Recent from talks
NZR C class (1930)
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
NZR C class (1930)
The NZR C class consisted of twenty-four steam locomotives built to perform shunting duties on New Zealand's national rail network. It is sometimes known as the big C class to differentiate it from the C class of 1873.
In the late 1920s, trainloads were getting heavier as mainline locomotives became more powerful and increasingly capable of pulling larger loads, but the locomotives assembling and shunting these trains in railway yards were struggling to cope with the weight. Some of the older mainline locomotives that had been displaced by the newer locomotives were modified to perform shunting duties, but this was not an adequate solution. The decision was therefore taken by Chief Mechanical Engineer G. S. Lynde to design a new shunting locomotive and a committee was formed to plan the design features of the new locomotives.
The chief designing engineer, R. J. Gard, initially wanted a 0-8-0 tender locomotive. While it was agreed the new locomotive would be a tender engine rather than a tank locomotive as possibly considered, it would also be designed to pull passenger trains as well as work as a heavy shunter. The existing WF class 2-6-4T tank locomotive was to be used as the basis of the new locomotive, which was to be built by NZR at their Hutt Workshops in Wellington and Hillside Workshops in Dunedin.
The C class as built were fitted with superheated boilers with wide fireboxes and developed 30% greater tractive effort than the Canterbury J class 2-6-0s and with a light axle loading to give the same amount of running rights as the U class 4-6-0s. The cab was the same as that fitted to the AB class while there were notable elements of American design in the slope-backed tender and a multiple-valve front-end throttle, and also design elements from W. G. Bagnall, whom Gard had worked for prior to joining the NZR in 1926. Twenty-four locomotives were built at Hutt and Hillside, a total of 12 each, starting in October 1930 with C 845 and ending in November 1931 with C 868.
The C class were placed into service initially in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch although some locomotives did spend short periods of time in Dunedin following overhaul at Hillside Workshops or as a short-term allocation following their completion. It was found that while the C class were extremely capable, the locomotives were insufficiently heavy enough to move some of the larger trains being shunted. This led to the conversion of the BB class 4-8-0s to shunting and branch line service in order to replace the C class on these heavier duties.
During their service life, the C class occasionally handled suburban trains with the Wellington-based examples doing so at times over the Hutt Valley line. The Auckland-based locomotives tended to do so only on the Onehunga Branch, while the Christchurch-based locomotives did so infrequently. It was not unknown for the Christchurch-based examples of the C class to work further afield and members of the class have been noted as working the Little River, Methven, Oxford, and Whitecliffs branches, as well as occasionally handling race trains to Sockburn.
Due to the arrival of the DS class and DSB class diesel shunters in 1955, the Wellington locomotives were displaced and sent to Auckland and Christchurch. Of the twenty-four, twelve were withdrawn in 1963-64 but the other engines continued running until 1968 by which time only Christchurch had a permanent allocation.
During World War II, the decision was made to fit several Wellington-based engines, particularly of the C class, with fire-fighting pumps in case of a Japanese air raid. At least one locomotive, C 849, was so fitted but the boiler-mounted pumps were not successful and relied on sufficient water supply from the locomotive's boiler to function. Following the cessation of hostilities, these pumps were quickly removed.
Hub AI
NZR C class (1930) AI simulator
(@NZR C class (1930)_simulator)
NZR C class (1930)
The NZR C class consisted of twenty-four steam locomotives built to perform shunting duties on New Zealand's national rail network. It is sometimes known as the big C class to differentiate it from the C class of 1873.
In the late 1920s, trainloads were getting heavier as mainline locomotives became more powerful and increasingly capable of pulling larger loads, but the locomotives assembling and shunting these trains in railway yards were struggling to cope with the weight. Some of the older mainline locomotives that had been displaced by the newer locomotives were modified to perform shunting duties, but this was not an adequate solution. The decision was therefore taken by Chief Mechanical Engineer G. S. Lynde to design a new shunting locomotive and a committee was formed to plan the design features of the new locomotives.
The chief designing engineer, R. J. Gard, initially wanted a 0-8-0 tender locomotive. While it was agreed the new locomotive would be a tender engine rather than a tank locomotive as possibly considered, it would also be designed to pull passenger trains as well as work as a heavy shunter. The existing WF class 2-6-4T tank locomotive was to be used as the basis of the new locomotive, which was to be built by NZR at their Hutt Workshops in Wellington and Hillside Workshops in Dunedin.
The C class as built were fitted with superheated boilers with wide fireboxes and developed 30% greater tractive effort than the Canterbury J class 2-6-0s and with a light axle loading to give the same amount of running rights as the U class 4-6-0s. The cab was the same as that fitted to the AB class while there were notable elements of American design in the slope-backed tender and a multiple-valve front-end throttle, and also design elements from W. G. Bagnall, whom Gard had worked for prior to joining the NZR in 1926. Twenty-four locomotives were built at Hutt and Hillside, a total of 12 each, starting in October 1930 with C 845 and ending in November 1931 with C 868.
The C class were placed into service initially in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch although some locomotives did spend short periods of time in Dunedin following overhaul at Hillside Workshops or as a short-term allocation following their completion. It was found that while the C class were extremely capable, the locomotives were insufficiently heavy enough to move some of the larger trains being shunted. This led to the conversion of the BB class 4-8-0s to shunting and branch line service in order to replace the C class on these heavier duties.
During their service life, the C class occasionally handled suburban trains with the Wellington-based examples doing so at times over the Hutt Valley line. The Auckland-based locomotives tended to do so only on the Onehunga Branch, while the Christchurch-based locomotives did so infrequently. It was not unknown for the Christchurch-based examples of the C class to work further afield and members of the class have been noted as working the Little River, Methven, Oxford, and Whitecliffs branches, as well as occasionally handling race trains to Sockburn.
Due to the arrival of the DS class and DSB class diesel shunters in 1955, the Wellington locomotives were displaced and sent to Auckland and Christchurch. Of the twenty-four, twelve were withdrawn in 1963-64 but the other engines continued running until 1968 by which time only Christchurch had a permanent allocation.
During World War II, the decision was made to fit several Wellington-based engines, particularly of the C class, with fire-fighting pumps in case of a Japanese air raid. At least one locomotive, C 849, was so fitted but the boiler-mounted pumps were not successful and relied on sufficient water supply from the locomotive's boiler to function. Following the cessation of hostilities, these pumps were quickly removed.
Recent media