Saint Kilda and sports grounds near Forbury Park Raceway, and runs parallel with the city's main beach, Ocean Beach...
, Dunedin
Mills A class
"Opossum" Shantytown Museum, Rutherglen
Rutherglen
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...
A 65 - Chassis Shantytown Museum, Rutherglen
Rutherglen
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In 1975, it lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow. In 1996 Rutherglen was reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.-History:...