NZR 50-foot carriage explained

NZR A class
50-foot carriage
Service:from 1908
Manufacturer:New Zealand Railways Department (NZR)
Factory:Otahuhu, Auckland
Addington, Christchurch
Lines:various
Yearconstruction:1908 - 1935
Carlength:50feet

The NZR 50-foot carriage of 1908 were originally constructed for the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) passenger trains. The first were clad in Kauri, with open end platforms, however those built from 1930 were clad in steel, with enclosed vestibules. These main line cars were used by the NZR.

Introduction

From 1930, similar cars were ordered for South Island services and for North Island provincial services, in particular, for the Rotorua Limited express. All of the North Island cars were 8feet wide and the 20 South Island cars (7 first class seating 30) were 8feet wide. The North Island second class cars seated 42 passengers with four across, but the South Island cars seated 37 passengers with three across.[1] Two observation cars with lounge chairs were trialed on the Rotorua service from 1930, but did not prove successful and were converted into ordinary carriages.

Further development

In 1934 orders for carriages for mainline use in both islands, with the body width at the waist increased. They were 50feet long, and 11feet high. The width was 8feet at the waist reducing to 8feet at about window height. The carriages had an enclosed vestibule at each end; and were divided in two by a central lavatory compartment, with a Flush toilet on one side and a "Lav" (handbasin) on the other side. Seating was three per row, with first-class passengers in single reclining chair seats, two seats on one side and one on the other side of the aisle (except that there were double seats at either end of the compartment). In second-class the initial longitudinal seats were replaced by "Addington" chairs and then "Scarrett" seats, a single seat on one side of the aisle and a double seat on the other side.[2] The seating for passengers was:

The carriages were built at the Addington and Otahuhu Workshops. Later two first class cars were reseated as 37-seat second class cars. Some were altered to car-vans. In 1963-65 some were fitted with multiple-unit type seats for 63 passengers and used for suburban service; initially seven and later another 10, total 17.[3] By 1974 some were used on the Rewanui Branch for miners trains. The Taieri Gorge Railway used to have four of the 50-foot carriages, but has been replacing them with 56-foot carriages.

Pre-NZR 50 foot carriages

The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company acquired 50-foot passenger cars Class A2 from 1903 to 1906, five first-class and thirteen second-class. The first six were from Jackson and Sharp Company of Delaware, (later the Gilbert Car Company) and later carriages were built at the WMR Thorndon Workshops.

These cars were higher the NZR loading gauge (12' 2½" (3.72m) rather than 11' 6" (3.51m)) and were required to be tested before running on Government lines; however in 1911 A 1127 lost ventilators going through a goods shed. In 1940 a ventilator on A 1106 touched the electric overhead in tunnel 10 on the NIMT and caught fire, after which ex-WMR cars were restricted to the Hutt Line.[4]

Preserved examples

Road
number
Location Notes
A 1120Silver Stream RailwayEx Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company
A 1126Silver Stream RailwayEx Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company
A 1130Silver Stream RailwayEx Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company
AA 1013Mainline SteamUsed on 1908 "Ministerial Special" and on centenary commemoration train. Mainline certified.
AA 1017Body on Waiheke Island, Frame at MOTATUsed on "Ministerial Special", 1908.
AA 1024Only preserved car to have the original center-toilet configuration
AA 1025Forest Lakes Camp, OtakiIn use as accommodation.
AA 1030Steam IncorporatedMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1060Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage TrustStored
AA 1068Museum of Transport and TechnologyFormerly used at McDonald's, Paraparaumu. Display at MOTAT.
AA 1071Steam IncorporatedMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1073Steam IncorporatedMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1132Kingston FlyerPreserved as refreshments carriage.
AA 1134Glenbrook Vintage RailwayMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1135UnknownFormerly preserved at now-defunct Tauranga Historic Village museum.
AA 1136Museum of Transport and TechnologyStored
AA 1233Glenbrook Vintage RailwayMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1235Silver Stream RailwayIn service
AA 1237ParaparaumuPrivate residence
AA 1258Glenbrook Vintage RailwayMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1265Steam IncorporatedMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1267Steam IncorporatedMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1480Museum of Transport and Technology
AA 1484The Carriage Restaurant, OakuraEx Goldfields Railway, Waihi
AA 1489Mainline Steam
AA 1494Glenbrook Vintage RailwayMainline certified excursion carriage.
AA 1601Silver Stream RailwayIn service
AA 1656Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
AA 1669Mainline SteamStored
AA 1670Forest Lakes Camp, OtakiIn use as accommodation.
AA 1678Goldfields Railway
A 1702TaumarunuiRestaurant. Steel clad
A 1707Downer EDI, OamaruStored. Steel clad
A 1720Dunedin RailwaysMainline certified carriage. Steel clad
A 1729Dunedin RailwaysMainline certified carriage. Steel clad
A 1730Weka Pass RailwayIn service. Steel clad
A 1731Weka Pass RailwayIn service. Steel clad
A 1732Weka Pass RailwayStored. Steel clad
A 1733Weka Pass RailwayIn service. Steel clad

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Passenger Rolling Stock Development in New Zealand by C.L.S. Green in The New Zealand Railway Observer, October 1945 p72
  2. Passenger Rolling Stock Development in New Zealand by C.L.S. Green in The New Zealand Railway Observer October 1945 p71
  3. The New Zealand Railway Observer: Vol 21 No 111 p75 & Vol 22 No 106 p133
  4. New Zealand Railfan, March 2017 page 64: "The Passenger Cars of the WMR" by John Agnew