Railway Locomotives.

Manawatu Herald, 25 June 1903, Page 2

Railway Locomotives.

TO BE BUILT IN NEW ZEALAND. In accordance with the assurance of the Minister of Railways (Sir Joseph Ward) that in future as much as poisibl of the rolling stock required for our railways would be built in the colony, the Government called for tenders for the construction of ten locomotives- similar in design to the latest Imported from America. Six tenders were received from firms of ironllbunders in the colony, and the department has now accepted that of Messrs A. and G. Price, of the Thames. The price is 428,000, or £2BOO for each locomotive. The engines will weigh 42J tons eaoh, complete, and will have twelve wheels each, the driving-wheel having a diameter of Bft 9in. Bach will have two water tanks, with a capacity of 960 gallons, and will he able to stow two and a half tons of coal. They. will have fourteen-inch cylinders, with a stroke of 22in, and will be fitted with piston valves. The working pressure will be 200 to the square lath. Messrs A. and G. Price will be given two mod a half years in which to give delivery of the tenangines, the bulk of whieb will be required lor the Auckland railways, and will be delivered there. Borne years ago the department obtained ken New Zeataad-loifr engrnes from the firm of Beoti Bros, of, Christchurch, but them are all that have been contrasted for in the colony. Ten of a similar tjffc tsi tboee whieh Messrs Fries Bros, will build are at prsssnt being constructed by the department at the Addington , shops. It is net known when they will be completed, bat they Will almost certainly be in urn considerably before those for which the contract has now been let. The experiments will be watched with interest.