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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 6 (October 1, 1932.)

Interesting Speed Records

Interesting Speed Records.

No mention was made in the reports, of the speed at which the engines (and incidentally the four-wheeled carriages and wagons) were run. A maximum of fifty miles an hour was authorised, but that speed was on occasions exceeded. Mr. C. Rons Marten, the well-known journalist and writer on locomotive performances refers to the Canterbury broad gauge engines in his notes contributed to The English Mechanic in December, 1879. He states he timed one of the larger engines (5ft. 6in. wheels) from Selwyn to Christchurch (23 miles) which distance was covered in 26 minutes, equal to 59 miles per hour. He further stated, writing from memory (he had mislaid his notes), that a speed of over 60 miles an hour was attained. He had also timed one of the smaller engines (5ft Oin. driving wheels) and a speed of 57 miles per hour was recorded.

It may be of interest to mention here some reported speeds beside those quoted by Mr. Rons Marten, though they were not done under test and were not timed sufficiently accurately to be recognised as records. On one occasion, a special train conveying His Excellency the Governor was run from Lyttelton to Christchurch, 7 miles (actually 6 miles 26 chains) in 7 minutes. The train was hauled by one of the smaller engines driven by Mr. J. G. Warner, the Railway Engineer. Another instance was the run of a special relief train hauled by Engine No. 3, Driver, A. Blackmore, which was stated to have run from Christchurch to Rolleston, 14 miles, in 13 minutes, equal to nearly 65 miles per hour. A portion of the journey would necessarily be performed at a higher speed than the average. It was mentioned at the time that, when not firing, the fireman sat on the floor of the cab and held on to the brake pedestal. In neither case was there any idea of record breaking, but, as the relief train was conveying medical assistance, the driver was told to lose no time.

Arising out of an argument as to the accuracy of the time stated for the Lyttelton to Christchurch run, and the capacity of the smaller engines to run at over 60 miles an hour, a strictly unofficial test was made between Rangiora and Kaiapoi. There was a late train run from Christchurch to Rangiora on Thursday evenings, the return trip from Rangiora leaving at midnight. This return train was scheduled to carry passengers if required, but except on special occasions of meetings or entertainments at Rangiora or Kaiapoi, was very sparsely patronised. The trip was usually run by one of the smaller broad gauge engines, those then in commission being No. 6 (Driver J. Hoban), No. 7 (B. Leathwick), No. 8 (T. Braithwaite), and No. 10 (G. Dorn and later B. Verdon). On occasions, when the exigencies of the traffic rendered it necessary, J. Lloyd, Night Foreman of Cleaners at Christchurch, ran the trip with one or other of these engines. Each of these men was to try whether it was possible to run the 7 miles (actually 6 miles 64 chains), Rangiora to Kaiapoi, in 7 minutes, provided no intermediate stop was required. The Christchurch-Rangiora line was of the same standard as the Lyttelton line, with 70lb. rails laid in chairs. Several runs were made before the management became aware of these tests and peremptorily stopped them. At that time it was understood that No. 7 engine had made the best run, but owing to the strongly expressed disapproval of the management, the staff were uncommunicative as to the results.