CONVERSION TO OIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26229, 13 August 1946, Page 5

CONVERSION TO OIL

FAMOUS BRITISH RAILWAY EFFECT OF COAL SHORTAGE (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) (Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 12. Owing to the coal shortage and the rising cost of locomotive coal, the Great Western Railway has converted a number of locomotives from coal burning to oil burning. Ten are already in use in South Wales for drawing freight trains. One general utility locomotive has also been converted, and this week will draw express passenger trains between Bristol and London. It is intended to convert 25 more passenger locomotives for main line use and eight more for freight. It is estimated that the conversion of these 44 locomotives will save about 50,000 tons of coal annually. The oil burning locomotive is said to be as efficient as the coal burning type. Savings are effected in servicing and in man-power by the elimination of coal loading and the removal of ashes. The amount of fuel carried, about 1800 gallons, suffices for about 250 miles, and with 14 'carriages a maximum speed of about 80 m.p.h. can be obtained, a performance almost identical with that of a coal burning locomotive of the same class. No exact figures of relative costs are yet available. The cost in fuel is greater when using oil, but how far costs will be lowered by economies in servicing if oil fuel is adopted on a large scale is net known.