NZR Ja class
Encyclopedia
The NZR
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...

 JA class were a type of 4-8-2
4-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...

 steam locomotive
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...

 used on the New Zealand railway network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...

. The class was built in two batches, with the second batch possessing some differences from the first. The first batch was built at Hillside Workshops in 1946-56 and the second batch by the North British Locomotive Works in 1951, and to distinguish between the batches, locomotives are identified by their maker.

The JA class was the last class of steam locomotive built both for and by NZR - Hillside JA 1274 was the last steam locomotive ever built by NZR, and the North British JA's were the last steam locomotives built overseas for the NZR.

The class had relatively short lives of between 12 and 24 years, as they succumbed to dieselisation
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...

. Nine JAs lasted until the end of steam on 26 October 1971.

History

The class were an improved version of the J class
NZR J class (1939)
The NZR J class steam locomotives were a class of locomotive used in New Zealand. Following the success of the K class on NZR main lines, there was an urgent need for a modern, powerful locomotive capable of running over secondary lines laid with lighter rails. Thus a new "Mountain" 4-8-2 type...

 locomotives. Unlike the J class, which were built overseas by the North British Locomotive Company
North British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...

 in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, the new class were instead constructed by NZR's Hillside Workshops in Dunedin. However, some components, such as the bar frames, were still sourced from North British as Hillside lacked the means to construct such a frame.

Some of the more notable improvements from the J class were the use of the Westinghouse cross-compound pump; Ashton double pressure gauge; the Sellars injector in the cab; steam for the pump was taken from a manifold in the cab and not an outlet on the steam dome; combined gauges in the cab; and roller bearings on the driving and connecting rods. However, the first two JAs produced, No.’s 1242 and 1243, did not have roller bearings on any of the rods, and on the rest of the locomotives numbered in the 124X range, roller bearings were only present at the connection between the driving and connecting rods and not on the other wheels. In most other respects however, the class was virtually identical to the earlier J
NZR J class (1939)
The NZR J class steam locomotives were a class of locomotive used in New Zealand. Following the success of the K class on NZR main lines, there was an urgent need for a modern, powerful locomotive capable of running over secondary lines laid with lighter rails. Thus a new "Mountain" 4-8-2 type...

 class, although the JA was never fitted with bullet-nose streamlining.

Although the first class member was built in 1946, due to a number of factors the last member of the class was not turned out of the workshops until 1956. That last locomotive, JA 1274 was both the last steam locomotive built for NZR and the last steam locomotive built by NZR.

In service

The class only ever worked in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

 during their NZR career. The first members operated out of Dunedin, although they were supposed to be allocated to Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

. When enough of the class were in service to displace the 4 members of the J class based out of Dunedin, those locomotives headed north to join the rest of their class in the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

. The class performed their duties over most South Island lines, although axle loading and gauge profile kept them from venturing north of Parnassus, New Zealand
Parnassus, New Zealand
Parnassus is a town located in the Canterbury region's Hurunui District on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on the north bank of the Waiau River and the 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings gave its usually resident population as 900, a decline of 6.8% or...

, and travelling such branch lines as the Otago Central Railway or the Kingston Branch. Despite this, the class became the mainstay of the South Island network.

The class excelled in hauling the South Island Limited
South Island Limited
The South Island Limited was a passenger express train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between 1949 and 1970. It operated between Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin, and in its heyday, it was New Zealand's premier express....

 express train and was the primary motive power for the service. The maximum official speed was 100 km/h (60 mph), but the class operated effortlessly at high speed, especially across the Canterbury Plains
Canterbury Plains
The Canterbury Plains are an area in New Zealand centred to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in the south they merge into the plains of North Otago beyond the Waitaki...

. The official NZR speed record of 125.5 km/h (78 mph) was set by an Vulcan
NZR RM class (Vulcan)
The NZR RM class Vulcan railcars were operated by the New Zealand Railways Department in the South Island of New Zealand. All New Zealand railcars were classified as RM, and these were known as Vulcan railcars, from the name of the manufacturer, Vulcan Foundry of Britain. - Background :On 9 May...

 RM class
NZR RM class
The RM class is the classification used by the New Zealand Railways Department and its successors given to most railcars and railbuses that have operated on New Zealand's national rail network. As NZR and its successors has operated many diverse types of railcars, alternate names have been given...

 railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...

, but the JA class unofficially operated at higher speeds.

Withdrawal and disposal

The first of the class were not withdrawn until March 1969, in distinct contrast to the types J, JB and North British JA cousins. The class lasted in front-line duty until the end of steam in New Zealand; the South Island Limited was the final train worked by steam locomotives and ran for the last time on 26 October 1971. The locomotives remained ready for service into November but were never called upon.

Often as the locomotives suffered mechanical defects or were in need of repairs they were sidelined. Some, such as JA 1271, were used as stationary boilers. These locomotives, as was common practice at the time, were often stripped of parts to keep the rest of the fleet going.

History

In 1950 it became clear additional motive power was required in the North Island, but the process of dieselisation
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...

 was yet to begin. Consequently, NZR chose to order 16 steam locomotives from North British to the design of the successful J class. These locomotives contained a number of differences to both the J class and Hillside JAs – although turned out with the cross-compound pump, roller bearings on the rods were limited to the connection between the connecting and driving rod, mechanical lubrication was employed and the class were built as oil burners (the only class of locomotives on the NZR to be built completely as oil burners). Other detail differences was the use of Stone’s headlights and electrical generator instead of the usual Pyle National equipment, the “Butterfly” number boards on the front headlight, and the lack of smokebox number plate (although a smokebox plate was specified by the NZR).

In service

Captive to the North Island, the North British JA’s operated on the routes most commonly worked by oil burning locomotives. While generally considered unremarkable, the class operated on North Island express trains alongside the K
NZR K class (1932)
The NZR K class of 1932 was a class of mixed traffic 4-8-4 steam locomotives that operated on New Zealand's railway network. The locomotives were developed following the failure of the G class Garratts...

 and KA
NZR Ka class
The NZR KA class of 1939 was a class of mixed traffic 4-8-4 steam locomotives that operated on New Zealand's railway network. They were built after the success of the K class to meet the increasing traffic demands of the New Zealand Railways Department...

 classes.

Withdrawal and disposal

Despite being a very young class, some of the North British JA class members were among the first of the J types to be withdrawn. Only 3 of the class survived until the end of North Island steam. Upon withdrawal, a lot of the class were cannibalised for parts, which were sent to the South Island for use on the J & Hillside JA fleet there. One locomotive, JA 1279, was sent to Dunedin as a complete unit before being stripped of parts. Many of the North British JA tenders were modified for coal use and attached to coal-fired J locos which had tenders in need of replacement.

Preservation

Six of the Hillside JAs survived to be preserved; by contrast only one North British JA remains. Additionally, two preserved J class locomotives have North British JA tenders.

Hillside JA's

JA 1240 "Jessica" was preserved by Blenheim man Peter Coleman, and was stored serviceable at his Blenheim property. In 1988 after his death, JA 1240 was purchased by Ian Welch, and in 1990 travelled to Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

's Parnell Depot. This locomotive is nearing completion of restoration for main line use, as a coal burner and will be based in Christchurch. It has been named after one of owner Ian Welch's granddaughters.

JA 1250 "Diana" was preserved by the Railway Enthusiasts Society
Railway Enthusiasts Society
The Railway Enthusiasts Society Incorporated is a New Zealand railway enthusiast society registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 17 July 1958.-Objectives:The RES objectives are as follows:...

 for use on their Steam Safari train in 1972. After this series of excursions it was purchased by Phil Goldman, who named the engine after his wife, Diana. JA 1250 was restored by the Glenbrook Vintage Railway
Glenbrook Vintage Railway
The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour...

 for use on their railway. In 1985, JA 1250 was one of two engines selected to be used on the first main line steam hauled trip since the end of steam. After this JA 1250 ventured around the country, being a notable attendee of the 1988 "Ferrymead 125" celebrations. Between 1992 and 1998 JA 1250 underwent a substantial overhaul, and returned to main line and GVR service. From 2006 JA 1250's main line certification lapsed, and it was confined to the Glenbrook Vintage Railway
Glenbrook Vintage Railway
The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour...

. In 2011 it was re-certified for main line running again, and made its debut back on the main line in spectacular fashion with a double header from Glenbrook to Hamilton with JA 1271.

JA 1260 was preserved by the Ashburton Railway and Preservation Society (known as the Plains 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...

)in 1972. It saw limited use on the Plains Railway's line before a years lease to the Weka Pass Railway
Weka Pass Railway
The Weka Pass Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway based in Waipara, North Canterbury. It is operated on a 12 km length of the former Waiau Branch railway between Waipara and Waikari. The railway is operated by an incorporated society whose members come from all walks of life and are largely...

 in 1985/86. After its return to Plains, it was dismantled for overhaul which was protracted due to other pressing projects. In 2007 work on this locomotive began at a fast pace, and in May 2008 JA 1260 was back in service on the railway. Notably JA 1260 is the only preserved member of the class to be operating at a lower boiler pressure of 180psi instead of 200psi.

JA 1267 was preserved by a syndicate and stored at the Te Awamutu Railway Museum at Te Awamutu, 1972. It sat on static display under a rudimentary shelter until 2008 when due to the winding up of the museum and dischord amongst the syndicate, the locomotive was placed up for auction. It was purchased by Ian Welch and transferred to Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

's Parnell Depot where it is stored pending eventual overhaul to main line running.

JA 1271 was preserved by Reid McNaught and Russell Gibbard in 1978. At the time of purchase JA 1271 was incomplete and in a sorry state, having been used as a stationary boiler plant since 1970 after a motion failure. It was transferred to Steam Incorporated
Steam Incorporated
Steam Incorporated, often abbreviated to Steam Inc., is a railway heritage and preservation society based at the Paekakariki Railway Station, Paekakariki at the southern end of the Kapiti Coast, approximately 50 minutes north of Wellington on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. Unlike...

's Paekakariki base, and comprehensively restored to main line running. Its debut in 1997 kicked off with a tour of the South Island, before returning north where it has become a very active main line locomotive. It hauled the 2003 50th Anniversary Commemoration train of the Tangiwai disaster
Tangiwai disaster
The Tangiwai disaster on 24 December 1953 was the worst rail accident in New Zealand history. An 11-carriage overnight express from Wellington to Auckland fell into the Whangaehu River at Tangiwai, ten kilometres west of Waiouru. The bridge carrying the North Island Main Trunk Railway over the...

, and also was used prominently in the 100th Anniversary of the Parliamentary Special.

JA 1274 was preserved by the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society
New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society
The New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society Inc is a society of railway enthusiasts, based in Wellington.The Society publishes a magazine, the New Zealand Railway Observer and a newsletter Turntable. The Society publishes books on railway subjects. There are currently about 25 books available,...

 Otago branch in 1971, and in 1974 was placed on display in a specially erected sheter at the Otago Settlers Museum
Otago Settlers Museum
The Otago Settlers Museum is a regional history museum in Dunedin, New Zealand. Its brief covers the territory of the old Otago Province, that is, New Zealand from the Waitaki River south. It is New Zealand's oldest and most extensive history museum...

. It has remained on display there until 2011, and currently a new shelter is being built for its display closer to the station building. There are no plans for restoration to working order for this locomotive.

North British JA's

JA 1275 was preserved by Les Hostick in 1967 and stored at the Te Awamutu Railway Museum at Te Awamutu, 1972. It sat on static display under a rudimentary shelter until 1994 when it was leased to Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

 for restoration to main line running condition. Work begain in 2002, and in 2004 JA 1275 returned to the main line rails. It has proven a reliable locomotive and sees frequent use on excursions.

List of locomotives

Number Builder Entered service Withdrawn Notes
1240 NZR Hillside Preserved by Pete Coleman, Blenheim. Sold 1988 to Ian Welch for Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

; currently under restoration.
1241 NZR Hillside
1242 NZR Hillside First Hillside JA to be built.
1243 NZR Hillside
1244 NZR Hillside
1245 NZR Hillside
1246 NZR Hillside
1247 NZR Hillside
1248 NZR Hillside
1249 NZR Hillside
1250 NZR Hillside Preserved by Phil Goldman for the Railway Enthusiasts Society
Railway Enthusiasts Society
The Railway Enthusiasts Society Incorporated is a New Zealand railway enthusiast society registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 17 July 1958.-Objectives:The RES objectives are as follows:...

 and Glenbrook Vintage Railway
Glenbrook Vintage Railway
The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour...

; operational and mainline certified.
1251 NZR Hillside
1252 NZR Hillside
1253 NZR Hillside
1254 NZR Hillside
1255 NZR Hillside
1256 NZR Hillside
1257 NZR Hillside
1258 NZR Hillside
1259 NZR Hillside
1260 NZR Hillside Preserved by 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...

; operational but not mainline certified.
1261 NZR Hillside
1262 NZR Hillside
1263 NZR Hillside
1264 NZR Hillside
1265 NZR Hillside
1266 NZR Hillside
1267 NZR Hillside Preserved by Les Hostick & Associates, stored at Te Awamutu Railway Museum until 2008. Purchased by Ian Welch for Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

; in storage awaiting restoration.
1268 NZR Hillside
1269 NZR Hillside
1270 NZR Hillside Tender from this locomotive is stored at Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

, Parnell.
1271 NZR Hillside Preserved by Steam Incorporated
Steam Incorporated
Steam Incorporated, often abbreviated to Steam Inc., is a railway heritage and preservation society based at the Paekakariki Railway Station, Paekakariki at the southern end of the Kapiti Coast, approximately 50 minutes north of Wellington on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island. Unlike...

; operational and mainline certified.
1272 NZR Hillside
1273 NZR Hillside
1274 NZR Hillside Last steam locomotive to be built by NZR; on static display at the Otago Settlers Museum
Otago Settlers Museum
The Otago Settlers Museum is a regional history museum in Dunedin, New Zealand. Its brief covers the territory of the old Otago Province, that is, New Zealand from the Waitaki River south. It is New Zealand's oldest and most extensive history museum...

.
1275 North British Preserved by Les Hostick and stored at Te Awamutu Railway Museum. Leased to Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam
Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand...

; operational and mainline certified.
1276 North British
1277 North British
1278 North British
1279 North British
1280 North British
1281 North British
1282 North British
1283 North British
1284 North British
1285 North British
1286 North British
1287 North British
1288 North British
1289 North British
1290 North British

External links

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