D.—2

XV

At the close of the year there were on order in the railway workshops seventeen engines, consisting of seven simple-superheated tender engines, Pacific type, Class Ab, and ten heavy tank engines, 4-6-4 type, Class Wab. There was also on order from Messrs. A. and G. Price (Limited), Thames, twenty Pacific type engines, Class Ab, and from the North British Locomotive Company (Limited), Glasgow, eighteen Pacific type engines, Class Ab. Altogether there were on order on the 31st March, 1922, fifty-five engines. The tractive power of locomotives was increased by 596,193 lb., equal to 6-8 per cent. Boilers. —The work on renewals and repairs has been kept well up to date. The following statement shows details of boiler-work done :—

In addition to the boilers repaired in the Government workshops six boilers were repaired by Messrs. A. and G. Price (Limited), Thames. Forty-three new boilers were in hand at the close of the year, consisting of seven Class Ab, fifteen Class F, one Class Fa, two Class H, one Class J, two Class R, five Class U, and ten Class Wab. Carriages. —The stock on the Ist April, 1921, was 1,492, and on the 31st March, 1922, the number was 1,496. Five new bogie cars were built and added to stock. One six-wheel car was written off stock. The following table shows details of car-work done during the year : —

Thirty-six cars were under construction at the close of the year in the railway workshops. Brake-vans. —The number of brake-vans on the line on the Ist April, 1921, was 443, and the number on the 31st March, 1922, was 450. Ten bogie brake-vans were built and added to stock. Two old four-wheel brake-vans were condemned and written off stock, and one second-hand four-wheel brake-van was sold. The following table shows the work done on brake-vans during the year : —

Eleven bogie brake-vans were under construction at the close of the year. Wagons.- -The wagon stock on the Ist April, 1921, was 22,676, and the number on the 31st March, .1922, was 23,524. 233 wagons, comprising 55 bogie and 178 four-wheel, were built in. Government railway workshops, also 613 four-wheel wagons imported from Messrs. Cammell, Laird, and Co. (Limited), of Sheffield, were erected and placed in-service. Two bogie wagons were purchased from the Defence Department. j| The carrying-capacity of wagon stock was increased by 10,790 tons, equal to 5-41 per cent., or an equivalent of 1,798 ordinary wagons. The following table gives particulars of work done on wagons during the year : —

Numb r Tubes , t, ... Heavy Light New pieced and Description. 4 .? aaso , M Re- Re- Tubes Secondthrough new. irs< g han(( hh0 P 3 - (Sets). New Boilerbarrel. New q i „ at New Number ,-,. , smoke- .New j-,. , . Firebox . „■ Firebox of m, , box iire- m , „ ., Throat- | m i, i Tube- Boilers plate. ; D i„ te " plate, patched. 1 5 6 22 118 oilers 358 6 148 204 119 34

Particulars. Number passed through shops .. Built new Rebuilt Converted Thoroughly overhauled Heavy repairs Light repairs Painted Paint touched up Number and Type of Carriages. Bogie. Six-wheel. \ Four-wheel. ,_ 2,197 99 13 5 1 1 411 8 737 12 5 .. ' 1,043 78 8 677 7 4 838 5 13 5 8 4 Total. 2,30! t ] 1 41! 754 1,12! 688 84 J 2,309 5 1 1 419 754 1,129 688 843

Description. Number passed through Shops. Built new. Thoroughly Heavy overhauled. Repairs. Light Repairs. Painted. Paint touched up. irake-vans 1,030 10 81 308 631 192 318

h n . .. parsed ' Built Erected Re- ,, , .,, Con- Thorou K h ly Heavy Light D . . , . Pal " t , Description. .*.„ _■ , , Rebuilt. , , over- „ fi r> ■ Painted, touched r through new. new. erected. verted. , . , Repairs. Kepairs. Shops. nauiea. , up. r agons .. 27,609 233 613 36 82 17 1,181 |12,043 13,404 4,958 15,070