NZR K class (1932)
Encyclopedia
The NZR
K class of 1932 was a class of mixed traffic 4-8-4
steam locomotive
s that operated on New Zealand
's railway network. The locomotives were developed following the failure of the G class
Garratt
s. The class should not be confused with the much earlier Rogers K class
of 1877-78.
(NZR) in response to increased tonnages, especially on the mountainous, demanding North Island Main Trunk Railway. However, various faults led to their swift withdrawal from service and NZR still needed a large and powerful type of locomotive. It decided to develop a conventional rather than articulated locomotive, to avoid a repeat of the G class failure.
Initially conceived as a 4-8-2
locomotive, the K class was to be at least 50% more powerful than the AB class
, and due to New Zealand's narrow gauge
track and limited loading gauge
, the power had to be very carefully compressed into an area smaller than would usually be used for such a locomotive.
Constructed at Hutt Workshops
, the class utilised plate frames, partial mechanical lubrication, Franklin butterfly firehole doors, and roller bearings on all but the trailing bogie
. The class had a distinctive appearance when first outshopped, with a pressed smokebox front and the headlight jutting out forward of the top of the smokebox. This latter feature was soon changed at the insistence of one of the Railway’s Board of Management – instead it was sunken flush into the smokebox, which required some modification and changed the aesthetic look of the class quite markedly.
K 919 was given an ACFI feedwater heater
system as a trial, a feature that was continued on the subsequent KA
and KB
classes.
and on the Marton - New Plymouth Line around Wanganui
. In particular they took over from the X class
locomotives which had been used particularly on the Raurimu Spiral
.
While generally reliable, trouble at first was encountered with the long-travel Walschaerts valve gear, and with the plate frames. While the valve gear problems were largely solved, the plate frames continued to crack especially in the region of the firebox. While many repairs were undertaken to fix the frames, this problem was only solved by replacing the frame with the new design constructed for the KA and KB classes. This was only done as the replacement was required; as a result not all of the class received the new frames.
After the Second World War, a coal shortage occurred and NZR converted a large number of locomotives to oil burning. The K class were a prime candidate due to the large size of the grate. The conversion process was concurrent with that of the KA class.
As time went on members of the K class gained improvements and additions from the KA class, and some locomotives had the Westinghouse cross-compound pump added in place of the original twin single-phase pumps.
began and progressively displaced the K class, especially as the DA class
was introduced from 1955. Withdrawal began in 1964, and all members exited service by 1967. Three of the class were retained by Hutt Workshops
for use as stationary boilers, replacing three Garratt boilers from the G class. These 3 heavily stripped members lasted in such use service until 1988 when they were auctioned off.
The three locomotives retained by Hutt Workshop were Ks 911, 917, and 921. When they were auctioned in 1988, K 911 was bought by Ian Welch for Mainline Steam
, K 917 was bought by Steam Incorporated
, and K 921 was scrapped with some parts retained for use by the other two.
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...
K class of 1932 was a class of mixed traffic 4-8-4
4-8-4
Under the Whyte notation classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-4 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and four trailing wheels on two axles .Other equivalent classifications are:UIC classification: 2D2...
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...
s that operated 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 railway network. The locomotives were developed following the failure of the G class
NZR G class (1928)
The NZR G class was a type of Garratt steam locomotive used in New Zealand, the only such Garratt type steam locomotives ever used by New Zealand Government Railways. They were ordered to deal with traffic growth over the heavy gradients of the North Island Main Trunk and to do away with the use of...
Garratt
Garratt
A Garratt is a type of steam locomotive that is articulated in three parts. Its boiler is mounted on the centre frame, and two steam engines are mounted on separate frames, one on each end of the boiler. Articulation permits larger locomotives to negotiate curves and lighter rails that might...
s. The class should not be confused with the much earlier Rogers K class
NZR K class (1877)
The NZR Rogers K class was the first example of American-built locomotives to be used on New Zealand's railways. Their success coloured locomotive development in New Zealand until the end of steam.-History:...
of 1877-78.
History
The three G class locomotives were introduced by the New Zealand Railways DepartmentNew 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...
(NZR) in response to increased tonnages, especially on the mountainous, demanding North Island Main Trunk Railway. However, various faults led to their swift withdrawal from service and NZR still needed a large and powerful type of locomotive. It decided to develop a conventional rather than articulated locomotive, to avoid a repeat of the G class failure.
Initially conceived as a 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...
locomotive, the K class was to be at least 50% more powerful than the AB class
NZR Ab class
The NZR AB class was a class of 4-6-2 Pacific tender steam locomotive that operated on New Zealand's national railway system. Originally an improvement on the 1906 A class, 141 were built between 1915 and 1927 by NZR's Addington Workshops, A & G Price Limited of Thames, New Zealand, and North...
, and due to New Zealand's narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
track and limited loading gauge
Loading gauge
A loading gauge defines the maximum height and width for railway vehicles and their loads to ensure safe passage through bridges, tunnels and other structures...
, the power had to be very carefully compressed into an area smaller than would usually be used for such a locomotive.
Constructed at Hutt Workshops
Hutt Workshops
The Hutt Railway Workshops is a major railway engineering facility in the Lower Hutt suburb of Gracefield in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island...
, the class utilised plate frames, partial mechanical lubrication, Franklin butterfly firehole doors, and roller bearings on all but the trailing bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
. The class had a distinctive appearance when first outshopped, with a pressed smokebox front and the headlight jutting out forward of the top of the smokebox. This latter feature was soon changed at the insistence of one of the Railway’s Board of Management – instead it was sunken flush into the smokebox, which required some modification and changed the aesthetic look of the class quite markedly.
K 919 was given an ACFI feedwater heater
Feedwater heater
A feedwater heater is a power plant component used to pre-heat water delivered to a steam generating boiler. Preheating the feedwater reduces the irreversibilities involved in steam generation and therefore improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the system...
system as a trial, a feature that was continued on the subsequent 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...
and KB
NZR Kb class
The NZR KB class of 1939 was a class of mixed traffic steam locomotives that operated on New Zealand's railway network. They were built by the New Zealand Railways Department after the success of the K class to meet the increasing traffic demands on the Midland Line in the South Island...
classes.
In service
Upon entering service the class were used on heavy freight and express passenger trains. The K class were best known for spectacular running on the mountainous parts of the North Island Main Trunk in the central North IslandNorth 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...
and on the Marton - New Plymouth Line around Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
. In particular they took over from the X class
NZR X class
The NZR X class was a pioneering class of eighteen 4-8-2 steam locomotives designed by A. L. Beattie that operated on the national rail network of New Zealand...
locomotives which had been used particularly on the Raurimu Spiral
Raurimu Spiral
The Raurimu Spiral is a single-track railway spiral, starting with a horseshoe curve, overcoming a 132 m height difference, in the central North Island of New Zealand, on the North Island Main Trunk Railway. It is a notable feat of civil engineering, having been called an 'engineering masterpiece'...
.
While generally reliable, trouble at first was encountered with the long-travel Walschaerts valve gear, and with the plate frames. While the valve gear problems were largely solved, the plate frames continued to crack especially in the region of the firebox. While many repairs were undertaken to fix the frames, this problem was only solved by replacing the frame with the new design constructed for the KA and KB classes. This was only done as the replacement was required; as a result not all of the class received the new frames.
After the Second World War, a coal shortage occurred and NZR converted a large number of locomotives to oil burning. The K class were a prime candidate due to the large size of the grate. The conversion process was concurrent with that of the KA class.
As time went on members of the K class gained improvements and additions from the KA class, and some locomotives had the Westinghouse cross-compound pump added in place of the original twin single-phase pumps.
Withdrawal and disposal
In 1954, main line dieselisationDieselisation
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:...
began and progressively displaced the K class, especially as the DA class
NZR DA class
The NZR Da diesel-electric mainline locomotive class ran on the New Zealand railway system between 1955 and 1989. With 146 locomotives, it was the most numerous class to operate in New Zealand, just five more than the AB class steam locomotive....
was introduced from 1955. Withdrawal began in 1964, and all members exited service by 1967. Three of the class were retained by Hutt Workshops
Hutt Workshops
The Hutt Railway Workshops is a major railway engineering facility in the Lower Hutt suburb of Gracefield in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island...
for use as stationary boilers, replacing three Garratt boilers from the G class. These 3 heavily stripped members lasted in such use service until 1988 when they were auctioned off.
Preserved locomotives
K 900 was donated to MOTAT, and prior to being delivered to the MOTAT site, it was put on display outside Sims Pacific Metals. Since that time it has sat on display at MOTAT, and only recently a shelter to protect it was erected. It appears much as it was when withdrawn, with the recessed K-style headlight, but with a KA style funnel and a cross-compound pump.The three locomotives retained by Hutt Workshop were Ks 911, 917, and 921. When they were auctioned in 1988, K 911 was bought 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...
, K 917 was bought 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...
, and K 921 was scrapped with some parts retained for use by the other two.
List of locomotives
| Key: | In Service | Leased to ARTA | Withdrawn | Preserved | Under Repair | Scrapped |
|---|
| Number | Builder | Entered service | Withdrawn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900 | NZR Hutt | Preserved MOTAT. On static display, retains original frame. | ||
| 901 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 902 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 903 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 904 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 905 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 906 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 907 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 908 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 909 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 910 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 911 | NZR Hutt | Purchased 1988 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... . Under restoration. |
||
| 912 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 913 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 914 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 915 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 916 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 917 | NZR Hutt | Purchased 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... , 1988. Boiler designated as spare for KA 945. Currently stored. |
||
| 918 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 919 | NZR Hutt | Fitted with ACFI feedwater equipment. | ||
| 920 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 921 | NZR Hutt | Scrapped 1988, parts divided between 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... and 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... |
||
| 922 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 923 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 924 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 925 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 926 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 927 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 928 | NZR Hutt | |||
| 929 | NZR Hutt |
Resource
- Heath, Eric, and Stott, Bob; Classic Steam Locomotives Of New Zealand, Grantham House, 1993
- Stott, Bod; A Locomotive reborn: the Ka 945 story, Southern Press, 1986