A B LOCOMOTIVES

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 8

A B LOCOMOTIVES

DETAILS OF THE CONTRACT. ;Fboh Ouh Own Correspondent.! WELLINGTON, January 24. The Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) to-day announced a further purchase of A B locomotives in Great Britain for use in New Zealand. The engines have been obtained on excellent terms. “It will be remembered,” said Mr Guthrie, “that the last two engines manufactured under the contract for 45 locomotives placed with a British firm some time ago were lost in the W T iltshir e wreck. These engines were fully insured, and the insurance money, amounting to more than £29,000 (?) lias now been paid. In respect to inquiries, the contractors have announced their willingness to build additional locomotives, complying in all respects with the former specifications, for the sum of £5225 each. With the cost of inspection in Great Britain and of freight and assembling added, the cost of the engine on the rails will be approximately £b245. This 'means that, for an expenditure of slightly less than £2OOO over and above the amount received for insurance on the two engines lost the department can flow obtain five class A B locomotives delivered here in July next, and the Government has decided to place the orders accordingly.” The Minister added that the contract price for the engines now being constructed byMessrs Price Bros (Thames) was more than ~-1,000, while those being built in the department’s own workshops were costing £BOOO, to which had to be added the cost of transport from the South Island and assembling in the North Island (£3OO per engine), making a total cost of £B3OO on the rails in the North Island. The locomotives to be miyiufactured in Great Britain will be used in the North Island, where ~e- can be employed with advantage and economy. This arrangement will enable the department to retain in the South Island for the Oliristchurch-Greymouth service the locomotives which are at present being constructed at Addington for use in the North Island, and at the same time effect a saving of £3OO per engine in freight and other charges for the transport of the Addington locomotives to the North Island. The importation of the five additional .engines

wiii not affect the position ait the New Zealand railway workshops, which already have a programme more than sufficient to keep them fully employed for the next two years. Messrs Price Bros, have 16 locomotives to deliver under their contract, which will take three years to be completed.