NZR 50-foot carriage

The NZR 50-foot carriage of 1908 were originally constructed for the North Island Main Trunk passenger trains. The first were clad in Kauri, with open end platforms, however those built from 1930 were clad in steel, with enclosed vestibles. These main line cars were used by the NZR. From 1930, similar cars were ordered for South Island services and for North Island provincial services, in particular, for the Rotorua Limited express. All of the North Island cars were 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m) wide and the 20 South Island cars (7 first class seating 30) were 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m) wide. The North Island second class cars seated 42 passengers with four across, but the South Island cars seated 37 passengers with three across.^[1] Two observation cars with lounge chairs were trialled on the Rotorua service from 1930, but did not prove successful and were converted into ordinary carriages.^[2][3]

In 1934 orders for placed for cars for main line use in both islands, with the body width at the waist increased. They were 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m) long, and 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) high. The width was 8 ft 5 ¹⁄₂ in (2.58 m) at the waist reducing to 8 ft 4 ³⁄₄ in (2.56 m) at about window height. The cars had an enclosed vestibule at each end; and were divided in two by a central lavatory compartment, with a W.C. on one side and a “Lav” (handbasin) on the other side. Seating was three per row, with first class passengers in single reclining chair seats, two seats on one side and one on the other side of the aisle (except that there were double seats at either end of the compartment). In Second Class the initial Longitudional seats were replaced by "Addington" chairs and then "Scarrett" seats, a single seat on one side of the aisle and a double seat on the other side.^[4] The seating for passengers was:

• First class: 18 passengers and 15 passengers (total 33) in two compartments
• Second class: 21 passengers and 18 passengers (total 39) in two compartments.
• Composite: 13 first class and 21 second class passengers (total 34) in two compartments. ^[5]

NZR JA class steam loco hauling two NZR 56-foot carriages followed by several NZR 50-foot carriages on an excursion train

The carriages were built at the Addington and Otahuhu Workshops. Later two first class cars were reseated as 37-seat second class cars. Some were altered to car-vans. In 1963-65 some were fitted with multiple-unit type seats for 63 passengers and used for suburban service; initially 7 and later another 10, total 17.^[6] By 1974 some were used on the Rewanui Branch for miners’ trains. ^[7] The Taieri Gorge Railway used to have four of the 50-foot carriages, but has been replacing them with 56-foot carriages.

Earlier NZR 50 foot carriages

The Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company acquired 50 ft passenger cars Class A2 from 1903 to 1906, 5 First Class and 13 Second Class. The first six were from Jackson & Sharp of Delaware, USA (later the Gilbert Car Co) and later cars were built at the WMR Thorndon Workshops. ^[8]

Preserved examples

References

• Lee, Fred; New Zealand Railways Passenger Rolling Stock Plan Book, Volume One (2003, NZRLS Wellington ISBN 0-908573-80-8
• Churchman, Geoffrey B., and Hurst, Tony; The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey Through History (1990, HarperCollins, Auckland) ISBN 1-86950-015-6
• Pierre, Bill, North Island Main Trunk (Reed, Wellington, 1981) ISBN 0-589-01316-5
• Cassells, K.R. Uncommon Carrier (1994, NZRLS Wellington) ISBN 0-908573-63-4