ROLLING STOCK

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 83, 5 October 1920, Page 4

ROLLING STOCK

WAGONS AND LOCOMOTIVES

GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS

TENDERS.

An important announcement was mad© in the House of Representatives last evening by the Prime Minister (the. Right Hon. W F Massey) regarding tenders that have been received for railway locomotives and rolling stock.

The Dominion, said Mr. Massey, had been suffering considerable inconvenience for some time through the shortage. o£ locomotives and rolling stock. At tempts had been made from time to time to place orders in Great Britain and America., but until recently there had been no results. However, he was glad to be able to inform the House that twelve tenders had now been received from abroad for manufacture of twentyfive class "Ab" locomotives. Two of ■the tenders were from Canada, one from the United States, one from Germany, one from South Australia, and seven from the United Kingdom. The prices ranged as high as £17,325 Tha contract was for delivery within twelve months, and all the material used in construction of the locomotives, had to be up to British standaxd specification. The successful tenderer was the North British Company, of Glasgow, and the contract price was £12,350 per engine. The locomotives would be of the. same type as those used on the Main Trunk express trains between Wellington and Auckland. Their weight would be 84 tons 15ewt in working trim

For the manufacture of 2500 eight-ton four-wheeled wagons, said Mr. Massey, four tenders had been received from British firms, four from the United States, one from Canada, and ones from Germany, while one British firm tendered for 250 wagons, and another for 1000 wagons.' With one exception, the tenders were subject to fluctuations in respect of both wages and material

The successful tenderers were Cammell, Laird, and Co. Theirs was the only tender quoted of a firm price, and the amount was £325 13s per wagon.

The total cost of the 25 locomotives was £308.750, and of the 2500 wagons £814,125, a total of £1,122,875. This was exclusive of freight and cost of erection in New Zealand. The total estimated cost of engines and wagons on the rails in running order in New Zealand was £1,700,000.

"The Railway Department's experience of the manufactures of the North British Company, and Cammell, Laird, and Co., has been satisfactory," said Mr. Massey "The new rolling-stock, when to hand, will help materially to overcome the difficulties the Department isl experiencing in respect of locomotive power and wagon capacity. Tenders are now being invited for the manufacture of 1000 additional wagons within the Dominion, and there are 40 engines, ■ 40 carriages, 60 brake-vans, and 625 wagons under construction here at the present time. Unless unforeseen circumstances occur, it is hoped to have the bulk of the new wagons on the rails in time for the next busy season. It is the; intention of the Department to send an officer to the United Kingdom to watch the construction of the rolling stock referred to, and also to acquire an insight into the up-to-date methods of working in the large manufacturing establishments in. Great Britain."