Withdrawal and Preservation
The BA class lasted into the 1960s, late in the days of steam; the era ended when a member of the JA class hauled the last regularly scheduled steam-hauled revenue service on 26 October 1971. The first BA to exit service was BA 554 in May 1963, and through the mid-1960s, the class was progressively withdrawn. At the start of 1969, only one was left in service, BA 552.
BA 552 hauled railfan excursions in the mid-1960s, and in 1968 and into 1969 it was retained by NZR on standby, should extra motive power be required. In June 1969 the decision was made to withdraw the locomotive, and pressure came from railfans to retain it for preservation. It was used to haul an excursion in November of that year, and in September 1970 it was transferred to the North Island, in the process becoming the only member of the BA class to leave the South Island. Although steam had technically ceased in the North Island, BA 552 and A 423 were used on a steam delivery trip between Palmerston North and Frankton, with BA 552 leading for much of the journey. It was then transferred to private ownership in Te Awamutu, where it was held in on static display, and is today based at Mainline Steam's Auckland depot. It has been refurbished and is in full running order, capable of hauling mainline excursion trains.
Read more about this topic: NZR BA Class
Famous quotes containing the words withdrawal and/or preservation:
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