Aa1757
Information on 1932 era NZR Carriage AA1757
- Running number:Aa1757
- Designed by:New Zealand Railways
- Built at:NZR Otahuhu Workshops
- Date built:1932
- Builders diagram:25180
- Date entered service:April 1932
- Date withdrawn:November 1982
- Returned to heritage operation:1984
- Current condition:Certified for main line running.
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Carriage details
- Weight in working order:24 tonnes
- Overall length:52 feet 6 inches
- Bogies:Originally 25140 SKF, now 25330 Timkin.
History
This carriage was built at Otahuhu Railway Workshops and entered service on 30th April 1932. It was a standard North Island 50 foot second class car catering for 44 passengers with Scarrett seats, had a toilet compartment at each end, covered vestibule connections, and rode on SKF roller bearing bogies. For 50 years it was assigned to Wellington.
AA1757 original seating drawing
During an overhaul at Otahuhu in 1943 Aa1757 was fitted with steel anti-collision ends. In a later overhaul the vestibule roof ends were removed and replaced by the present gangway system, the standard draw gear was replaced by Alliance automatic couplers, and new Timkin bogies fitted.
As the need for main line passenger carriages declined in the 1950's, Aa1757 was reassigned to suburban work. Its last NZR use was on the 5.21pm carriage train to Taita on 1st October 1982. After a year in storage it was purchased by Steam Incorporated and was first used by the society on a Scout Jamboree charter train in January 1984.
First use of AA1757 (centre carriage) on Scout Jamboree charter Jan 1984
AA1757 during overhaul
After nearly 10 years of service on our excursion trains the car was withdrawn, and stripped in preparation for a major overhaul. With changing priorities this did not take place and the car was stored undercover until 2005 when the restoration recommenced. This has included much structural repairs, complete exterior recladding, new windows, overhauled bogies and brake system, new interior fit out with reupholstered seats and new flooring. AA1757 is scheduled to re enter main line service as part of the consist for the Taranaki Rhododendron charter train on 30th October 2009. Today in addition to use on our regular New Zealand train trips 1757 sees use on the Marlborough Flyer toursit train to boost capacity.
Restoration team (Missing Ron Head)
AA1757 number & allocation lettering
Thanks to Reid McNaught and Juliet Scoble for this information, John Bovis for the photos.
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