Petone Workshops

The Petone Workshops were a government-owned railways maintenance and repair facility located in Petone, in Lower Hutt in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island. It took over construction and maintenance of rolling stock in the Wellington region from the Pipitea Point facility, starting in 1876cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year=1976 |month= |publisher=The New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society |location=Wellington, New Zealand |language= |isbn=0-908573-00-6 |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=80 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=Petoni offered the best proposition for siting the workshops, and it was here that a very modest start was made in 1876. ] , and became the only such facility in the region from 1878cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=80 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=... work did not start in earnest until 1878. ] until the opening of the replacement Hutt Workshops facility in 1929.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year=1970 |month= |publisher=The New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society |location=Wellington, New Zealand |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=58 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=... the whole plant was completed by 1929, and the first locomotives began emerging the following year. ]

History

Predecessor

The first railway workshops in the Wellington region were near Wellington’s first railway station at Pipitea Point. These workshops started out as a set of storage sheds for rolling stock when the first section of the Wairarapa Line was being constructed from 1872 to 1874. Later a repair and erecting shop was built at the site at the behest of Messrs Brogden and Sons, who arranged for the workshops to be fitted out with equipment imported from England. The building was convert|100|ft|m|abbr=on long by convert|48|ft|m|abbr=on wide, with a seaward side lean-to convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on long and convert|24|ft|m|abbr=on wide. A single road entered the building, in which facilities were provided for blacksmiths with four forges, woodworking and carpentry, and a machine shop. A stationary steam engine was used to power the machinery using a system of shafts and belts. A 10-ton overhead crane straddled the track.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=78 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=Partly of necessity and partly at the instigation of Messrs Brogden and Sons, a repair and erecting shop was built at Pipitea Point. It seems clear that Brogdens built this repair shop and arranged for the machinery to be imported from England. It was a building convert|100|ft|m long and convert|48|ft|m wide, with a lean-to on the seaward side. This part of the building was convert|50|ft|m long by convert|24|ft|m wide. A single line entered the building, and provision was made for a blacksmiths shop with four forges; a woodworking and carpentering shop; and a machine shop. A steam boiler supplied a stationary engine, which drove the machinery by a system of belts and shafting. A 10-ton overhead crane spanned the single line of railway in the building. ]

Replacement at Petone

The Pipitea Workshops site had not long been in operation when the volume of work required of it expanded beyond its capacity.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=79 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=As the volume of work grew, so did the inadequacy of the repair facilities. ] Several sites for a new railway workshops facility were suggested, and it was eventually decided that Petone was the best option. In 1876, a small start was made on the new facility with the construction of a shed for the storage of four new Fell-type locomotives until they were required for the construction of the Rimutaka Incline.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=80 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=A large shed was erected and used to store the four newly erected "Fell" locomotives until such time as their use was required in building the Incline. ]

The Petone Workshops did not start to take shape until 1878 when, under the direction of the manager of the Wellington Section, Mr Ashcroftcite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=90 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=Mr Ashcroft was also largely responsible for the design and construction of the Petoni workshops. ] , work began in earnest, a decision largely prompted by the destruction of the Pipitea Workshops in a fire.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=80 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=This might have been delayed until later, but fire had destroyed the workshops at Pipitea Point ... ] Many of the buildings that would comprise the workshops facilities were erected between 1878 and 1881, though the nature of the site allowed for the later construction of other buildings as required.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=80 |chapter=Chapter 4: Construction And Operation, Wellington To Upper Hutt |chapterurl= |quote=Between 1878 and 1881 most of the buildings had been erected. However, as there was plenty of ground available, the Petoni Workshops grew with the railway. ] The arrangement of the workshops yard included a machine shop, boiler shop, and foundry at the northern (station) end, and a car and wagon depot, the lifters and paint shop at the southern end.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=55 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=The machine shop, boiler shop and foundry were up at the station end of the yard while the car and wagon depot, lifters and paint shops were down towards the overbridge. ]

At the time Western Hutt Road did not exist and the Railways Department owned all of the land up to the base of the hills.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=55 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=The Western Hutt Road did not exist then and the railway owned the land right up to the base of the hill. ] The workshops began expanding beyond the confines of the original station yard early in the 20th century.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=230-231 |chapter=Chapter 10: The Stations |chapterurl= |quote=By 1911, when this photograph was taken, the Petone Workshops were spreading across and beyond the land formerly occupied by the station yard. The main line now passes behind the workshop buildings. ] Some railway houses were located at the periphery to house workshop and station staff.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=55 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=Today, a two storey house stands up against the hillside where once the workshop manager lived, although it has also been said to have been the home of the station master. ]

Operations

Petone assembled or maintained hundreds of locomotives and carriages.

Seven “F”, “L”, and “J” class locomotives were rebuilt into other classes at Petone. The only locomotives built at Petone were three NZR L class in 1903; and E-66 in 1906, later derisively dubbed “Pearson’s Dream”.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=55 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=During its life Petone saw many hundreds of locomotives and carriages pass through the works. However, with the exception of a few "F", "L" and "J" class locomotives that were rebuilt into other classes, only one engine was ever built at Petone and this was "Pearson's Dream", "E" class No. 66. ]

Perhaps some of the best-known locomotives to frequent the Petone Workshops were the H-class Fells used on the Rimutaka Incline. From 1900 these locomotives were in need of new boilers and annual returns show that while this work was done there was one locomotive at a time at Petone undergoing major repairs leaving the other five locomotives to handle the traffic. Other changes made at the time included the fitting of steel Belpaire fireboxes, larger cabs with trapdoors in the roof, and a second funnel to separate the two exhausts (a change that was reverted several years later).cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=168-169 |chapter=Chapter 7: The Fell System In New Zealand |chapterurl= |quote=By 1900, after 23 years of hard work, it became evident that the first four engines were rapidly becoming in need of reboilering. No. 199 was the first to undergo this work, and at intervals the other three locomotives received the same repairs. It is evident from the annual reports that one locomotive was in the Petone Workshops at a time undergoing major repairs, leaving five to handle traffic. The new boilers were fitted with Belpaire fireboxes made of steel, as were the tubes. At the same time slightly larger cabs were fitted, with small trapdoors in the roof providing a much needed improvement in ventilation. The exhaust system was altered by the two exhausts being separated and a double funnel being fitted to take them. Being one of several changes in this direction it fared no better than the others, and after a few years the engineers reverted to the original single funnel, again combining the two exhausts. ] This pattern of one of the six H-class locomotives at a time being at Petone (and later Hutt) for repairs seems to have been fairly standard, with annual returns showing this to be the case for most years.cite book |last=Cameron |first=Walter Norman |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=A Line Of Railway: The Railway Conquest of the Rimutakas |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=200 |chapter=Chapter 8: Operating The Incline |chapterurl= |quote=Returns show that, in most years, one "H" at a time was undergoing heavy or medium repairs at the main workshops at Petone (later Woburn). ]

Petone was involved in the assembly of various experimental railcars following trials of an earlier type of “railcar” based on an idea from the United States. Due to the inadequacy of the types of motive power available at the time, all of these experiments were unsuccessful.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=56 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=Railcars were also entering the picture at this time and Petone workshops had a hand in building or erecting five of these experimental models. All were to prove unsuccessful, although this was not the fault of the workshops but rather the type of traction available at that time. ]

The first railcar in service in the Wellington region was assembled at Petone in 1914 using bodywork built there and an underframe and traction equipment from Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. The power plant was a 6-cylinder petrol engine with a convert|90|hp|abbr=on generator driving two convert|60|hp|abbr=on electric motors, for a maximum speed of convert|35|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on. It was to be used on the Johnsonville line with a trailer, but the grades proved to be too much for the car alone. After frequent mechanical difficulties, it was withdrawn in 1917.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=56 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=The first true railcar seen in Wellington was a Westinghouse petrol-electric machine employed on the Johnsonville line in 1914. A United States firm, Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, had supplied the necessary traction equipment and underframe, etc., Petone workshops built the body. Power was provided by a six-cylinder petrol engine and 90 h.p. generator, and two 60 h.p. electric motors drove the car at a maximum speed of convert|35|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on. In service a trailer was to be hauled, but the grades on the Johnsonville line were too much for the car itself let alone the small convert|30|ft|m|abbr=on coach used as a trailer. In 1917 after frequently breaking down in service, it was withdrawn. ]

Another early petrol-electric railcar assembled at Petone was put into service in 1916. It used bodywork manufactured at Petone; underframe, bogies, and transmission from Thomas Transmission Ltd. of the United Kingdom; and a motor from J. Tyler and Sons. After a few months' service, a vital part broke and could not be replaced until after World War I. In 1920, when the replacement part arrived and the car was put back into service, it proved to be unreliable and was withdrawn in 1925.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=56 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=In 1916 another petrol-electric railcar was put into service, again on the Johnsonville line and again Petone had built a car body for a driving unit brought from overseas. This time Thomas Transmission Ltd. of the United Kingdom supplied the underframe, bogies and transmission and J. Tyler and Sons the motor. After a few months in service a vital part of the unit broke and it was not until 1920 that a replacement part was available, the delay due mainly to the first world war. Back in service the car was not reliable and was written off in 1925 after being out of service for some time. ]

Three more railcars were constructed at Petone in 1925 and 1926.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=56 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=In 1925 and 1926 Petone built three more railcars. ] The 1925 model did not survive tests on the Hutt lines, and given its ungainly design, this is hardly surprising. It caused its passengers to experience an uncomfortable pitching motion, necessitating its withdrawal.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=57 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=The 1925 model never survived its tests on the Hutt lines, which was not surprising when you consider its design, convert|62|ft|m|abbr=on long, the car ran on six wheels, a bogie at the rear and a single axle at the front. ... As it was, it gave an uncomfortable pitching motion and had to be withdrawn. ] The 1926 models were more like small motor busses on flanged wheels with an convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on long body. They first saw service on the Greytown Branch before being transferred to the Glenham Branch and Switzers Branch where they were withdrawn in 1930.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=56 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=The two 1926 models were really small motor buses on flanged wheels being only convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on long with Ford Model "T" engines. These vehicles were used first on the Greytown branch and then on the Glenham and Switzers branches before being withdrawn in 1930. ]

In the 1920s, workshops around the country were upgraded with electric power plants. Petone had been relying on a gas power plant, and this was replaced between 1925 and 1927 with electric motors.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=57 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=Early in the 1920's preparations were made for the complete electrification of various workshops around the country. At Petone the gas engine was the main means of power and this was replaced by electric motors between 1925 and 1927. ]

Demise

A Royal Commission established in 1924 to examine the issue of railway workshop facilities around the country reported that much of Petone's machinery was out of date or obsolete, and that there were serious congestion problems owing to the lack of space for expansion.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=57 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=By now however, most of the machines were considerably out of date and the Royal Commission of 1924 reported this, and, the bad congestion in many sections of the workshops. ]

Following the recommendations of the Commission, the Railways Department embarked on a three-year programme of workshop upgrades in 1925. Two sites for a replacement facility were considered, at Tawa Flat and Woburn, with the latter option being selected. Eighty acres of land were set aside at a new industrial area behind Hutt Park for the new workshops.cite book |last=Hoy |first=Douglas G. |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor= |others= |title=Rails Out Of The Capital: Suburban Railways, Wellington |origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |series= |date= |year= |month= |publisher= |location= |language= |isbn= |oclc= |doi= |id= |pages=58 |chapter=10: The Hutt Valley Branch – And Other Changes |chapterurl= |quote=In 1925, a three year programme of workshops reorganisation and replacement was started. Eighty acres of land were set aside behind the Hutt Park near the Waiwhetu stream, for the replacement of Petone workshops. Tawa Flat was also considered for a new site. ] The Hutt Workshops were completed in 1929, resulting in the transfer of all functions from Petone to the new site and the closure of the Petone Workshops.

Today

Construction of the Western Hutt Road, realignment of the Petone station yard, and neighbouring industrial, commercial and urban development have obliterated any sign of the workshops.

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/Gov03_05Rail-fig-Gov03_05Rail047a.html An X class locomotive ex-Petone Workshops with a new superheated boiler c1928]