NZR 56-foot carriage
Encyclopedia
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
, and still in service. Some have been preserved.
1927: Prototypes
The first 56 ft carriages were built in 1927, being a development of the then-standard steel-panel Aa class NZR 50-foot carriages. These first six carriages were 50 ft cars with lengthened underframes at the ends, and the cars retained the same bogieBogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
spacing as the 50 ft carriages. Designed for sleeper use, these cars were clad in wood initially. All were given the AA classification due to their limited running rights, and were numbered consecutively from AA 1616 to AA 1622. Later they were clad in steel and given new underframes to match the later 56 ft cars.
1930s-1940s: The second batch
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
spacing and a more rounded profile, to allow general route availability. They were classed A, with the initial batch being built at Otahuhu Railway Workshops. It took Otahuhu and Addington Railway Workshops until 1945 to complete the class.
There was a large amount of variation in the body arrangement between batches. This primarily reflected the carriage’s use – 2nd Class (X25480), 1st Class, 1st/2nd Class Composite (X25916) or Semi Sleeping - but there was also variations between carriages intended for North Island and South Island use. South Island 1st Class cars (X25495) were built with pressure ventilation and a coupe compartment at one end, while North Island 1st Class cars (X25485) used roof-based vents like 2nd Class cars, and did not include a coupe. Up to 12 2nd Class cars were converted into 20-bed Ambulance cars for use in World War 2 and after the war were converted for general use, six of which were converted for 1st Class use, with four receiving seats of a more modern design, that were later used for the Endeavour
Endeavour (train)
The Endeavour was a long-distance passenger train service between Wellington and Napier in the North Island of New Zealand...
Express and The Connoisseur
The Connoisseur car
The Connoisseur cars were special railway carriages that were used in the consist of a number of passenger trains in New Zealand.- Inception :...
car. Eight out of 11 Semi Sleeper cars were rebuilt as 16-berth all-sleeper cars, one rebuilt as a 14-berth sleeper because it retained the original 4-berth cabin.
56-ft cars quickly became the mainstay of the passenger fleet, being used on the NZR’s important trains in their red livery.
“Fat Annie” guards van variant
In 1942 two Guard’s vans were built on the same 56 ft type underframe to create vans to match the 56 ft carriage stock. The first two vans had narrow vestibules at both ends, and a further 19 vans built in 1943-44 only had this at one end. These vans were used on principal expresses in both Islands until the 1980s.1970s: 'blue' upgrade
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
began overhauling a number of 56 ft cars for a new South Island train called the “Southerner”. These carriages were painted blue with a light blue stripe bordered by gold on the sides and white roofs, and received new seating and upholstery to match. Some carriages were highly modified into buffet cars, the first buffet cars on NZR since 1918. Classified AB, these cars had a kitchenette and a full-length buffet counter installed. A similar set of cars was upgraded in the North Island for the new “Endeavour
Endeavour (train)
The Endeavour was a long-distance passenger train service between Wellington and Napier in the North Island of New Zealand...
” train from Wellington to Napier. Another set of carriages (including sleeping cars) was overhauled for a new overnight train between Wellington and Auckland called the “Northerner
Northerner (train)
The Northerner was an overnight passenger train between Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand. Originally numbered 227 southbound and 626 northbound, it replaced the unnamed and less revered ordinary express trains supplementing the luxurious Silver Star , which had replaced the Night Limited in...
”. These cars were the first to be turned out with the new “Supavent” style of windows, and were painted a mustard yellow instead of blue. All these new carriages were running on new bogies, after a successful trial of a new “deluxe” bogie under 56 ft car A 1622. The bogie type used was initially the same as the FS steam heat vans (X27750, known as a “Kinki” bogie), and later the type of bogie pioneered under the NZR FM guards van
NZR FM guards van
The NZR FM guards van is a rail vehicle in New Zealand originally used on freight trains but now used primarily on passenger trains, reclassified AG.-First batch, 1977:...
s (X28020, known as an “FM” bogie), heavily based on the type of bogies used under the Silver Star
Silver Star (train)
The Silver Star was a luxury passenger train that ran overnight between Auckland and Wellington on the North Island Main Trunk railway of New Zealand. The train ran from Monday, 6 September 1971 until Sunday, 8 June 1979...
classed X28250. This improved the ride quality of the carriages.
1980s: Panoramic glazing
TranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
Express and later re-numbered ASO27, and was quickly followed by further upgraded carriages, primarily on the TranzAlpine. The 2nd servery car upgraded to this large window configuration was to be numbered AS2517 but was released as ASO 14 – the O for Observation denoted the large panoramic windows, and subsequent cars followed this classification. Further carriages were upgraded over the next five years, and some were fitted with air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, a feature not previously used in New Zealand carriages. Four carriages were modified with lounge seating and a large panoramic window in one end, one car incorporating a servery, but no special classification distinguished these cars from the other AOs or ASOs. Other carriages were given upgraded seating and new paint colours but remained on the older style bogies and without air conditioning, for commuter and charter use. Later, some of these cars included air conditioning but retained the smaller Supavent windows
Current use of 56ft Carriages
56 ft carriages still provide the mainstay of all New Zealand’s long distance passenger trains, including the TranzAlpineTranzAlpine
The TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
, TranzCoastal and Overlander passenger services, using carriages rebuilt with panoramic windows. Carriages with Supavent windows are kept as a charter fleet in the North Island. Most of the panoramic carriages are expected to be removed from front-line service in the next two years with 17 new AK carriages to be constructed at Hillside Workshops. They may be retained as new charter fleet cars or be on-sold.
A large number of 56 ft cars are now either with small train operating companies (Taieri Gorge Railway, 13 carriages) or in preservation with many railway societies, some which use the cars on main line excursions. None of the car-van van variant remain in use, their use having been supplanted by the newer FM/AG vans
NZR FM guards van
The NZR FM guards van is a rail vehicle in New Zealand originally used on freight trains but now used primarily on passenger trains, reclassified AG.-First batch, 1977:...
. However, examples exist in preservation.
Taieri Gorge Railway
While KiwiRailKiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
is phasing out 56-foot carriages, Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
operator Taieri Gorge Railway
Taieri Gorge Railway
The Taieri Gorge Railway is a railway line and tourist train operation based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand...
is phasing them in. Due to the tight tunnel clearances on their Taieri Gorge route, TGR is unlikely to be able to use imported carriages such as are becoming widespead on other New Zealand routes.
In September 2007 The Taieri Gorge Railway announced it had purchased 12 NZR 56-foot carriages formerly used on the Wairarapa Connection, to replace its heritage wooden open-platform cars. and its ex-Dunedin suburban NZR 50-foot carriages. The first of these, A2325, was prepared at a cost of $45,000 and ready in September 2008. Although A2325 was the first car put in service, a 13th 56 ft car A2095 had been purchased earlier and conversion begun to a buffet car, which entered service in Nov 2009. Entering service in Oct 2009 was A2277. The company anticipated having three carriages in service by the end of 2008, and all 12 by 2013. The upgrade included new seating, carpets, toilets and external paint. The railway intends to refurbish three carriages each year.
South Island
- SeasiderSeasider (train)The Seasider is a tourist train in the South Island of New Zealand, operated by the Taieri Gorge Railway along the Main South Line between the historic Dunedin Railway Station and Palmerston once or twice a week in the summer months and occasionally during winter. Since the demise of the...
(DunedinDunedinDunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
-PalmerstonPalmerston, New ZealandThe town of Palmerston, in New Zealand's South Island lies 50 kilometres to the north of the city of Dunedin. It is the largest town in the Waihemo Ward of the Waitaki District with a population of 890 residents...
) - Taieri Gorge Limited (Dunedin-Taieri GorgeTaieri GorgeThe Taieri Gorge is located on the Taieri River, in the South Island of New Zealand.It is a deep canyon carved by the Taieri River on the middle stage of its journey from Central Otago to the Pacific Ocean, between the high plateau of the Maniototo and the coastal Taieri Plains.The Taieri Gorge...
) - TranzAlpineTranzAlpineThe TranzAlpine Express is a passenger train operated by Tranz Scenic in the South Island of New Zealand. This trip is often regarded to be one of the world's great train journeys for the scenery through which it passes . The journey is one-way, taking about four and a half hours...
(ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
-GreymouthGreymouthGreymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coast's inhabitants...
) - Coastal Pacific (ChristchurchChristchurchChristchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
-PictonPicton-People:* Cesar Picton , from slave to successful businessman in England* Thomas Picton , Welsh soldier* Robert Pickton , Canadian serial killer-Animal:...
)
North Island
- Capital Connection (replaced with ex-BR Mark 2NZR British Rail Mark 2 carriageBritish Rail Mark 2 carriages used in New Zealand were imported from the United Kingdom and rebuilt/refurbished and re-gauged in New Zealand.The carriages are used on the Capital Connection , owned operated by Tranz Scenic; MAXX commuter trains in Auckland , owned by Auckland Transport and...
stock in 1998) - Wairarapa Connection (replaced with ex-BR Mark 2 stock in 2007)
North Island
- Bay Express
- Blue FernBlue Fern (train)The Blue Ferns, an unofficial name, were temporary replacement locomotive-hauled carriage trains between Wellington and Auckland on the North Island Main Trunk Railway in the North Island of New Zealand, in 1981-1984 and 1989-1990.-Twist of Fate:...
- EndeavourEndeavour (train)The Endeavour was a long-distance passenger train service between Wellington and Napier in the North Island of New Zealand...
- NorthernerNortherner (train)The Northerner was an overnight passenger train between Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand. Originally numbered 227 southbound and 626 northbound, it replaced the unnamed and less revered ordinary express trains supplementing the luxurious Silver Star , which had replaced the Night Limited in...
- Scenic DaylightScenic DaylightThe Scenic Daylight was a short-lived daytime express train in New Zealand that operated between Auckland and Wellington along the North Island Main Trunk Railway...
Classification
- A passenger car
- AL car-van (with luggage compartment)
- AO panoramic windows
- AS servery
- ASO panoramic windows and servery
- F guards van