Re: A Christmas Treat From New Zealand

pickaxe Wrote:
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> Fascinating film...Why sheds and not roundhouses
> with turntable in NZ?


Greymouth, Invercargill both had TT served Roundhouses, Lyttleton (originally s.g. line) had a 2 track Shed via TT.

Consensus between the retired guy's and one knowledgeable enthusiast here was 1) we're chiefly British in makeup and tradition, and 2) sheds were extended as needed. Dunedin was a North/South road so not all Locos would require turning. Greymouth seemed to have been an anomaly, since it had the ashpit elevator as well as the Coaltower. This maybe arising from a Management visit to the US or featured benefit written in a trade Publication, of which our Officers were widely read.

Oddly the Wellington & Manawatu Railway Co., apart from the first 8 locomotives from Great Britain(1884/5), had only US built locos, had clerestory Carriages, roof operated handbrakes on freight wagons yet their two locomotive depots were classic Sheds in the British sense. go figure!

Thank you for asking, this query lead to a very enjoyable Sunday morning here at the kitchen table with 3 old E.D's reminising and telling me "you" youngin's had it easy. Ha!

EDIT: Apparently this board is read by other NZ'rs, just had phone call from my old Senior Driver who told me "you forgot about Fire. Any shed can be cleared out by one loco in steam and a turntable just traps everything they can't fire up, diesels included".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2018 08:27PM by Chris Walker.