FORDSON SHUNTER.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5473, 11 September 1929, Page 2

FORDSON SHUNTER.

AN INNOVATION AT PAEROA.

A POWERFUL LITTLE ENGINE.

The übiquitous Ford made its appearance in Paeroa yesterday in a new form. A 20-25 h.p. Muir-Hall Fordson disguised as a shunting engine ran its trial runs at the Paeroa Junction railway yards. After “getting up steam,” the machine proceeded to make light work of distributing trucks to various parts of the yard. Later it took in tow 28 trucks of about 150 tons combined weight and tore off down the track without the slightest difficulty. Mr M. Havey, who is in charge of an older type of Fordson shunter at Putaruru, and who is at present in Paeroa to instruct four local railway employees in its running, said that his one was capable of hauling no less than 310 tons. As the Paeroa one, although not yet phoperly worked in, moved 150 tons yesterday with the throttle half in, Mr Havey considered it should be capable of 300 tons or more.

The shunter, the sole one of its type in the Dominion, was ordered from England some 18 months ago, and arrived within the last month. It is a Muir-Hall, and was constructed at Manchester. The ordinary Ford coils and magneto have given way to a Bosch magneto and generator, and compound gear has been installed which gives two gears ahead and two reverse, while chains supply the connection between engine and wheels. The machine runs on benzine, for although it can be run on kerosene, the slight difference in, cost would be more than counterbalanced by necessary monthly cleaning if the latter were used. In both benzine and oil the consumption is most economical.