Ocean Island Railway Explained

Ocean Island Railway
Linelength:3km (02miles)
Gauge:, and

The Ocean Island Railway (later Banaba Island Railway) was a 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1-long guano mining railway on Ocean Island (later renamed Banaba Island). It had an initial gauge of . After 1937, the gauge was widened to and, finally, to .[1]

Route

The track ran along the coast from the northern guano mining areas, through the European Settlement (English:Tabwewa, French: Tapiwa) and the Native Labour Quarters (Tabiang, Tapiang) to the depot and Boat Harbour (Uma, Ooma).[2]

Operation

Initially, steam locomotives manufactured by Orenstein & Koppel (O&K), and a saddle tank locomotive manufactured by Bagnall, were used. One O&K locomotive was named Florence, one had the number 7 (O&K works number 12678 of 1935)[3] and another one the number 11 (O&K works number 9880 of 1922).[1]

Later, diesel locomotives were used. European passengers were transported in a canopy car and native labourers in an open wagon.[3]

Locomotives

Manufacturer Type Works No Year Gauge Remarks
610 mm Saddle tank locomotive
9880 1922 610mm No 11
O&K 11174 1926 610mm Location unknown, possibly on another island
O&K 11291 1926 610mm Location unknown, possibly on another island
O&K 11585 1928 610mm
O&K 11586 1928 610mm
O&K 12678 1935 610mm No 7
O&K 12887 1937 914mm
O&K 12888 1937 914mm
O&K B-t 12889 1937 914mm
O&K 12890 1937 914mm
O&K 12891 1937 914mm
O&K 3300 1909 600mm 40 PS, delivered to Marrison, James & Co., Australia for Nauru, from 1920 as No 12 on Ocean Island (Replacement boiler 13108 of 1955)

References

  1. Thomas Kautzor: Feldbahnen in Ozeanien (Nauru). 18 January 2015.
  2. Web site: Image: ocean_island.jpg, (638 × 571 px) . 2005-04-20 . legacy.lib.utexas.edu . 2018-10-03.
  3. Web site: (Ocean Island Railway Photos) . Skilnand . Vidar . Facebook . 2023-09-01 . 2015-11-23.

-0.8662°N 169.5381°W