History

This shunting tractor was built under a contract from the Drewery Car Company to fulfil an order placed by the Ohai Railway Board for its Western Southland line.

In its original 1939 configuration, its 107 hp 6LW Gardner Engine and 4 speed epicyclic gearbox gave it a cruising speed of 20 miles an hour, brisk enough for miners trains operating over the line. In it's original green livery, it carried the entwined ORB insignia on the side of the cab and featured narrow lining-out, possibly cream in colour, on the engine hood. The exact shade of green has been subject to a debate that will probably intensify once the locomotive appears more regularly in public.

In 1955, it joined its Drewery counterparts in the ranks of the New Zealand Government Railways' TR class, having been used as a part-exchange for a larger steam locomotive that was more suited to the Railway Board's needs. Before entering NZR service, it lost its train brake and distinctive livery, receiving a smaller compressor for operating the straight air brakes, and a red paint scheme.

The original Gardner 6LW engine and associated gearbox were finally replaced after numerous problems in the late 1960's by a Detroit 4-71 diesel motor with Allison Torque Converter and Bramley and Bostock final drive.

It finally retired in 1988, carrying a number of battle scars and wearing a faded "fruit salad" livery. It had received the TMS number of 309, one figure appearing on each of the battered engine covers.

The tractor had served stations such as Ranfurly, Cromwell, Winton, Palmerston, Kurrow and lastly Edendale in its long and faithful service to the Crown.

Its retirement came about as a result of an enquiry from the Otago Railway and Locomotive Society as to its availability. It had been serviced at the Dunedin Locomotive Depot and was in transit to Edendale for another tour of duty when the decision was made to return it to Dunedin for disposal. After cleaning and testing, it was accepted and transported to the society's Ocean Beach Railway, brushing past a couple of telephone wires on the way.

Restoration

After complementing Ds 203 as a shunt locomotive for several years, and hauling occasional passenger trains (after the reinstatement of continuous braking provisions), performance began to fade in a number of critical areas. This was a result of time and wear catching up with the veteran, and changing operational standards.

With generous support from the Dunedin City Council - Community Initiatives fund, the Pacific Development Trust, and the Alexander Macmillan Trust, work commenced on returning the battered shunting tractor to its original condition. This work built on earlier repairs and maintenance performed at the St Kilda site.

The side rod ring brasses were replaced. These were turned on the Societies own lathe from hollow brass rod. Fortunately, the crank-pins were still in excellent condition and didn't require any refurbishment. The axle boxes were cleaned and new flax and wool was installed.

The cab interior had the accumulation of grease, grime and paint removed, and it was recoated with the original pale green shade. The control stand was retained in black and the instrument panel was repainted cream. Removing the paint and rust in the cab will be remembered as the most miserable part of the project because of the cramped conditions and the methods that had to be used. The windscreen wiper motors were overhauled and in two cases rewound. Replacement wiper arms were obtained, they are identical to those found on Mini cars. Minor repairs were undertaken on the instruments, and extensive cabling and electrical repairs were performed. The cab door skins were separated from the Oak framing for rust and rot repairs. The door frames have been returned to the original oiled finish and the brass weather strips have been repaired and lacquered. With some surprise, the old drivers seat was found and reinstalled after being thrown out some ten years previous. The windows, frames, and part of the cab were all separated into their respective components for corrosion control, painting and sealing. The front and rear shunting platforms were also removed, refurbished and refitted.

The entire body of the locomotive was straightened and painted with professional assistance. This work included refurbishing the battered hood doors. The ageing Detroit prime mover was also rebuilt using local contractors. The locomotive had always had a smoky exhaust and was hard to start. The reason was because of broken rings, a fault that this engine series is prone to. The fact that the liners had begun to move inside the block wouldn't have helped. Genuine parts were sourced with some considerable difficulty as this model is well and truly obsolete. Once again, professional assistance was sought, although members discovered a new sort of dirt when they volunteered to clean out parts of the dismantled motor. It was absolutely filthy and stained raw hands.

The opportunity to upgrade the floor and repair the sand boxes has also been taken. The Air Receivers located below the running board have been removed, cleaned, painted, tested and refitted. A persistent oil leak on the Final Drive oil pump assembly has also been eliminated. All four axlebox springs were removed for cleaning and painting, one received a new leaf.

The overall result is pleasing, the cab has a more spacious feel since it was cleaned and painted, the new livery gleams in the sun, and it is an economical and practical locomotive to use for light passenger traffic, shunting heritage wagons, and moving dead steam locomotives. While it remains an effective way of converting perfectly good diesel into noise, its drivers claim that it has more power. It certainly starts easily and runs freely. Unladen, it is capable of frightening speeds, and it will move long rakes of wagons on level track.

The society is greatly indebted to the individuals and organisations who contributed to the project in terms of cash, discounts and sheer hard work. It also thanks the members who believed in, assisted, or even just tolerated the project.

It is difficult to name a single person who contributed the most to the project. However, Dale Jonker’s involvement in the project spans well over a decade. John Darnton also undertook a number of the least pleasant tasks, and it remains a source of sadness that he had to return to the United Kingdom before the fruits of his labour could be enjoyed.