INSPECTION MOTOR.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19332, 9 June 1928, Page 19

INSPECTION MOTOR.

——« FOR CHRISTCHURCHGREYMOUTH LINE. (teom ouk own cobrbbpokdiht.) LONDON, May 5. The Railway Gazette gives full details of a vehicle which has recently been completed for service on the electrified section of the ChristchurchGreymouth line. The superstructure, consisting of a tower and accommodation at each end for the driver, is to be constructed in the New Zealand' Railway workshops. The vehicle is required to work on a 3 per cent, up grade with a total load of 90001b on the chassis and a gross trailing load of 14,0U01b at a speed of 15 m.p.h. All controls are duplicated at each end to allow the vehicle to be operated in both directions with the full trailing load. The superstructure is to be approximately loft long by Bft wide, and will house the driver, the engine and repair material for the overhead cable. A six-cylinder engine is employed with cylinders 100 mm. bore by 140 mm. stroke, developing 80 B.H.P. at 2000 r.o.m. Four speeds in both directions are provided, namely, 16 m.p.h. at normal engine revolutions on top gear, 8 m.p.h. on third, 4 m.p.h. on second, and 2$ on low. The Railway Board required that the vehicle should be tested under working conditions, and in order to do this special temporary axles of standard (4ft B£in) gauge were employed, with the full load on the chassis and a trailing load IJ tons in excess' of what was specified. With this gross load the vehicle climbed a gradient of 1 in 24 without difficulty at 18 m.p.h. with the engine accelerating on the steepest part of the gradient. Moreover, the load was securely held on the gradient by the foot brake alone. The vehicle was made by Hardy Railmotors, Limited,