OIL-BURNING ENGINES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 143, 30 March 1948, Page 6

OIL-BURNING ENGINES

TROUBLES LIKELY TO BE OVERCOME

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 29. Trouble in the operation of the steam superheating elements in oiL burning locomotives is expected to be overcome when imported elements now arriving are fitted. This was stated by a Railways Department officer when he> commented on a report from New Plymouth which said that oil-burning locomotives had caused much trouble and delay to train services in the North Island. The fiercer heat produced by fuel oil had been particularly hard on the elements, the burning out of whicn had been one of the main causes of the delays, said the report. Admitting that the oil-burning locomotives were presenting many problems, a railway official at Taumarunui pointed ou{. that they are still in their “teething stages.” Another employee said he had seen oil burners, after having new elements installed, return for another replacement within a matter of days. On many occasions the shortage of elements had held up repair work, and sheds might contain half a dozen locomotives awaiting replacements. When this report was referred to an engineer of the Railways Department in Wellington, he admitted that such problems had occurred. The position was that until now the department had not been able to maintain its supplies of elements as the British manufacturers had not been able to meet the requirements.