ELECTRIC RAILWAY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 71, 16 December 1937, Page 3

ELECTRIC RAILWAY

Preea Assn,-

First Engine for Paekakariki Line STARTED BY MR JORDAN

(By Telegraph—

-Oopyright.)

LONDON, Dec. 14. Pressing a button at a special cerenony at the works of the English Eleecric Company at Preston, the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr. W. J. Jordan, set in motion the first engine t'or the Wellington-Paekakariki railway slectrification scheme. Replying to a toast at an officiai luncheon, Mr. Jordan recalled that Richard John Seddon was born in Laneashire. He made reference to the growing trade reciproeity between Britain and New Zealand and expressed the hope that ways would be found for sxtension. British manufacturers wero benefiting from New Zealand 's housing policy and wage increases, which were resulting in a movement from city residential areas to the 6uter suburbs, this meaning an expansion in the transport industry. The New Zealand Railways Department advised to-day that the locomotive is to be shipped to New Zealand on Friday. It should arrive by the end of January. This locomotive is one of eight required for the Wellington-Paekakariki electrified section of the North Island Main Trunk line. The other seven, which will be of the sanie type, are to be completed in the Hutt Valley Railway Workshops. It was announced towards the end of September that all the electrical and mecha,nical parts for these were to hand, and that work had commenced on the fabrication of the superstructures and the machining of the main frames. The loeomotives to be used are of the 4-8-2 wheel type, weighing 84 tons in running order with 64 .tons on the driving axles. They are of the general purpose type for use on passenger and goods trains. Each is designed to haul a 500-ton goods train between Wellington and Paekakariki. The locomotive superstructure has a semi-streamlined appearanee, and contains all the electrical equipment for the control of power to the driving motors. At each end of the superstructure is a driver's compartment -containing controls and indicators. In their design and equipment special attention has been given to safety features. When it is desired to haul goods trains of over 500 tons, two of the loco'motives can be coupled together, electrically and mechanieally, thus forming one uuit with one driver in complete control of all apparatus on both loeomotives.