New Zealand Railways Department
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The New Zealand Railways Department, abbreviated as NZR or NZGR (New Zealand Government Railways) and often known simply as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's rail infrastructure, and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New Zealand Railways Corporation. Originally, railway construction and operation took place under the auspices of the former provincial governments before coming under the central Public Works Department, but the role of operating the rail network was subsequently separated from that of the network's construction. From 1895 to 1993, there was a responsible Minister, the Minister of Railways. He was often also the Minister of Public Works, as the Public Works Department was responsible for constructing new lines.
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[edit] Timeline
- 1870: The Public Works Act of 1870 specified a national standard (narrow gauge) of 3 feet 6 inches (1067 mm).
- 1876: Public Works Department amalgamates existing provincial railways, including Canterbury Provincial Railways.
- 1880: Railways Department formed out of Public Works Department; Port Chalmers Railway Company Limited acquired
- 1886: Waimea Plains Railway Company acquired
- 1900: Protracted legal battle with New Zealand Midland Railway Company resolved, the partially completed Midland line is acquired by the department
- 1907: New Zealand Railways Road Services branch formed to operate bus services
- 1908: Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company acquired; North Island Main Trunk railway completed
- 1923: The Otira Tunnel is completed, heralding the completion of the Midland Line in the South Island
- 1928: Ill-fated G class Garratt locomotives introduced. The failure of this class lead to the introduction of the K class in 1932
- 1931: Transport Licensing Act 1931 is passed, regulating the carriage of goods and entrenching the Railways' monopoly on land transport. The Act was repealed in 1982.
- 1937: Wellington Railway Station, the Department's head office, completed
- 1951: The Department introduces the DE class diesel-electric locomotives; replacement of steam locomotives by diesels begins
- 1952: New Zealand railway network reaches its zenith, with 5,700 km of lines open. EW class electric locomotives introduced for the Wellington electric system
- 1953: Tangiwai disaster: 151 people die when Wellington - Auckland express is derailed due to a bridge collapse
- 1954: The Department introduces the DF class, the first mainline diesel-electric locomotives in New Zealand
- 1955: The DA class diesel-electric locomotives are introduced, and start to displace steam locomotives from the North Island system
- 1962: The arrival of the Aramoana heralds the introduction of inter-island ferry services by the Department
- 1968: Introduction of DJ class diesels in the South Island accelerates the demise of steam traction
- 1970: The Southerner service between Christchurch and Invercargill is introduced
- 1971: Silver Star, luxury Wellington - Auckland passenger train introduced
- 1972: Last class of mainline steam locomotives is withdrawn in New Zealand, the Ja class, the first Silver Fern railcars are introduced, and the DX class locomotives, then the most powerful class of locomotives in New Zealand
- 1978: A major DA class rebuilding programme is launched, creating the DC class
- 1979: Silver Star passenger train withdrawn due to poor patronage
- 1981: Corporatised, as the New Zealand Railways Corporation
[edit] Branches
The Railways Department followed a traditional 'branch' structure, which was carried over to the Corporation.
- Commercial;
- Finance and Accounts;
- Mechanical;
- Publicity and Advertising;
- Refreshment;
- Railways Road Services;
- Stores;
- Traffic; and
- Way and Works.
[edit] Workshops
The following NZR workshops were manufacturers of locomotives and rolling stock when the NZR was a government department, but the Active ones still operating are now separate companies.
[edit] Active
- Hutt Workshops Lower Hutt/Wellington, formerly at Petone to 1929
- Hillside Workshops Dunedin, now Hillside Engineering
[edit] Closed
- Addington Workshops Christchurch (closed 1990)
- East Town Workshops Wanganui (closed 1986) also Aramoho
- Otahuhu Workshops Auckland (closed 1990), formerly Newmarket Workshops Auckland to 1928
[edit] Minor Workshops
All now closed, none manufactured locomotives.
- Greymouth (Elmer Lane)
- Invercargill
- Napier
- New Plymouth (Sentry Hill) from 1880
- Westport
[edit] Locomotives
The following numbers are given by Lloyd (pages 187-189) for steam locomotives built New and Rebuilt at NZR workshops:
| Workshops | New | Rebuild | Total | |
| Addington | 114 | 12 | 126 | |
| Hillside | 165 | 21 | 186 | |
| Hutt | 77 | 0 | 77 | |
| Petone | 4 | 7 | 11 | |
| Newmarket | 1 | 9 | 10 | |
| Total | 361 | 49 | 410 |
Nine of the ED electric locomotives were constructed at the Hutt (7) and Addington (2) Workshops. Various Diesel locomotives have been rebuilt at NZR Workshops, eg some of the DA rebuilt as DC, though most rebuilding has been contracted out. Hillside built 9 NZR TR class Diesel shunters.
The Auckland Workshops (Newmarket then Otahuhu) specialised in Car and Wagon work, and in repair and maintenance.
[edit] Private firms
As well as various British companies, eg North British (who with predecessors supplied a quarter of all NZR steam locomotives) and Avonside (who made a number of Fairlie locomotives), and American companies eg Baldwin and Rogers, the following New Zealand companies manufactured locomotives for the NZGR:
[edit] People
- Garnet Hercules Mackley General Manager
- A. L. Beattie Chief Mechanical Engineer
- George Troup Architect, Mayor of Wellington
- Whitford Brown Civil Engineer, Mayor of Porirua
| Preceded by Public Works Department |
New Zealand Railways Department  1880-1981 |
Succeeded by New Zealand Railways Corporation |
[edit] References
- Lloyd, W. G. Register of New Zealand Railways Steam Locomotives 1863-1971 (2nd edition 2002) ISBN 0-9582072-1-6
