Title
New Zealand Government Railways Class Ew electric locomotives mechanical parts
Reference
GEC/2/2/7/7
Production date
1951 - 1951
Creator
- Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns LtdBiographyBiography
In 1937 Robert Stephenson & Co. Ltd purchased the locomotive department of R & W Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd. They became Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd. The policy was to concentrate the building of main line locomotives at Robert Stephenson’s Darlington works and industrial locomotives at Forth Banks.
In 1944 Vulcan Foundry acquired Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns Ltd, ending Hawthorns' 137 year connection with Forth Banks. In 1955 Vulcan Foundry became full members of the English Electric group of companies, which became part of the GEC group of companies in 1968.
Scope and Content
The roll contains c 120 waxed linen drawings of New Zealand Government Railways Class Ew electric locomotives mechanical parts. Drawing number range 40484 - 42494.
Extent
1 roll
Archival history
This roll of drawings was compiled by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd
Level of description
FILE
Repository name
National Railway Museum, York
Associated people and organisations
- New Zealand Railways DepartmentBiographyBiography
The New Zealand Railways Department (NZR) also known as New Zealand Government Railways was a government department created in 1880. NZR acquired a number of private railways from 1886, including the Waimea Plains Railway Company and the New Zealand Midland Railway Company in 1898. The acquisition in 1908 of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company and its railway line marked the completion of the North Island Main Trunk from Wellington to Auckland after 23 years construction. In 1923 the West Coast line opens with the Otira tunnel containing the nation's first electric railway. In 1945 the South Island main trunk from Christchurch to Picton is completed and by 1953 the rail network reached its peak in terms of network reach at 5,689 kilometres. Between 1959 and 1971 numerous country branch lines close across the country as the steam era ends as NZR re-equipped lines with modern diesel locomotives. The NZR was reorganised in 1982 to become an independent commercial company called the New Zealand Railways Corporation.
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