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Taupo Totara Timber Railway

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Mokai Tramway
Railway line of the Taupo Totara Timber Company showing "the corkscrew", with five different levels[1]
Technical
Track gauge3 ft (914 mm)
Route map
Template:BS-map

The Mokai Tramway was constructed by the Taupo Totara Timber Company (TTT Co) to link their milling centre at Mokai with the New Zealand Government Railways line (NZR) at Putaruru in der Waikato Region on the North Island of New Zealand. The more than 82 kilometres (51 mi) long light railway line was operated from 1903 to 1944 by the Taupo Totara Timber Company Tramway. It was handed over to NZR on 12 June 1950, and the section from Putaruru to Kinleith Mill south of Tokoroa is still(2018) being used for goods transport.

History

The 82 kilometres (51 mi) long line was built in 1903 over the former Lichfield Branch line, which was originally built by the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company to be part of the line to Rotorua. The TTT Co line then went onwards south of Lichfield through what are now Tokoroa and Kinleith and crossed the Waikato River at Ongaroto.

The longest single span wooden bridge in New Zealand over the Waikato River at Ongaroto[1]

At Ongaroto the company built a large timber bridge of locally sourced totara, designed by Public Works Department engineer Frederick Furkert. In later years this timber bridge deteriorated and was condemned, but the company could not afford to replace it immediately because its sawmill had burned down in 1928. In the last few years of service, trains arriving at the bridge would stop and the passengers and fireman would walk across while the driver gently opened the throttle and then jumped off. The train would slowly ease across the bridge before being stopped on the other side by the fireman, where everyone would reboard the train. This bridge was replaced in 1931 by a steel truss bridge with a central pier.[2]

Taupo Totara Timber Company sawmill at Mokai[1]

In general the TTT Co line was constructed to a fairly high standard for a bush tramway, with 1 in 30 grades and 30 metre radius curves. This reflected the company's ultimate intention to sell the line to NZR. In 1911 the TTT Co put forward a proposal to extend their line from Mokai into Taupo township via Oruanui. However, considerable objection was made to this proposal by the people of Rotorua.[3] The Taupo District Railway League consequently lodged a complaint to the Member of Parliament for the district, Mr MacDonald, protesting the opposition being made by the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce. As time passed the proposal for the TTT Co scheme was eventually shelved.

The TTT Co line eventually closed on 26 October 1944. However the Government saw that the line had greater potential and in September 1946 acquired the first 29 km between Putaruru and Kinleith. This section of line opened again on 9 June 1947 under the control of the Public Works Department using steam locomotives purchased from the TTT Co.

Around the same time plans were being made for a large pulp and paper mill to be constructed at Kinleith. The line with its sharp curves, steep grades and light rails, needed to be significantly upgraded to enable heavy traffic. Reconstruction of the line began in 1949, reducing grades from 1 in 44 to 1 in 70 and curves from 201 metre radius to 322 metre radius. The rebuilt line was handed over to NZR on 12 June 1950.

The section from Putaruru to Kinleith Mill south of Tokoroa is still(2018) being used as part of the Kinleith Branch Line for goods transport.

Rolling stock

Locomotives

ALCO Mallett steam locomotive No 7[1]
TTT Co maintenance trolley[1]
TTTCo Number Maker Maker's Number Year Type
1 Stearns Manufacturing Co 1074 1903 Geared (Heisler)
2 Stearns 1082 1903 Geared (Heisler)
3 Yorkshire Engine Company 255 1875 Conventional
4 (ex NZR A71) Dubs & Co 654 1873 Conventional
5 Climax ? 1903 Climax Type A
6 Barclay 1270 1912 Conventional
7 ALCO 53970 1912 Mallet Locomotive
8 Heisler 1448 1921 Geared (Heisler)
9 Heisler 1449 1921 Geared (Heisler)
10 A & G Price ? 1937 Geared[4]

Waggons

  • 1 combination car for goods and passenger transport
  • 1 guard van
  • 25 flat wagon with side stakes[5]
  • Heisler steam locomotive No 8[1]
    Heisler steam locomotive No 8[1]
  • Heisler steam locomotive No 9[1]
    Heisler steam locomotive No 9[1]
  • Trains hauled by Heisler steam locomotives crossing at Kopakorahi[1]
    Trains hauled by Heisler steam locomotives crossing at Kopakorahi[1]
  • Empty train ton the return trip to Mokai[1]
    Empty train ton the return trip to Mokai[1]
  • Loco No 7 at 'Ngutuwera' T.T.T. Railway, 1947[1]
    Loco No 7 at 'Ngutuwera' T.T.T. Railway, 1947[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
  2. ^ "Ongaroto Bridge". www.ipenz.org.nz. IPENZ Engineering Heritage. Retrieved 2016-09-25.
  3. ^ "A Light Railway". Evening Post. 1912-09-10. p. 7. Retrieved 2016-06-24.
  4. ^ Cudby, Kevin. Men of Pluck. p. 56. ISBN 0-473-07505-9.
  5. ^ David Kinzett: Taupo Totara Timber Co. 9 February 2000. Retrieved on 9 May 2018.

See also

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