MOTAT Collections - Railway Locomotives

Railway Locomotives

NZ Railways Department / NZ Government Railway Steam Locomotives:

• NZR F class No.180 0-6-0ST 1874 – Yorkshire Engine Company. Sheffield No.244. Named Meg Merillies, a character in Guy Mannering, the novel by Sir Walter Scott published in 1815. Based on the Wanganui Branch for much of its service life and used as a shunter in the Auckland Railway Yards until 1923 when replaced by the NZR Y class locomotives. Under restoration MOTAT 2.
• NZR L class No.207 2-4-0T 1877 – Avonside Engine Company. No.1201. 18.5 tonnes. Operational. Operated by the NZGR, then the Public Works Department (PWD) during the construction of the North Island Main Trunk Railway (NIMT), and was one of the locomotives which hauled the 'Parliamentary Special' over hastily laid temporary track on the yet to be completed section from Horipito to Makatote in 1908, becoming the first train to travel the full length of the NIMT taking the Parliamentarians to the Great White Fleet American Naval visit and reception in Auckland. It currently carries its Public Works Department (PWD) number, 507, having been restored as close as practical to the condition it was in during the construction of the NIMT. Initially restored to operating condition in 1977, subsequent overhauls have been completed in 1996 and 2008. The most recent restoration was undertaken for the NIMT centenary celebrations in August 2008. This saw the locomotive used to re-enact the 'Parliamentary Special' of a century before over the very same length of line, ably assisted by fellow PWD locomotive L509 and Wab class locomotive No.794.
• NZR D class No.170 2-4-0T 1880 – Neilson and Company, Glasgow No.2563 17.3 tonnes. On display Helensville Station.

• NZR Ww class No.491 4-6-4T 1914 – NZGR Hillside Workshops No.116 51.7 tonnes, Sectionalised instructional boiler MOTAT 2
• NZR Y class No.542 0-6-0T 1923 – Hunslet Engine Company. No.1444. 23 tonnes. Operational MOTAT 2
• NZR Ab class No.832 4-6-2 1925 – North British Locomotive Company. No.23190. Tender locomotive. Static – On loan to Glenbrook Vintage Railway
• NZR K class No.900 4-8-4 1932 – NZGR Hutt Workshops. No.277. Tender locomotive. 140.1 tonnes. On display MOTAT 1

Industrial Steam Locomotives:

• Mining/Logging Locomotive 0-4-0WT 1904 Orenstein and Koppel GmbH No.1411. 1' 11 1⁄₂" gauge. 1904 Northern Coal Co, Hikurangi & Kiripaka. 1913 NZ Cement Co. Ltd, Limestone Island. 1916 Wilson (NZ) Portland Cement Co., Portland. 1916 Rebuilt & frames widened to 3'6" gauge. Retired 1957. Operational MOTAT 2
• Taupo Totara Timber Co No.6. 0-4-0ST 1912 – Andrew Barclay & Sons Co, Kilmarnock No.1270. To Auckland Gas Company 1925, Pukemiro Colleries 1960. Stored
• Kerr Stuart & Company Limited, London – 0-6-0T 1926 No.4183. 11 tonnes. Used by Kempthorne Prosser at their Westfield works. MOTAT 2.

Note: L207, Y542 & the Orenstein and Koppel were all operated until commercial retirement (1950–80s) by New Zealand Portland Cement Company Limited near Whangarei.

NZ Railway Diesel, Petrol and Electric Locomotives:

• New Zealand DA class locomotive No.1400 1955 – General Motors Corporation GM two-cycle, V-type 567c series 1425 h.p. diesel engine. Max 62 mph Static MOTAT 1.
• New Zealand EB class locomotive No.25 0-4-0 1929 – Goodman Manufacturing Company of Chicago No.4039. Diesel Electric converted in 1953 from Battery Storage Locomotive. Undergoing overhaul at MOTAT 2
• Diesel-Mechanical locomotive 0-4-0 1936 – Hudswell Clarke and Company Leeds No.D602. Four-cylinder paxman Ricardo diesel chain drive. Briggs and Stratton auxiliary starter motor turning flywheel.
• NZR TR class No.21 0-4-0 1938 Drewry Car Company, Birmingham. Light shunting tractor. Engine/transmission: Originally a Parsons petrol / Wilsons 4 speed at 52 kW. Latterly a Detroit 4-71 / Allison torque converter at 78 kW/ 23 kN. Maximum speed: 33 km/h.9.4tonnes. Operational MOTAT 2.
• NZR TR class No.171 0-4-0 1960 A & G Price of Thames No.195. Light shunting tractor. Engine: Gardner 6L3, Power: 114KW, Tractive effort: 49kN. Max Speed: 32km/h. Transmission: SCG 4 speed. 20.3 tonnes Operational MOTAT 2.
• NZR DSA class No.223 0-6-0 1953 Drewry Car Company Diesel-mechanical 150 kW, 30 tonnes. Shunting loco. Operational MOTAT 2.
• Oberursel 0-4-0 – Built by the German manufacturer Motorenfabrik Oberursel, operated by The Thames District Drainage Board and then the NZ Mercury Mines limited Puhi Puhi. Top speed 8 km/h. Under restoration MOTAT 2.
• Simplex 0-4-0 'Yellow Peril' – Built by Motor Rail and operated by the NZR Way and Works Branch, this locomotive has been heavily modified during its working life and now bears little resemblance to its as-built condition. The locomotive still utilises its original frames and gearbox, but these have been largely disguised by later additions. It is now powered by a Chevreolet 'Blue Flame' engine.

Railway Rolling Stock and infrastructure of interest includes: A variety of carriages and wagons from the late 19th and 20th century including a sleeping car. Waitakere Station buildings and the Mount Albert Signal Box located at MOTAT 1. MOTAT's collection also includes a Fell brake wagon F210 on loan to Friends of the Fell Society at the Fell Engine Museum, located in Featherston in the Wairarapa district of the lower North Island in the foothills of the Rimataka Ranges.