PETROL-DRIVEN CARRIAGE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1924, Page 12

PETROL-DRIVEN CARRIAGE.

Good progress is being made with the completion of the engine, control gear, and other mechanism of the petroldriven railway carriage, some features of which are the invention of Mr E. B. Buckhurst, of Christchurch. * It will be recalled, states the Press, that the Minister of Railways (Hon. J. G. Coates) referred to this ,type of petrol railway carriage, in his recently delivered Railways Statement. Delay in completing the engine and other parts of the mechanism has arisen owing to the fact that parts were short-shipped, and had to be ordered from England. These parts have now come to hand. Mr. Buckhurst expects to have the carriage completed and ready in about a month’s time. The carriage portion of the vehicle has been shaped at the Addington Workshops. The engine is a super-six cylinder, and will be fitted under the carriage with a minimum clearance of six inches from the rail. The carriage will weigh twelve tons,and will be capable of being operated from each end in the same manner as an electric tramway cart Mr. Buckhurst’s invention consists of the reverse-gear-ing, which permits this to be done. A speed of 44 miles an hour on the flat and of 30 miles an hour on a grade of 1 in 75 will be a ttained by the carriage, which will carry 40 passengers a"d their luggage. It is estimated that the running cost of the petrol-driven railway carriage will lie 3d a mile, os compared w’th Is a. mile per carriage on steamdriven trains