Dunedin Railways
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![]() Train travelling through the Taieri Gorge | |
Locale | Eastern Otago, New Zealand |
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Dates of operation | 1991– |
Predecessor | New Zealand Railways Corporation |
Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
Headquarters | Dunedin, New Zealand |
Website |
www |
The Dunedin Railways (formerly the Taieri Gorge Railway) is an operator of a railway line and tourist trains based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand. The railway is a council-controlled trading organisation[1] (formerly known as a local authority trading enterprise) owned jointly by the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Excursion Train Trust.
History
Formation
The Otago Excursion Train Trust was formed in 1978 to operate excursions on the Otago Central Railway line, running its first train in October 1979.[2] The services grew in popularity and the Trust realised by the 1980s that it had great tourist potential.[2] New carriages were acquired with the "Taieri Gorge Limited" launching in February 1987.[2]
In 1989 the New Zealand Railways Corporation announced the closure of the Otago Central railway line beyond Taieri owing to a lack of freight traffic following the completion of the Clyde Dam. Dunedin City Council then stepped in, purchasing the line as far as Middlemarch in 1990, which was then leased by the Trust to run its trains. The Trust continued to operate the Taieri Gorge Limited, now with its own locomotives (DJ class locomotives withdrawn by NZR in the same year), but needed a further $1m to fund is operations. A community appeal raised $1.2m.[2] The line beyond Middlemarch was lifted during 1991, and the trackbed handed over to the Department of Conservation in 1993. It is now the Otago Central Rail Trail, a major cycling tourist attraction in the area.
On 8 March 1995 the Dunedin City Council (through its holding company Dunedin City Holdings Limited) and the Trust incorporated a new company, Taieri Gorge Railway Limited.[3] Dunedin City Holdings has a majority of shares (72.03%) and the Trust holds the balance of the shares (27.97%). The company operates as a Council-controlled organisation (formerly known as a Local-authority trading enterprise) under Part 5 of the Local Government Act 2002. This was due to the need to raise more capital to finance expansion of the Trusts operation. Dunedin City Council then sold the railway line to the new company, and the Trust sold its locomotives, carriages and other assets to the new company.[2][3] The company is governed according to its constitution by a board of directors comprising six people. Two of these people are selected by Dunedin City Holdings Limited, two by the Otago Excursion Train Trust and two jointly by both shareholding parties.
Taieri Gorge Limited
The Taieri Gorge Limited is New Zealand's longest tourist railway and stretches along the former Otago Central Railway from the 4 km peg on the Taieri Branch, 18 km west of Dunedin, to Middlemarch, a distance of some 60 kilometres. Between Dunedin and the start of the line its trains operate on KiwiRail's Main South Line via a running rights agreement.
The line travels through spectacular scenery along the banks of the Taieri River, through numerous tunnels and climbing along the Taieri Gorge to the Strath Taieri. It crosses a dozen viaducts, including the southern hemisphere's largest wrought iron structure, and passes through ten tunnels.[4]
At Wingatui Railway Station, the original building and signal box from 1914 has been restored and is one of the best remaining island platform stations in New Zealand.[5] After the line passes through the 437 metres (1,434 ft) long Salisbury Tunnel, the longest on the line, it crosses Mullocky Gully over the 197 metres (646 ft) long Wingatui Viaduct, the largest wrought iron structure in New Zealand since it was built in 1887.[6] The 47m tall viaduct's riveted lattice structure rests on seven concrete and masonry piers.
Shortly after Wingatui Viaduct, the route emerges from Mullocky Gully to join Taieri Gorge, and from then on follows that gorge above Taieri River to just east of Pukerangi. On the way the line passes former stations Parera, Mount Allen, Little Mount Allen, and Christmas Creek, crossing two curved viaducts at the latter two locations. Hindon, still operating as a crossing station, is typically one of the stopping points on the trip. Just before the station, the railway tracks share a combined road-rail bridge with Hindon Road, a local backroad.
Another popular stopping point for photo opportunities is the Deep Stream viaduct. Here the line slowly starts to climb higher and out of the gorge, passing over the Flat Stream viaduct, and "The Notches", a section of short bridges and cuttings through several rocky outcrops, on its way to Pukerangi. Between Pukerangi and Middlemarch, the railway only once more comes close to the Taieri River, where it crosses Sutton Creek over another combined road-rail bridge.
The train operates daily to Pukerangi and on summer Fridays and Sundays to Middlemarch.
![](../I/m/DJ3107_at_Pukerangi_Station_on_Taieri_Gorge_Railway.jpg)
![](../I/m/DE_Class_on_Taieri_Gorge_Railway.jpg)
Seasider and Dunedin Silver Fern
Dunedin Railways also operates the Seasider tourist train along the coast to Palmerston, north of Dunedin, with bus connections to the Taieri Gorge Limited at Middlemarch. Following the withdrawal of the Southerner by Tranz Scenic in 2002, it is the only passenger train on the Main South Line.
In 2012 Dunedin Railways leased one of the Silver Fern class railcars from KiwiRail for use on the same route as the Seasider.
Rebranded Dunedin Railways
On 23 October 2014 the Taieri Gorge Railway announced that it would be changing its name to Dunedin Railways. For 35 years the Taieri Gorge Railway and the Otago Excursion Train Trust had taken tourists on scenic rail excursions up the Taieri Gorge to Middlemarch and more recently up the coast, north of Dunedin on the Seasider. The reason for the change was so that tourists can link the train trips to Dunedin and it makes it much clearer what the railway is.[7] AO 77 was the first carriage to be repainted into their new blue livery with their name on the sides in October 2014. This was followed by A 3022 and AG 239. In September 2015 AL 1695 was repainted into their yellow version of livery.
Locomotives
The railway owns eight former New Zealand Railways DJ class locomotives, six of which are currently operational and certified for mainline operation. They are painted in a variant of the modified NZR 'International Orange' scheme carried by the class in the 1980s, where the low nose sides are painted blue instead of yellow and grey cab front. A seventh, DJ 3021 (ex-DJ 1202), is stored in the Middlemarch goods shed pending future restoration after it was purchased from its former home at Ranfurly station where it was statically displayed. The eighth, DJ 3044 (DJ 1204) was acquired from Mainline Steam in 2012 as a source of spare parts and has been dismantled, although most of the components remain intact. Both were painted in the modified 'International Orange' blue scheme and were in 'as withdrawn' condition.
TGR also operates one DE class locomotive, DE 504 (TMS DE 1337).[8] This locomotive was acquired from Otago Polytechnic in the early 1990s and is not mainline certified, instead being based at the TGR works depot at the 4 km peg. It previously carried a modified 'International Orange' scheme but was repainted in 2006 to its original livery of Carnation Red with the addition of 'wasp stripes' on the headstocks as it would have carried in the 1970s.
In 2013, Dunedin Railways hired Silver Fern railcar RM 24 from KiwiRail and currently operates this on trips between Dunedin and Waitati. The railcar is currently on hire during the 2013-14 summer season from October to April and will be returned to KiwiRail in April 2014 on conclusion of the lease.
Dunedin Railways formerly operateded a shunting locomotive, TR 111 at their Dunedin depot as their resident shunting locomotive. This locomotive was obtained by the Otago Excursion Train Trust in 2009 from enthusiast Reid McNaught, who had leased the locomotive to Dunedin Railways since 2006. It was sold to the Canterbury Railway Society in July 2015.
Locomotives
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Original class and number | TMS class and number | Builder | Builders number | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE 504 | 1337 | English Electric | 1742 | 1952 | 1993 | Entered NZR service on 7 August 1952. Withdrawn on 11 October 1986. It was sold to Otago Polytech around the same time. In 1993 it was sold to Dunedin Railways and restored in their blue livery. It is used for work trains but can sometimes be seen on excursion trains. In 2006 DE 1337 was renumbered as DE 504 and repainted in red with white stripes. Although still used by Dunedin Railways, it is now available for leasing or purchasing.[9] Not mainline-certified. |
DJ 1202 | 3021 | Mitsubishi | 1509 | 1967 | March 15, 2000 | Entered NZR service in January 1968. Withdrawn in April 1990 and moved to Ranfurly a year later. In 2000 it was sold to Dunedin Railways and was stored at Middlemarch since 15 March 2000 as an unserviceable hulk. It is planned to restore the loco by October 2018. |
DJ 1204 | 3044 | Mitsubishi | 1511 | 1967 | 2011 | Entered NZR service in February 1968. Withdrawn in April 1990. Purchased by the Mainline Steam Heritage Trust and moved to their Parnell depot. In 2011 it was sold to Dunedin Railways and scrapped for parts for the six serviceable DJs. |
DJ 1209 | 3096 | Mitsubishi | 1511 | 1967 | February 2008 | Entered NZR service on 20 February 1968. Withdrawn in July 1992 but kept as a part of the Tranz Rail Heritage Fleet. It worked at around Northland in November 1995. It was withdrawn in February 2008 and was then purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. Restored to working order in 2009 and repainted in its former Southerner Blue livery. On 19 August 2010 while hauling an excursion service near Flat Stream Viaduct, one of its twin turbo chargers that was allowing turbo cooling oil into its Caterpillar D398 V-12 which damaged the engine block. Further damage was made after a fire broke out by the hot turbocharger. It then spread to the DJ's fuel tank when the fuel level sight glass melted. DJ 3107 hauled the stressed locomotive to Pukerangi where the volunteer fire service put the fire out. It was moved to TGR's Dunedin maintenance depot for rebuilding. The rebuilt included a remanufactured Caterpillar D398 V-12 engine and repairs to the engine room. 1209 returned to service in early January 2012. |
DJ 1210 | 3107 | Mitsubishi | 1511 | 1967 | March 1992 | Named Otago Daily Times. Entered NZR service in March 1968. Withdrawn in March 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. On 29 January 1999 it caught fire in the Taieri Gorge during an excursion. Overhauled with a new D398 V-12 engine and repainted. Returned to service on 20 October 2000. Currently undergoing repairs and will be repainted in the "Southerner Blue" livery. |
DJ 1221 | 3211 | Mitsubishi | 1528 | 1967 | March 1992 | Entered NZR service in June 1968. Withdrawn in March 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. |
DJ 1222 | 3228 | Mitsubishi | 1529 | 1967 | March 1992 | Entered NZR service in June 1968. Withdrawn in March 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. Repainted in the Southerner Blue livery in 2015. |
DJ 1227 | 3286 | Mitsubishi | 1534 | 1967 | July 1992 | Entered NZR service in October 1968. Withdrawn in July 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. In 2011 it was repainted into the Southerner Blue livery and renumbered as DJ 1227 to replace DJ 1209. |
DJ 1240 | 3424 | Mitsubishi | 1547 | 1967 | July 1992 | Entered NZR service in January 1969. Withdrawn in July 1992. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same month. In 2006 it was repainted into the NZR Midland Red livery and renumbered as DJ 1240 for the Dunedin Railway Station's 100th birthday celebrations where it hauled excursions with visiting locomotives. In 2009 it was repainted back to blue but kept its pre-TMS number. Repainted in the Southerner Blue livery in 2015. |
Railcars
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Original class and number | TMS class and number | Builder | Builders number | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RM 2 | 24 | Nissho-Iwai | N/A | August 1972 | October 2012 | Entered NZR service on 14 December 1972. On 21 November 1975 it was involved with a cattle truck. With repairs done it was returned to service. On 23 December 1993 it was involved with a collision at a level crossing between Eureka and Ruakura. In 2009 RM 24 was refurbished at the Wellington Passenger Depot. Since October 2012, the railcar has been on long-term loan from KiwiRail and is used on many excursions and charters. |
Carriages
47' 6" wooden body passenger carriages
![](../I/m/Taieri_Gorge_Railway_carriage_at_Hindon.jpg)
All trains as of January 2017 include some of Dunedin Railways five ex-New Zealand Government Railways 47" 6' foot wooden cladded carriages. These cars are known as "Scarrett'" heritage carriages, and were built between 1912 and 1923 with open platform ends and gangways and 37 seats. Dunedin Railways has started retiring these carriages largely to provide bogies for their 56-foot stock, which did not have their own when they were purchased. Two of the 47 foot cars have been sold, while two were scrapped circa 1978. One carriage, A 1254, is owned by the Ocean Beach Railway and is leased to Dunedin Railways. This carriage will be returned to the OBR at the conclusion of its lease.
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Original class and number | TMS class and number | XPC number | Builder | Year built | Year arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A 1246 | A 50520 | XPC 372 | NZR Addington Workshops | 1912 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 17 August 1912. It was reclassified EA 4018 by the Ways and Works Department on 7 November 1970. It was then renumbered as EA 1692 circa 1978 and was later withdrawn in August later that year. In the same year it was purchased by the OETT and reclassified as XPC 372. |
A 1249 | XPC 466 | NZR Addington Workshops | 1912 | 1971 | Entered NZR service on 9 November 1912. Withdrawn on 10 October 1970. It was then purchased by the OETT a year later and reclassified as XPC 466. Under-frame from XPC 425. | |
A 1465 | A 50555 | XPC 425 | NZR Addington Workshops | 1916 | c1977 | Entered NZR service on 16 September 1916. It was withdrawn in 1977 and sold to the Otago Branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society (now the Ocean Beach Railway). It was then on-sold to the OETT and reclassified as XPC 425. Under-frame from A 1563. |
A 1532 | A 50571 | XPC 440 | NZR Addington Workshops | 1923 | 1976 | Entered NZR service in 1923. Reclassified as EA 4019 on 12 December 1970 by the Ways and Works Department. Withdrawn on 11 September 1976. It was then sold to the OETT later that year and reclassified XPC 440. Currently undergoing repairs. |
50-foot
Dunedin Railways has currently three steel-clad and one wood-clad NZR 50-foot carriages, formerly used on Dunedin suburban trains and express passenger trains. The steel-clads have 30-37 seats, enclosed vestibules and covered gangways and were built by New Zealand Railways Department in 1931-40.[8] One of these is an AL class car-van with a small luggage compartment at one end while the other two are A class carriages. Steel-cladded cars, As 50159 and 50223 were sold to the Weka Pass Railway in 2008 and AL 50090 was sold to the Midland Rail Heritage Trust in 2013. The wooden clad is A 1327, built in 1913, with open estibules and non-covered gangways.
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Original class and number | TMS class and number | Dunedin Railways class and number | Type | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A 534 | EA 1006 | XPC 562 | 50' 0" wooden body, passenger coach | NZR Petone Workshops | 1915 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 7 December 1907. It was reclassified EA 3662 by the Ways and Works Department on 29 December 1970. It was then renumbered as EA 1006 in 1978 and was later withdrawn on 17 June later that year. It was purchased by Dunedin Railways in 1979. |
A 1327 | A 50504 | XPC 438 | 50' 0" wooden body, passenger coach | NZR Petone Workshops | 1913 | 1978 | Entered NZR service in 1924. Purchased by Dunedin Railways in 1978. |
A 1695 | AL 50003 | XPC 590 | 50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1940 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 11 October 1930. Withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and purchased by Dunedin Railways in the same year. Restored in 2009. First carriage to be repainted into the yellow version of the Dunedin Railways in 2015. |
A 1720 | A 50084 | XPC 588 | 50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. Withdrawn in August 1983 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. It is currently being overhauled. It is now in storage as of October 2015. |
A 1729 | A 50124 | XPC 575 | 50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. Withdrawn in August 1983 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. Second carriage to be repainted into the yellow version of the Dunedin Railways in 2015. |
'Jungle Gym' TGR panorama cars
TGR has three all-steel air conditioned panorama cars with open platform ends and open gangways similar to the 'Scarrett' cars, known locally as 'Jungle Gyms' due to the nature of their framework when under construction. These were designed and built by the OETT in 1987-92, with a "very distinctive shape to fit the tunnels".[8] Two of these carriages were built on Z class 'roadsider' van underframes while the third was built on the underframe of guard's van F 529.
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
---|
Original class and number | Type | Builder | Year built | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
XPC 628 | 50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | Dunedin Railways | 1987 | Built by Dunedin Railways. Built on Z 284s frame. Repainted in 2016. |
XPC 630 | 50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | Dunedin Railways | 1990 | Built by Dunedin Railways. Built on a Z frame. Repainted in 2016. |
XPC 643 | 50' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | Dunedin Railways | 1992 | Built by Dunedin Railways. Built on F 529s frame. Repainted in 2016. |
56-foot
In September 2007 the TGR announced that it had purchased 12 NZR 56-foot carriages formerly used on the Wairarapa Connection. The first of these, A 2325, was prepared at a cost of $45,000 and was ready in September 2008. The company anticipated having three carriages in service by the end of 2008, and all 12 by 2013.[10] The upgrade included new seating, carpets, toilets and external paint. The railway intends to refurbish three carriages each year.[11] As of December 2015, only five out of the twelve carriages have been restored. A 3022 is leased from its owners, John and Rolf Christensen. It has been leased to Dunedin Railways since 2013 and has been repainted into Dunedin Railways new livery of dark blue. Dunedin Railways are currently storing 10 AO and 4 ASO carriages for KiwiRail in Middlemarch.
![](../I/m/Dunedin_Railways_AO_class_carriage_2016.jpg)
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
---|
Original class and number | TMS classes and number | Type | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A 1898 | AB 3511 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1941 | October 2008 | Entered NZR service on 4 January 1941. Withdrawn in 1999 and stored at Masterton. It was then stored at Feilding. It was then purchased by John & Rolf Christensen in October 2008 and arrived in Dunedin later that month. |
A 1911 | A 2028 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1938 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 4 February 1938. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1932 | A 3311
AO 77 |
56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2013 | Entered NZR service on 9 December 1939. Reclassified as AO 77. Sold to Dunedin Railways in late 2014/early 2015. First carriage to be repainted in the Dunedin Railways brand. |
A 1950 | A 2325
A 56501 |
56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 27 May 1939. Withdrawn in 2007 and restored in February 2009. |
A 1951 | A 56528
AL 2073 |
56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 24 June 1939. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1960 | A 2218 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 16 September 1939. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1961 | A 2242 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 16 September 1939. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1975 | A 3022 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1945 | 4 November 2013 | Entered NZR service on 10 November 1945. Withdrawn in 2013. Owned by John and Rolf Christensen. Second carriage to be repainted in the Dunedin Railways brand. |
A 1977 | AL 2021 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 11 November 1939. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1986 | A 2052 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 2 January 1939. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1993 | A 2269 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 14 September 1940. Withdrawn in 2008 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1994 | A 56809
AL 2096 |
56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1939 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 14 September 1940. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. |
A 1997 | A 2277 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1940 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 14 September 1940. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways on 3 July in the same year. Restored in October 2009. |
A 2002 | A 2079 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1940 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 31 March 1941. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways in the same year. Restored in April 2009. |
A 2007 | A 2095 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline coach | NZR Addington Workshops | 1940 | 2007 | Entered NZR service on 26 June 1943. Withdrawn in 2007 and sold to Dunedin Railways on 20 February in the same year. Converted to a buffet car and restored in November 2009. |
55' 6" foot
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
---|
Original class and number | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
SXA 1744 | Commonwealth Engineering | 1962 | 2000s | In service for Queensland Rail from 1962 until 1997. In the same year it was sold to the Zig Zag Railway. It was purchased by the Auckland Regional Council in 2003. It was then sold-on to Dunedin Railways. It is currently used as a storage wagon. |
Vans
Guards and observation vans
![](../I/m/Dunedin_Railways_FM_class_observation_van.jpg)
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
---|
Original class and number | TMS class and number | Dunedin Railways class and number | Type | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F 587 | F 2340 | XPC 534 | 50' 0" wooden body, guards' van | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1937 | 1985 | Entered NZR service on 29 May 1937. Withdrawn on 12 October 1985 and was sold to Dunedin Railways later that year. |
FM 55 | FM 733
AG 118 |
N/A | Mitsubishi | 1977 | N/A | Entered NZR service on 18 June 1977. Reclassified as AG 118. Leased from KiwiRail. Fitted with X25330 bogies and is used to supply head-end power to carriages. | |
Unidentified FM | AG 239 | 50' 0" steel-panelled guards' van | N/A | N/A | 2013 | Owned by John and Rolf Christensen. Repainted in the Dunedin Railways brand. Observation van. |
Plough vans
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
---|
Original class and number | TMS class and number | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
F 96 | EP 65 | N/A | 1921 | 2001 | Entered NZR service in 1931. It was reclassified and renumbered as EP 2507 in 1941. Renumbered as EP 65 in 1978. Withdrawn by Tranz Rail and purchased by Dunedin Railways in 2001. |
Wagons
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
---|
Original class and number | TMS class and number | Type | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E 8600 | MC 4506 | Low side | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
JC 5219 | ER 410 | Wheel wagon | NZR Hillside Workshops | 1952 | N/A | Entered NZR service in 1952. It was reclassified as NB 529 in 1975. It was then reclassified as ER 410. Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
KP 3094 | KP 2332 | Box | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | N/A | N/A | |
Ks 5281 | Ks 20116
KST 6191 |
Box | NZR Addington Workshops | 1973 | N/A | |
LC 43228 | LC 56995 | High side | Hurst Nelson | 1963 | N/A | |
LC 44400 | LC 69496 | High side | Hurst Nelson | 1967 | N/A | |
LPA 1059 | LPA 666 | High side | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1973 | N/A | Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
NA 1806 | NA 3873
NAK 6283 |
Flat deck | NZR Addington Workshops | 1977 | N/A | |
Unidentified NAK | Unidentified NAK | Flat deck | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
UB 1391 | UB 3732 | Flat deck | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Unidentified UBM | Unidentified UBM | Motor car wagon | N/A | 1963 | N/A | Rebuilt from a 1950s pax car. |
UC 808 | UC 225 | Tank | NZR Petone Workshops | 1937 | N/A | |
UC 1213 | UC 1161 | Tank | N/A | 1963 | N/A | Built for Shell Oil Company. |
UC 1295 | UC 2269 | Tank | N/A | 1963 | N/A | Built for British Petroleum. |
UD 1502 | UC 49 | Wheel wagon | N/A | 1963 | N/A | Reclassified as EWW 33. Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
UG 88 | EA 508 | Weed sprayer | N/A | 1931 | N/A | Entered NZR service in 1931. It was reclassified and renumbered as EA 3163 in March 1959. Renumbered as EA 508 in 1978. Withdrawn in October 1989. |
UR 1801 | UR 12 | Flat deck | NZR Addington Workshops | 1958 | N/A | |
UR 1931 | UR 1316 | Flat deck | NZR Hutt Workshops | 1958 | N/A | |
UR 2031 | UR 3746 | Flat deck | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | N/A | N/A | |
US 3093 | US 90 | Flat deck | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1963 | N/A | |
VR 51 | VR 567
EVS 23 |
Insulated meat | N/A | 1964 | N/A | |
XA 2117 | E 4827
E 243 |
Wheel wagon | N/A | 1937 | N/A | Entered NZR service in 1937. It was reclassified and renumbered as E 4059 in June 1972. |
YB 586 | YB 1339
E 7839 |
Ballast | NZR East Town Workshops | N/A | N/A | |
YB 597 | YB 1420
E 7772 |
Ballast | N/A | N/A | N/A | Huntly to Westfield Coal Traffic. |
YC 732 | YC 372 | Ballast | NZR East Town Workshops | N/A | N/A | Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
YC 759 | YC 648 | Ballast | NZR East Town Workshops | N/A | N/A | Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
YC 798 | YC 1267 | Ballast | NZR East Town Workshops | N/A | N/A | Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
YC 827 | YC 1590 | Ballast | NZR East Town Workshops | N/A | N/A | Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
YD 1005 | YD 69 | Side tip | Differential Car Company | N/A | N/A | Under Restoration. |
YD 1048 | YD 530 | Side tip | Differential Car Company | N/A | N/A | |
YH 964 | YH 166 | Ballast | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
YH 969 | YH 212 | Ballast | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
YH 1004 | YH 598 | Ballast | N/A | N/A | N/A | Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. |
Z 334 | Z 849 | Box | N/A | N/A | N/A | Renumbered XPC 615 under Dunedin Railways ownership. Formerly used as a luggage vwagon on passenger trains. Now for sale. |
Z 362 | Z 1083 | Box | N/A | N/A | N/A | Renumbered XPC 602 under Dunedin Railways ownership. Used as a luggage wagon on passenger trains. |
Unidentified ZA | ZA 4508 | Box | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Unidentified Zl | ZL 462 | Box | N/A | N/A | 2012 | Fitted with an 80 kVA generator. Used on passenger trains. |
Unidentified ZP | ZP 1176 | Box | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1968 | N/A | |
ZP 737 | ZP 1460
ZP 10944 |
Box | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1968 | N/A | |
ZP 1061 | ZP 5035
ZP 14502 |
Box | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1968 | N/A |
Former Rolling Stock
Carriages
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Original class and number | TMS class and number | XPC number | Type | Builder | Year built | Year arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A 1002 | EA 860 | 47' 6" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1907 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 7 October 1907. It was reclassified EA 3559 by the Ways and Works Department on 27 November 1970 and used by the Ways and Works Department. It was then renumbered as EA 860 circa 1978 and was later withdrawn on 12 August later that year. In the same year it was purchased by the OETT and scrapped. Under-frame and bogies are now owned by the Ocean Beach Railway. | |
A 1005 | EA 756 | 47' 6" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1907 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 7 December 1907. Reclassified as EA 3427 on 27 February 1960 and used by the Ways and Works Department. Renumbered as EA 756 circa 1978. It was then purchased by the OETT after being withdrawn from service on 12 August 1978. Scrapped on 27 January a year later. Under-frame now under A 1524. | |
A 1250 | A 50539 | XPC 453 | 47' 6" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1912 | 1980 | Entered NZR service on 9 November 1912. It was reclassified as EA 4034 on 26 February 1972 by the Ways and Works Department. Renumbered as Ea 4034 in the same year. In 1978 it was renumbered as A 50539 and EA 1732. Withdrawn in November 1980. It was then purchased by the OETT on 9 December in same year and reclassified as XPC 453. Entered service on 25 April 1981. Withdrawn from service in 2015. Sold to a private owner in Te Anau. |
A 1254 | A 50547 | XPC 479 | 47' 6" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1913 | N/A | Entered NZR service on 1 March 1913. Withdrawn on 31 March 1969 and sold to the Otago Branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society (now the Ocean Beach Railway in June in same year). It is now leased to Dunedin Railways and has currently been reclassified as XPC 479. Returned to the OBR on 17 June 2017. |
A 1467 | A 50563 | XPC 547 | 47' 6" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1916 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 16 September 1916. Withdrawn on 21 June 1975 and it was purchased by the OETT. It was renumbered as A 50563 in 1978, later reclassified as XPC 547 and put up for sale on Trade Me in May 2013. It was then sold to a Carriage Collector in Christchurch in the same year. |
A 1524 | A 50512 | XPC 412 | 47' 6" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1924 | 1969 | Entered NZR service on 1 March 1923. It was then withdrawn in 1969 and sold to the OETT. It was later renumbered as A 50512, but later reclassified as XPC 412. It was put up for sale on Trade Me in May 2013 to a private owner in Little River in April 2016. Under-frame from A 1005. |
A 1563 | A 50480 | XPC 398 | 50' 0" wooden body passenger carriage | NZR Petone Workshops | 1924 | 1978 | Entered NZR service in June 1924. Withdrawn on 5 November 1977 and sold to the OETT. It was later renumbered as A 50480, but later reclassified as XPC 398. It was sold to Ian Welch circa 2012 and was transferred to the Mainline Steam Heritage Trusts Middleton depot in 2013. Under-frame from F 443. |
A 1704 | A 50033 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1930 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 6 December 1930. It was renumbered as A 50033 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. It was then sold to Roger Redward for the Southern Rail Museum, but was later scrapped. | |
A 1705 | A 50041 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1930 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 6 December 1930. It was renumbered as A 50041 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. It was then sold to Roger Redward for the Southern Rail Museum, but was later scrapped. | |
A 1723 | A 50092 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. It was renumbered as A 50092 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. Now scrapped. | |
A 1732 | A 50159 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. It was renumbered as A 50159 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. It was sold to the Weka Pass Railway in 2009. | |
A 1734 | A 50175 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 10 October 1931. It was renumbered as A 50175 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. Now scrapped. | |
A 1760 | A 50223 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1932 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 2 January 1932. It was renumbered as A 50223 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. It was being converted to a buffet van, until being sold to the Weka Pass Railway in 2008. | |
A 1970 | EA 4769 | 56' 0" steel-panelled mainline carriage | NZR Otahuhu Workshops | 1945 | 1988 | Entered NZR service on 23 June 1945. It was reclassified as EA 4769 on 31 March 1981 and used by the Ways and Works Department. It was withdrawn on 18 June 1988 and sold to the OETT. Later sold to the Feilding and District Steam Rail Society. | |
AL 1764 | AL 50090 | XPC 481 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 2 January 1932. It was rebuilt as a car-van and reclassified as AL 1764 on 20 July 1963. It was then renumbered as AL 50090 circa 1978. It was withdrawn on 13 August 1983 and sold to the OETT. It was later reclassified as XPC 481. In 2013 it was sold to the now defunct Midland Rail Heritage Trust. |
AL 1768 | AL 50118 | 50' 0" steel-cladded suburban carriage | NZR Addington Workshops | 1931 | 1983 | Entered NZR service on 2 January 1932. It was rebuilt as a car-van and reclassified as AL 1764 on 31 January 1970. It was then renumbered as AL 50118 circa 1978. It was withdrawn in February 1983 and sold to the OETT. Now scrapped. |
Vans
Key: | In service | In service, Mainline Certified | Under overhaul/restoration | Stored | Static display | Scrapped |
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Original class and number | TMS class and number | XPC number | Type | Builder | Year built | Arrived | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F 384 | F 250 | 50' 0" wooden body guards van | NZR Hillside Engineering | 1913 | 1979 | Entered NZR service in August 1979. Renumbered as F 250 circa 1978 and withdrawn on 28 April 1979. It was then sold to the OETT and scrapped. Under-frame now under XPC 562. | |
F 443 | 50' 0" wooden body guards van | NZR Addington Workshops | 1917 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 18 August 1917. Withdrawn in January 1978 and was sold to the OETT. Now scrapped and its under-frame now under A 1563. | ||
F 498 | F 970
A 50449 |
XPC 521 | 47' 6" wooden body brake van | NZR Hillside Workshops | 1927 | 1978 | Entered NZR service on 23 July 1927. Renumbered as F 970 circa 1978. Withdrawn in September 1978 and sold to the OETT. It was converted to a buffet van and used until 2014, when it was sold to an privately and is now on static display in Hyde. |
F 527 | F 1172 | 50' 0" wooden body brake van | NZR Workshops | 1931 | 1987 | Entered NZR service on 31 March 1931. Renumbered as F 1172 circa 1978. Withdrawn on 7 November 1987 and was sold to the OETT. Now scrapped. | |
F 534 | F 1239 | 50' 0" wooden body brake van | NZR Hillside Workshops | 1931 | 1984 | Entered NZR service on 31 March 1931. Renumbered as F 1239 circa 1978. Withdrawn on 21 May 1983 and was sold to the OETT on 13 April 1984. It was used as a spare guards van and was later sold to the Nelson Railway Society where it is used as a static display. | |
F 552 | F 2118 | 50' 0" wooden body brake van | NZR Addington Workshops | 1932 | 1982 | Entered NZR service on 12 November 1932. Renumbered as F 2118 circa 1978. Withdrawn on 7 November 1981 and was sold to the OETT on 17 July 1982. Now scrapped. | |
F 589 | F 2359 | 50' 0" wooden body brake van | NZR Addington Workshops | 1937 | 1979 | Entered NZR service on 26 June 1937. Renumbered as F 2359 circa 1978. Withdrawn on 28 April 1979 and sold to the OETT. Now scrapped and its under-frame is now under XPC 438. |
Freight haulage
In the early 2000s the TGR investigated the possibility of introducing log haulage between Mount Allan and Port Chalmers at the end of the Port Chalmers Branch. However, on 12 June 2007 it was announced that a cost difference of NZ$5 million existed between road and rail haulage in favour of road, and potential government subsidies were insufficient to close the gap. The announcement was met with disappointment by the Dunedin City Council, which favourably viewed the rail option as it was more environmentally friendly and would have reduced traffic congestion.[12]
It has since been worked out that with extra damage caused by the logging trucks on the Mosgiel to Port Chalmers road that it would have been cheaper to perform the operation by rail, but despite pleas by the local council, Wenita, the relevant company, said it had invested too much in the road option to change its plans.
The route's loading gauge restricts the maximum size of rolling stock that can operate on the railway; some freight wagons cannot use the line.[8]
See also
References
Notes
- ↑ "Policies" (PDF). Dunedin City Council Community Plan 2009/10 – 2018/19. 2, section 4. Dunedin City Council. 2009. p. 291. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Our Story". Dunedin Railways. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
- 1 2 "Companies Office - Taieri Gorge Railway Limited". Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ↑ Taieri Gorge Railway - 2006-2007 Times & Destinations - Leaflet by Taieri Gorge Railway Limited, March 2006
- ↑ "Wingatui Station". Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
- ↑ "Along the way - Taieri Gorge Railway". Taieri Gorge Limited. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
- ↑ "New Look for Railway Operation". Otago Daily Times. 23 October 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 'technical information' Archived 16 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine. on TGR website, retrieved 2009-05-10
- ↑ "Dunedin Railways - De 504 Available Archived 22 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine.", FRONZ Journal, July 2015.
- ↑ Stevens, Sam (13 September 2008). "New Taieri Gorge carriage on display". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
- ↑ New Zealand Railway Observer, December 2008-January 2009
- ↑ Simon Hartley, "Costs Rule Out Rail in the Long Run" Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine., Otago Daily Times, 12 June 2007.
Further reading
- Cunningham, Gerald (2011). The Taieri Gorge Railway: Guide to the Taieri Gorge and Seasider Rail Trips. Albany, Auckland: David Bateman Ltd. ISBN 978-1-86953-815-6.
- Dangerfield, J. A.; Emerson, G. W. (2010). Over The Garden Wall: The Story of the Otago Central Railway (4th ed.). Dunedin: The Otago Railway & Locomotive Society Incorporated. ISBN 978-0-473-17363-0. (soft-bound); 978-0-473-17362-3 (hard-bound).
- Hurst, Tony (2008). The Otago Central Railway: A tribute (5th expanded ed.). Wellington: transpress. ISBN 978-1-877418-05-1.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taieri Gorge Railway. |
- Dunedin Railways
- Taieri Gorge Railway Photo gallery (private website)
- Otago Central Branch Railway (from private website 'Railways of New Zealand')
- Taieri Gorge Railway - New Zealand (well-edited YouTube video of the journey)