"JACKSON'S BABY"

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3143, 28 July 1917, Page 6

"JACKSON'S BABY"

NEW TYPE OF LOCOMOTIVE.

An "observant correspondent, signing himself "Subscriber," nd hailing trow Dannevirke, writes as follows: . "Can you satisfy my curiosity on tins point? I noticed coining up m the Miiiii Trunk from AYellingtmv to Palmerston a little while ago that the engine (drawing twelve coaches and two vans) did not stop to pick up water between the places mentioned. Also that between Paekakarikt and i aimersion the journey was made wniiout v stop. This, surely, then, must bo a new type of engine, to be able to .do tiiis. I noticed the tender of the engine was different to the usual type, inasmuch as in appearance it was cylindrical.in snape. How does this engine.compare witil the class used on the- -Napier-.U.oodyille ex- • press in pulling capacity, . speed, etc.. Presumably, on the.fact, I have given, it must be one of the-most powerful engines in New Zealand.. In response to the request .it was ascertained tl\at the engine referred to is a ■ specially—'designed locomotive, turned out at the Government workshops at Addington for service on the Canterbury Plains some two years ago, rnd known in the service as "Jackson's Baby, which name is derived from its designer, Mr. H. H. Jackson, the Chief Mechanical Engineer. Though it is two years now since the first of these engines was turned out, thev. have only been in uso in the >"orth Island for the past three months. When tried over the level soing between Christcliurch and Oamaru. the new. engine gave such -xcelle'it results that it was decided to try it over the sharply-graded section between Oamaru and Dunedin, and there, again, it "made good." It was for that reason that four of the "Eabies" were brought to the North Island some three months ago, and have been employed oil the Wellington-Taihape Main .Trunk section with good results. The ci.gine is Class AB, and can riin from /Wellington to Taihape without taking in water, i*s tank capacity being 3500 gallons. Its speed is the same as the compound, for the latter engine . (employed on . the "Woodville-Napier section) goes as .fast as is permitted by regulations, but at that pace (the maximum allowed) the new engine will pull two more coaches than the compound engine. From Chrislchurcli to Oamaru a "Jackson's Baby" will pull twenty loaded coaches at top speed—five more than, a compound engine ffnds convenient.