Hawke’s Bay Railway Papers

(1)
SECTION 1
PAGE 1-2

The construction and operation of the Hawke’s Bay railway, the first section of which was opened in October 1874 between Napier and Hastings, was not without its moments of drama.

It was on this line in 1879, a year after the Takapau-Kopua section had been opened, that the New Zealand version of the Great Train Hold-up occurred. The incident featured not galloping horses and six-shooters, but a sleeper barricade, a fence across the track, and an angry Maori chief with a tomahawk. Also, the commodity sought by the culprits was not gold, but a man’s life.

It all began when a rather tactless guard laid hands on the chief Tohua and ran him out on to a carriage platform after the chief had refused to stop smoking his pipe in a non-smoking carriage. Later, the angry chief had a pile of sleepers laid across the rails and a wire fence erected across the track.

The land over which the railway ran belonged to his tribe and, although negotiations had been made for its purchase by the Government, no payment had yet been made for it. Tohua, it was reported, therefore considered that he was “merely exercising his rights as an owner”.

Tohua announced that he had no intention of preventing the trains from going though. All he wanted to do was to hold the train up long enough for him to drag out the guard who had insulted him and tomahawk him.

By the time word of the planned hold-up reached the local authorities the train was already on its way. A message was hurriedly tapped out over the railway telegraph to an intermediate station, warning the guard to keep away from the danger area until the trouble had blown over.

A few years later, while construction work was in progress on the extension of the line further south, it was reported that a certain firm of railway contractors had “levanted, owing a large sum of money in wages”.

The angry workmen (called “navvies” by the reporter, a term inherited from the English pre-railway navigation canal diggers) trooped into Dannevirke to protest.

As the birds they sought had flown, their protest took the form of taking entire possession of the local hotel in true, though unarmed, Ned Kelly style. Control of the situation was soon regained, however, by police reinforcements hurriedly despatched from Napier.

SECTION 1
PAGE 2-2

Another minor instance of direct action, with permanent results, occurred at Tomoana, near Hastings in 1881. A new flag station opened there had been names Karamu, a name to which local Maori patriots took exception.

For a few days after the opening of the station the offending station name board remained in place. Then it was removed by the complainants, who replaced it with another board bearing the name Tomoana. And, reported a contemporary newspaper a little later, Tomoana it remains.

Hawke’s Bay Railway Traffic Growth

During the first complete financial year after the opening of the 12-mile Napier-Hastings railway in October 1874, the line carried 73,021 passengers at an average fare of 1/8, and 15, 283 tons of goods and livestock for a total revenue of £6,083. By the end of the year concerned (to June 1876), the line had been opened as far as Te Aute (now Opapa), 26 miles from Napier, and the navvies and plate-layers were pressing on toward Waipukurau.

In March 1887, the railway was open to Woodville, 94 miles from Napier, and in the following year it carried 69,883 tons of goods and livestock, including 37,217 tons of timber and firewood mainly from country stations to Hastings and Napier. In addition, 156,769 ordinary passenger tickets and 504 season tickets were issued.

Today, the outward traffic alone consigned from stations between Napier Port and Dannevirke amounts to practically 400,000 tons, plus some 700,000 head of sheep and cattle. In addition, the railway brings in several hundred thousand more tons of goods, and carries much through traffic to and from stations north of Napier and south or west of Woodville.

Passengers today no longer include many of the short-distance travellers who made up the numbers 50, 60, and 70 years ago, but rather the inter-city travellers on the fast railcar services. Today, stations between Napier and Dannevirke book about 100,000 journeys a year at an average fare of $1.40 each, representing an average journey of about 90 miles per passenger.

The Hawke’s Bay railway, which had such a colourful early history in the 1870s and 1880s, is certainly now a busy line.

SECTION 2
PAGE 1-2

NAPIER-PALMERSTON NORTH RAILWAY

The Napier-Palmerston North railway, built by the Public Works Department which let contracts for the construction of various sections, was opened in sections as follows:

SECTION   DATE OPENED

Napier-Hastings   12th October, 1874

Napier-Spit   25th November, 1874

Hastings-Pakipaki (later Paki Paki)   1st January, 1875

Pakipaki-Te Aute (later Opapa)   12th February, 1876

Te Aute-Waipawa   28th August, 1876

Waipawa-Waipukurau   1st September, 1876

Waipukurau-Takapau   12th March, 1877

Takapau-Kopua   25th January, 1878

Kopua-Makotuku   9th August, 1880

Makotuku-Matamau   23rd January, 1884

Matamau-Tahoraiti   15th December, 1884

Tahoraiti-Woodville   22nd March, 1887

Woodville-Palmerston North   9th March, 1891

SECTION 2
PAGE 2-2

NAPIER SECTION (NAPIER-PAKIPAKI) LIST OF ROLLING STOCK, 1875

1 – 12 ton, 5-wheel “D” class locomotives

2 – 12-ton, 4-wheel “C” class locomotives

1 – 1st class, 6-wheel carriage

4 – 6-wheel, composite carriages

3 – 2nd class, 6-wheel carriages

4 – passenger brake vans

3 – covered goods wagons

6 – highside wagons

12 – lowside wagons

5 – timber tracks

(1)
SECTION 3   PAGE 1-3

Hawke’s Bay’s first railway, between Napier and Hastings, was opened 90 years ago, on October 12, 1874.

When this 12-mile section of what was then known as the Napier-Paki Paki Railway was opened, there were only two other short lengths of public railway in operation in the North Island, apart from the wooden-railed, horse-drawn Palmerston North-Foxton tramway.

These were the Auckland-Onehunga and the Wellington-Lower Hutt lines, each 8 miles in length. Before the opening of the Napier-Hastings line, the total railway route mileage opened throughout New Zealand was 155 miles, a figure which was ultimately to reach almost 3,600 miles.

No official ceremony was held to mark the opening of the new line, but it was reported that a “private picnic” was held by about 100 people to celebrate the historic occasion.

A month later, on November 25, the 2-mile line from Napier to the port of Ahuriri, then named Spit, was opened. Passenger train services ran on this line until 1908.

Meanwhile, railway construction was continuing on the extension of the railway southward from Hastings, and on January 1, 1875, the Hastings-Paki Paki section was opened. In the following year the line was opened to Opapa (then Te Aute) on February 17, Waipawa on August 28, and Waipukurau on September 1.

Six months later, on March 12, 1877, trains were running through to Takapau, and on January 25, 1878, the line was opened to Kopua, 62 miles south of Napier. To celebrate the event, a general holiday was declared at Napier, and a well-patronised passenger train with 22 carriages ran through to Kopua.

Nine years later, on March 22, 1887, the railway, which had been opened section by section, was opened to Woodville.

Hundreds of people, in a queue 10-deep, crowded around the Napier booking office window to purchase tickets for the special train which ran through to the new railhead 95 miles away.

Three “large” steam locomotives headed the special train which consisted of 19 carriages and two vans, carrying, according to a contemporary report, a total of 1,500 passengers

(2)
SECTION 3
PAGE 2-3

On March 9 1891 Woodville and Palmerston North were finally linked by railway through the Manawatu Gorge. The major North Island Government Railway then ran like a roughly formed letter U from Napier to New Plymouth, and was officially known as the Napier-Taranaki Section of New Zealand Railways.

From this railway branched the Foxton line, by then Government-owned, rebuilt with iron rails and served by locomotives, and the short length of the Main Trunk line which ended a few miles north of Hunterville.

From Longburn, the privately-owned Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company’s line branched south to Wellington. Opened in December 1886 and taken over by the Government in December 1908, this line provided the only rail link between the Hawke’s Bay line and the Capital until the completion in December 1897 of the Wellington-Woodville line through the Wairarapa district.

After the completion of the Napier-Palmerston North railway, 32 years were to elapse before the first section of the Napier-Gisborne railway, upon which work was commenced in 1912, was opened to Eskdale, on July 23, 1923.

By the end of February 1939, the line had been opened to Raupunga, and in July the same year it was opened through Wairoa to Waikokopu.

Finally, on February 1, 1943, after delays occasioned by war and depression, earthquake and disastrous floods, the rail link was completed and opened right through to Gisborne.

The first locomotives to serve Hawke’s Bay were two little 15-ton 4-wheel, saddle-tank “C” class engines. These were brought to Napier by the contractors, J Brogden and Sons, who, besides building the Napier-Paki Paki railway, also constructed the Auckland-Onehunga, Wellington-Lower Hutt, Picton-Blenheim, and other colonial New Zealand railways. The locomotives were landed at Napier in November 1873 from Brogden’s own small steamship “Paterson”, which was later wrecked on the Waitara River bar.

Larger and more powerful steam locomotives followed the stout little “C’s”, reaching their zenith in power and size in the imposing “Ka” class locomotives introduced into Hawke’s Bay in the early 1940s.

Today, powerful 78-ton “Da” class diesel-electric locomotives operating in the area can haul 470-ton goods trains up the steepest climb on the southward run between Napier and Palmerston North, compared with the

-3-
SECTION 3
PAGE 3-3

130 tons hauled by the most powerful locomotives of 1897. Between Napier and Opapa a “Da” class locomotive can haul a 1,260-ton southbound goods train. In 1897 the maximum engine load on the same run was 350 tons.

Standard railcars made their first appearance in Hawke’s Bay in 1939, on the Napier-Wairoa service. Articulated 88-seat railcars appeared in 1955 to take over rail passenger services. Today, the rail journey from Napier to Wellington, which took more than 12 hours in 1897 (via Wairarapa), may be made in 5¾ hours.

PAGE 1-3
SECTION 4

NOTES ON HISTORY OF HAWKE’S BAY RAILWAYS

When Julius Vogel was Prime Minister in the early 70s he carried out a vigorous public works policy as a means of creating prosperity and increasing the population in NZ. An extensive scheme of railway construction was undertaken by the General Government with the approval and assistance of the Provincial Governments. A railway between Napier and Palmerston North was projected and surveys of alternative routes undertaken in 1870.

There was a choice of two routes from the Port to PAKI PAKI, the present one, and another across MEEANEE FLATS crossing HERETAUNGA PLAIN some miles west of HASTINGS. From Paki Paki to WAIPUKURAU, there was little room for argument, and it seems incredible that there could have been any alternative to the present line from Waipukurau to the Manawatu Gorge. Yet trial surveys of 3 separate routes were made.

It is amazing that a survey was made of the line to the east of Hatuma Lake up to the Ngahape Valley to Tourere, where there was a choice of crossing the Te Umu Opua Hills by the present Hatuma-Whetukura Rd, thence through to Waikopiro and Ngapaeruru Bush to the junction of the Mangatoro and Manawatu Rivers and on to Oringi or continuing over Lake Station along the east of the Raikatia Range to the Mangapoaka Creek, thence through the bush to Mangatoro clearing and Otope and Oringi. This route with alternatives is described and numbered 3 on Mr. C Weber’s Plan, but it is difficult to follow as most of the place names are now unrecognisable. Route No. 1 follows very closely the present main highway from Takapau to Matamatu, and No. 2 was approx. the present line. The surveyors, Messrs J Stewart and C Weber, to obtain a bird’s eye view of the district, climbed a high hill near Takapau (Rangitoto) and also a spur of the Ruahine Range.

Settlers on the Ruataniwha Plains were disappointed that the line did not take a direct course by way of Maraekakaho, Gwavas, Tikokino and Ongaonga to Takapau.

COMMENCEMENT OF RAILWAY

The railway was commenced in 1872 at Napier, and in July 1874 a train ran as far as Waitangi. On Sept 1 1876 the line was open for traffic to Waipukurau.

Waipukurau Opening: The completion of the railway bridge and the opening of the station were celebrated on Sept 1 1876 by a very enthusiastic crowd estimated by the “Herald” correspondent at 800, and described as the “cream of the cream.” Triumphal floral arches were erected on the bridge and at the station with flags, etc.

PAGE 2-3

A Miss Herbert, sister-in-law of HR Russell, a prominent farmer, broke a bottle of champagne over the engine of the crowded special train from Napier, and christened it “Die Vernon”. The large elm which is still standing at the back of the station was then planted to commemorate the occasion. Headed by the Napier band, the crowd proceeded to the Tavistock Hotel, then nearly 1/2 mile distant, where luncheon continued all the afternoon. Notwithstanding every care on the part of the railway authorities, when the train left for Napier quite a number of people (full of joy and beer) were left behind – they would at least remember the event long after most of the sober passengers had forgotten it.

The English firm of Brogden was the contractor for the Napier to Waipukurau section.

WAIPUKURAU-WOODVILLE-PALMERSTON NORTH:

By the end of 1876 the line had reached Takapau, from whence to the great disappointment of the Norsewood people, it was taken straight through the bush to Dannevirke, which place it reached in 1884, instead of going through Norsewood.

The strip of bush, 1 chain wide, for the future railway was felled along the top of the terrace on the east side of the Mangatera stream, with a view to crossing the stream near the present race-course, and having the railway station near Tahoraiti, thus missing Dannevirke by about 1 mile. Fortunately better counsels prevailed, though the felled line in the Tiratu and Tipapakuku Bush could be plainly seen even 20 years later.

The line finally reached Woodville in 1887.

Work on the line through the Manawatu Gorge began in 1888, but connection with Palmerston North was not made until March 1891. The line from Woodville to Masterton was opened in 1897.

NAPIER-WAIROA RAILWAY

As early as 1885 a committee had been formed at Wairoa to press for a railway thereto from Napier, but it was not until 1912 that work was commenced on this line, with the ultimate object of it being part of the so called East Coast line to Gisborne.

The first section to Eskdale was opened on November 14, 1922, by the Rt Hon W.F. Massey. Work was carried on steadily, and a passenger service to Putorino was inaugurated in November, 1929.

As a result of the great destruction of the permanent way by earthquake in 1931, work was suspended and the line abandoned.

When the Labour Govt. came into office in November, 1935, work was almost immediately resumed and carried on so vigorously that in August 1937 a night goods service was in operation between Napier and Wairoa.

PAGE 3-3

-3-

On July 1 1937 a railcar conveying the Ministerial Party made the first passenger journey to Wairoa after the official opening of the Mohaka Viaduct earlier on the same day.

The vicissitudes of the line were not yet over, however. On April 25 1938 a great flood did even greater damage to the line than the earthquake of 1931, and the line as far as Putorino was not ready for passenger traffic until December 5 of that year. The line from Putorino to Waikokopu was not opened for passenger traffic until July 1 1939 when an opening ceremony was held at Wairoa, and a regular Napier-Wairoa railcar service was put into operation immediately afterward.

THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE OF 1931:

On 3rd February, 1931, a disastrous earthquake caused great havoc in Napier, killing 264 persons, and isolating Napier from the rest of NZ. The Railways worked hard to repair their lines and managed to re-establish train services with the south by the 6th February.

Hundreds of refugees were carried away by special trains free of charge, and by this and other services the railways were able to show of what great value they can be in times of peace emergency as well as war.

SECTION 5

NOTES ON NAPIER-HASTINGS RAILWAYS

A Mr. Carl Hermann Weber surveyed the line from Napier to Masterton and through the Manawatu Gorge to Palmerston North in 1870. Rails for the first ten-mile section from the Spit (now Ahuriri) to Paki Paki were landed at Napier on 8 April 1872 from the bark “Schiehallion”. The contract to lay these rails was let to Messrs. John Brodgen and Sons for £49, 345.

In 1872 a start had already been made on the line between Napier and the Port, not only to provide relief for unemployed men, but to keep them on hand for the main work. When, later in the year, Messrs. Brogden & Sons began their contract, they made very slow progress, and it was not until 12 October 1874 that the line was open as far as Hastings, although the contract called for it to have reached Paki Paki and be finished by 1 December 1873.

In the meantime a Mr. Francis Hicks had given the Minister of Public Works a piece of land on the Karamu plain for a railway station. At the same time he set aside a hundred acres in the neighbourhood as a site for a town to be called Hastings.

The first two locomotives for the line were unloaded from the paddle-steamer “Patterson” on 21 November 1873 and were put into service to ballast the line under construction. When the railway was opened later, there were two small four-wheel locomotives, one six-wheel locomotive, eight six-wheel passenger carriages, four brake vans, and twenty-six goods wagons.

The building of the railway continued at a steady pace from then on, considering the equipment available and the engineering difficulties south of Waipukurau. On 9 March 1891 it was completed between Woodville and Palmerston North, where it linked with other reailways [railways] to give Napier a through line to Wellington. In May 1891 the first express trains ran from Napier to Wellington in a scheduled time of 11 hours 5 minutes. Now the railcar takes 5 hours 30 minutes.

Today Napier is the Railways’ administration centre in Hawke’s Bay. The Chief Stationmaster is in charge from Hatuma in the south to Raupunga in the north. The Train Control Office controls all trains in the area between Woodville and Gisborne. It also controls the supply of wagons and trains for that area. Also stationed at Napier are locomotives, railcars, engine crews, and guards. Wagons are repaired at the workshops.

SECTION 6
PAGE 1-2

RAIL DEVELOPMENT IN PROVINCE – LINE EXTENDED HASTINGS AND PAKI PAKI LINKED.

Sixty-four years ago this week the Hastings-Paki-Paki section of the railway line was completed, and the first train ran from Paki Paki to the Port. The first railway in Hawke’s Bay is well remembered by some older residents, among whom is Mr. GH Hatherell, Hastings.

Mr. Hatherell’s father, Mr. George Hatherell, was one of the original employees who constructed the line, which was begun at Napier in 1874. Before coming to the Dominion Mr. Hatherell senior, was a platelayer employed by the Great Western Railway Company in England. When he came to Hawke’s Bay and volunteered to work on the construction of the new line he was quickly engaged when it was learned that he was an experienced platelayer.

Whereas he had earned 24/- a week in England, he was paid at the rate of 9/- a day in the Dominion, a wage which in those days was exceptionally high.

At the time of the opening of the Hastings-Paki Paki line the Hastings Railway Station was a plain, square wooden building with no verandah. The platform was formed of rough, timber planks, under which small boys used to climb.

The station was situated about 100 yards nearer to Heretaunga Street than the present building, and did service as Post Office as well, the stationmaster holding joint offices.

Padded seats in the carriages were an undreamed-of luxury; there were no partitions in the cars, and all trains were comprised of stock and passenger units. High speeds were never encouraged, and at best the trains travelled at little more than 25 miles an hour.

Picturesque Engines

A most picturesque feature of the railways of those days were the locomotives. With no turntables on this section of the line, it was necessary that the engines be reversible. For this reason locomotives of the “Fairlie” type were used with a boiler at each end and the cab in the middle. Engines of this type were to be seen resting out of commission in various yards throughout the country only a few years ago.

Timetables 60 years ago were not as closely adhered to as today, and on occasions trains would wait for a few minutes to suit the convenience of passengers. The Hatherell family lived close to the railway line about a mile from Paki Paki. When Mrs Hatherell wished

-2-
SECTION 6
PAGE 2-2

to go to Napier for the day, a chair would be placed alongside the line, and the accommodating driver would note the signal and halt the train to await the passenger. “They were certainly keen on business in those days” said Mr. G.H. Hatherell to a “Daily Mail” reporter yesterday.

Extract from H.B. Daily Mail, 1938

SECTION 7

HASTINGS RAILWAY STATION

The first railway station building at Hastings was officially opened with the opening of Napier-Hastings section of the Hawke’s Bay railway on 12th October, 1874.

The station building was apparently erected by the railway construction firm of J. Brogden and Sons as part of a £49,345 contract to construct the railway from Napier to Paki Paki.

A contract for the construction of the goods shed, for £525, was let in 1875 to one Edward Ashton.

An 1884 list of station facilities recorded that Hastings had a “2nd Class” station building, a passenger platform and a “cart road” thereto, a loading bank, and a 100ft by 30ft goods shed. It was also a locomotive coal and watering station.

In the same year, Napier had the same facilities, although its goods shed measured 60ft by 30ft. It also had a crane, an engine shed, and a turntable.

At the same time, Spit had a “3rd Class” station building, a passenger platform and cart road, a 120ft by 30ft goods shed, a loading bank, a cattle yard, a weighbridge, and a turntable.

Over the years additions and alterations were made to Hastings station and the present building was opened in 1962.

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

TRAIN ADVICE NO. 5345 (2 Pages)

Area[s] Manager’s Office
Train Operations
WELLINGTON 3 November 1987

To be read in conjunction with Train Advice No. 4947 (Semi-permanent) dated 11 October 1987 re alterations to Gisborne-Napier-Palmerston North train services

Special train will run as under:-

STEAM EXCURSION
MONDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1987
NAPIER-PALMERSTON NORTH

P.57
DOWN   Pass
Napier   dep   0745
Hastings   arr   0830   944
Hastings   dep   0845
Opapa   (0955)
Otane   (1050)
Waipukurau   1115
Waipukurau   dep   1200
Marakeke   dep   (1255)
Ormondville   dep   (1400)
Dannevirke   dep   (1415)
Woodville   arr   1535
Woodville   dep   1545
Ashhurst   dep   (1625)
Palmerston North   arr   1655

No.634 will cross P.57 at Waipukurau
No. 852 now will be due Woodville, dep 1540

No.944 will cross P.57 at Hastings

TABLET P.57: P.57 will run WITHOUT tablet from Hastings to Waipukurau

SPEED: The speed of P.57 MUST NOT exceed 45 km/h

LEVEL CROSSINGS: The speed of P.57 MUST NOT exceed 20 km/h over ALL level crossings between Napier and Palmerston North.

STOPS: P.57 may stop as required enroute to enable the locomotive to be refuelled.

FARES: Ordinary passengers will not be conveyed and privilege tickets and free passes will NOT be available

RETURN OF EXPENDITURE: Area Passenger Manager and Area Transport Manager, Palmerston North, will render to Finance Administration Section, Rail Transport, a return of expenditure incurred with the running of P.57.

All expenditure incurred with the running of P.57 is to be debited to Account RCC 94037/3403.

For Operation of Steam Locomotive F163 in 25kv AC Electrified Area, etc see Page 2

Continued on Page 2

TRA0030

-2-

TRAIN ADVICE NO. 5345 – continued

WELLINGTON   3.11.87
STEAM EXCURSION – continued
MONDAY 23 NOVEMBER 1987 – continued
NAPIER-PALMERSTON NORTH – continued

OPERATION OF STEAM LOCOMOTIVE F163 IN 25 KV AC ELECTRIFIED AREA:

1. F163 MUST NOT BE STOPPED WITH THE SMOKE STACK UNDERNEATH INSULATORS OR STRUCTURES.

2. F163 MUST NOT BE BUNKERED ON AN ELECTRIFIED ROAD.

3. F163 MAY BE WATERED ON AN ELECTRIFIED ROAD AS SPECIFIED BY THE ELECTRIC TRACTION INSPECTOR, PALMERSTON NORTH.

GENERAL: P.57 may consist of Steam Locomotive F163, one LA wagon of coal, one NB wagon of water tanks and one AL Corporation carriage.

P.57 will be accompanied by Corporation staff who will assist with the fuelling of Steam Locomotive F163 enroute.

A.J. McMaster
Manager
RAIL TRANSPORT
per: B.M. Carter

TRA0030

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

TRAIN ADVICE NO. 5328 (2 pages)
Area Manager’s Office
Train Operations
WELLINGTON 3 November 1987

To be read in conjunction with Train Advice no.4947 (Semi-permanent) dated 11 October 1987 re alterations to Gisborne-Napier-Palmerston North train services.

Special train will run as under:-

STEAM EXCURSION
WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1987
PALMERSTON NORTH-NAPIER

No.932 Palmerston North-Napier Goods will NOT run

UP   P56 Pass
Palmerston North   dep   0730
Ashhurst   dep   0810
Woodville   arr   0840
Woodville   dep   0855
Oringi   dep   (1000)
Dannevirke   dep   a (1105)
Ormondville   dep   (1250)
Takapau   dep   (1335)
Waipukurau   dep   (1410)
Otane   dep   (1500)
Opapa   dep   (1540)
Hastings   arr   1620
Hastings   dep   1635
Napier   arr   1705

SPEED: The speed of P.56 MUST NOT exceed 45 km/h.

LEVEL CROSSINGS: The speed of P.56 MUST NOT exceed 20 km/h over ALL level crossings between Palmerston North and Napier.

STOPS: P.56 may stop as required enroute to enable the locomotive to be refuelled.

FARES: Ordinary passengers will NOT be conveyed and privilege tickets and free passes will NOT be available.

RETURN OF EXPENDITURE: Area Passenger Manager and Area Transport Manager, Palmerston North will render to Finance Administration Section, Rail Transport, a return of expenditure incurred with the running of P.56. All expenditure incurred with the running of P.56 is to be debited to Account RCC 94037/3403.

For operation of Steam Locomotive F.163 in 25KV AC Electrified Area, See Page 2

Continued on Page 2 BMC

TRA0026

-2-

TRAIN ADVICE NO. 5328 -continued
WELLINGTON 3.11.87

STEAM EXCURSION – continued
WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 1987 – continued
PALMERSTON NORTH—NAPIER – continued
OPERATION OF STEAM LOCOMOTIVE F163 IN 25 KV AC ELECTRIFIED AREA

1. F163 MUST NOT BE STOPPED WITH THE SMOKE STACK UNDERNEATH INSULATORS OR STRUCTURES

2. F163 MUST NOT BE BUNKERED ON AN ELECTRIFIED ROAD.

3. F163 MAY BE WATERED ON AN ELECTRIFIED ROAD AS SPECIFIED BY THE ELECTRIC TRACTION INSPECTOR, PALMERSTON NORTH.

GENERAL: P.56 may consist of Steam Locomotive F163, one LA wagon of coal, one NB wagon of water tanks and one Corporation AL carriage.

P.56 will be accompanied by Corporation staff who will assist with the fuelling of Steam Locomotive F163 enroute.

A.J.McMaster
Manager
RAIL TRANSPORT
Per: B.M. Carter

TRA0026

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

TRAIN ADVICE NO. 5530 (2 pages)
Area Manager’s Office
Train Operations
WELLINGTON 12 November 1987

(2 pages covering operations on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 1987).

To be read in conjunction with Train Advice No.4947 (Semi-permanent) dated 11 October 1987 re alterations to Gisborne-Napier-Palmerston North train services.

Special trains will run as under:-

STEAM EXCURSION
SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER 1987
NAPIER-PALMERSTON NORTH

DOWN   P.53 empty   UP   P.54 empty
Napier   dep   08.30 TC   Hastings   dep    18.30
Hastings   dep   09.00   Napier   arr   17.00

EXCURSION TRAIN NO.55

Excursion Train NO.55 (formed by the service of P.53) will run as under:-

BETWEEN : HASTINGS AND WHAKATU – CLEAR OF ALL TRAINS

HOURS : 0900 to 1630

Excursion Train No.55 will convey members of the public as required and arranged by the Train Manager.

Excursion Train No.55 will terminate at Hastings and form service of P.34.

STEAM EXCURSION
SUNDAY 22 NOVEMBER 1987
GISBORNE-NAPIER-PALMERSTON NORTH

Excursion Train No.56 will run as under:-

BETWEEN : WESTSHORE AND NAPIER and NAPIER AND AWATOTO – CLEAR OF ALL TRAINS

HOURS : 0900 to 1630

Service will stable at Napier

Excursion Train No.56 will convey member of the public as required and arranged by the Train Manager.

SPEED: The speed of P.53, P.54 and Excursion Train No.55 and 56 must NOT exceed 45 kilometres per hour

Continued on Page 2 …………………….

TRA0072

TRAIN ADVICE NO. 5530 – continued   WELLINGTON 12.11.87

SUNDAY 22 NOVEMBER 1987 – continued
GISBORNE-NAPIER-PALMERSTON NORTH – continued

LEVEL CROSSINGS: The speed of P.53, P.54 and Excursion Train Nos 55 and 56 MUST NOT exceed 20 kilometres per hour over ALL level crossings.

FARES: Passengers will be in possession of special tickets which may be nipped but not collected. Privilege tickets and free passes will NOT be available.

RETURN OF EXPENDITURE: Area Passenger Manager Napier and Area Transport Manager Palmerston North will render to Finance Administration Section, Rail Transport Division, a return of expenditure incurred with the running of P.53, P.54 and Excursion Train Nos. 55 and 56.

All expenditure incurred with the running of these trains, is to be debited to Account RCC 94037/3403.

GENERAL:
P.53, P.54 and Excursion Train Nos. 55 and 56 will be hauled by steam locomotives F163, and may convey one LA wagon of coal, one NB wagon of water tanks and 3 Corporation carriages.

A.J. McMaster
Manager
RAIL TRANSPORT
Per: B.M. Carter