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| Description Class 'Tr' diesel shunter number 100, the first of 10 of this type built by A and G Price in Thames for New Zealand Railways, on the occasion of the handover at Thames to New Zealand RailwaysSir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1370-341-3 New Zealand Herald 14 November 1956 |
The Sir George Grey Collection at Auckland Libraries never fails to come up trumps with some new material to be discovered. I hadn't spotted these ones relating to our local train builders.
These photographs concerned a contract that the foundry had from 1956 to 1958, whereby they produced ten 15-ton 107hp diesel-mechanical shunting locomotives for New Zealand Rail. They were classed as shunting tractors and given the classification "Tr".
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| Above Description: Class 'Tr' diesel shunter number 100, the first of 10 of this type built by A and G Price in Thames for New Zealand Railways, on the occasion of the handover at Thames to New Zealand Railways. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 1370-341-2 New Zealand Herald 14 November 1956 Below Description: Class 'Tr' diesel shunter number 100, the first of 10 of this type built by A and G Price in Thames for New Zealand Railways, on the occasion of the handover at Thames to New Zealand Railways. Showing the Minister of Railways, Hon J K McAlpine (left), and the General Manager of New Zealand Railways, A T Gandell (right). 
The details of the ten shunting locomotives were: (makers no, date in service, NZR old no, NZR TMS No.). The wheel arrangement was 0 - 4 - 0.
169, 12/1956, 100,314; 170, 12/1956, 101, 321; 171, 12/1956, 102, 338; 172, 1/1957, 103, 344; 173, 2/1957, 104, 350; 174, 4/1957, 105, 367; 175, 5/1957, 106, 373; 176, 5/1957, 107, 396; 177, 7/1957, 108, 407; 178, 5/1957, 109, 413.
Where are they now? An excellent site provides information on where old NZR stock is located.
Tr 103 / 344 From 1957 - 1991 NZR Service, 1991 - 2000 Balance Fertliser, Morrinsville (IS), 2000 - 2009 Balance Fertliser, Morrinsville (ST), 12/2009 Rotorua Ngongotaha Railway Trust (On Loan) - In Service.
Tr 104 / 350 In Service with the Kingston Flyer.
Tr 107 / 396 In Service. 1957 - 2005 NZR Service, 2005 - 2007 Shantytown (IS), 2007 - 2008 Shantytown (OH), Ways & Works, Middleton (WW 4733).
Tr 108 / 407 Ways & Works, Otaki (WW 4346). Waitara Railway Preservation Society. WATCH Tr 407 in action.
Further information: Source: Wikipedia
The long established NZ engineering firm A & G Price of Thames supplied a total of 39 TRs, making them the largest single builder. Four different models were supplied: the Model 3 (TR 100-109), with Gardner 6LW engine and Self Changing Gears 4-speed gearbox; the Model 9 (TR 110-118), powered by a Gardner 6LW engine and Twin Disc torque converter; the Model 4 (TR 157-161), McLaren M6 engine and SCG 4-speed gearbox; and the Model 6 (TR 162-176), engine Gardner 6L3, also SCG 4-speed gearbox. The McLaren engined TRs were re-powered from 1975 with Gardner 6LX engines and the gearbox was replaced with a Twin Disc torque converter.
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