FERRYMEAD Tram Tracts the Journal of the Tramway Historical Society Issue 4—April 2016
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FERRYMEAD Tram Tracts The Journal of the Tramway Historical Society Issue 4—April 2016 What future for ‘Standard’ 126? Invercargill 16—saved for posterity New Regent Street reopens to trams The Tramway Historical Society P. O. Box 1126 , Christchurch 81401 - www.ferrymeadtramway.org.nz Due to the urgent need to consider the future of ‘Standard’ trailer No. 126 at French Farm as stated in this issue, consideration has also been given to the future of our current ‘Standard’, No. 202. Above, No. 202 and sister 139 trail ‘Brill’ No. 182 into the balloon loop at the Sumner terminus with the depot access track in the foreground, 8 January 1950. At this stage, the Sumner line had less than two years remaining before its closure on 6 December 1952. Photograph courtesy Graham Stewart. Below, No. 202 as it was in October 2012, stored in Tram Barn 1. This trailer is awaiting restoration to working order, either as a ‘Standard’ trailer or the basis for a new ‘St. Martins Car’. Photograph courtesy Alastair Cross. 2 First Notch President’s Piece—Graeme Belworthy The COTMA Conference It’s great to see we are still getting a lot of visitors committee has just had from both around New Zealand and overseas; it another meeting and plans gives us a chance to show off what we are doing are falling into place. The Pre- and the feedback we get is very pleasing. Conference Tour is taking shape, the Conference The April General Meeting was a “Goal/Projects Registration forms should meeting and unfortunately very poorly attended almost be out by the time this with only 8 members present. Several Goals/ goes to print, the Partners Projects had to be made Low Priority as no one program and the Post- came forward to lead them. All Goals/Projects must Conference Tour are all but have someone to take ownership of it to make it complete. happen. The normal work to keep the Society functioning as I mentioned in last month’s Tracts that if anyone it should continues, and any help that can be borrowed anything from the Society to please offered is always very much appreciated. If any record that. Unfortunately, the big socket set member is interested or knows someone interested appears to have gone missing from the Engineers in helping please come along and find out what Workshop. If anyone knows anything about it, happens. Most of us have started not knowing a lot please tell someone. about what goes on but have learned new skills Cheers, while helping the Society to operate. Graeme Alastair’s Angle—Alastair Cross Is it Tramway Topics? Is it the New Thankfully, enough has come forward to allow a full Zealand Railway Observer? No, it’s report on No. 16’s recent acquisition by the recently- Tracts! Puns aside, welcome to an- opened Bill Richardson Transport World museum to other issue of Tracts. appear in Tracts—this issue in fact—just as Dave had No doubt as some of you may have intended. It’s nearly a year late as Dave had intended to noticed, this month’s Tracts has a give Joe a report on this tram last June! As the old adage very different look to what it has goes, better late then never... previously, hence my comments Thankfully, as this went to press, Dave Hinman sent a above. At this stage, it’s a trial only ‘stop press’ email to say that New Regent Street was but it could be more permanent if once again open to trams again as of 3pm on May 2. We members are happy with it. And don’t have any restoration news though, only a photo yes, it does blend features of the from Stephen Taylor with the promise of a more detailed much-mourned Tramway Topics with a few hints of the update on ‘Hills’ car 24 next issue. Observer. I won’t spoil the fun by saying what and where On a more personal front, it seems that trolleybuses as a those features are! Masters theses subject just won’t work, at least so far as As some of you may already know, the THS Acquisitions my academic supervisor believes. So I’ve had to choose a Committee is looking at whether ‘Standard’ trailer No. new topic, and the trolleybuses are now a spare-time 126 will be joining our collection shortly. I say ‘shortly’ project. At the moment, I’m just waiting for confirmation because the new owners don’t want it, and if the THS that my topic has been approved and that the University doesn’t purchase this historic trailer, the owners will will have me back. (For the record, my new topic is the have it demolished. Dave Hinman has been in charge of Canterbury Provincial Railways—again!) this project since it was mooted and reports on p. 4. Well, that’s all from me this time. Also in the news recently, and briefly noted in March’s Cheers, Tracts, is the preservation of Invercargill ‘Birney Safety Car’ No. 16. It was always the intention of the late Dave Alastair Carr to write a piece for Tracts on its preservation, but his untimely death last year frustrated that intention. 3 A Second ‘Standard’ for Ferrymead? Last referred to in the November 2015 Tracts, ‘Standard’ trailer 126 now needs a new home. Dave Hinman reports on the story of this historic tram trailer. Former CTB tram trailer no. 126 was last mentioned in the November 2015 issue of Tracts when “Investigate the acquisition of ‘Standard’ Trailer 126” was listed in the President’s Piece as one of the goals and projects reviewed by the Management Committee. It was noted that “another trip to scope the move is required.” This has proven to be quite timely as the need to determine its future has now become a matter of urgency. The property on which it is located has recently been sold and the new owners who took possession on 31 March have confirmed that they wish to get rid of the tram as soon as possible, otherwise it will be destroyed. Given 1 the resolution passed at the 2014 Society AGM that “due to the high cost of providing covered storage, any acquired tram/bus vehicle or body proposed to be brought on to the Ferrymead site, must require prior approval from a General Meeting of the Members”, the need for urgent action on 126 was raised at the April (Goals) meeting, and invoked a lively discussion. Because of the very small attendance at that meeting it was agreed to refer the matter to the next meeting (Ken Henderson’s Queen Mary Adventures on May 18) so that authorisation for the move can be confirmed. It was also agreed that this should be notified in the next edition of Tracts, together with background information about 126 and why we are proposing that it come to Ferrymead. So what is the story of No. 126? 2 It all started 100 years ago when the CTB decided to build a new fleet of 4 wheel saloon trailers to replace the Christchurch, with trailer service between Papanui and aging double deckers it had inherited from the private Barrington St. (Cashmere) a feature until the last day, companies in 1905-6. Sixteen trailers had already been and with trailer 201 used in the last tram ceremony built for the Board by Boon and Co., the six ‘Duckhouse’ (Barrington St. to the Square) on 11 September 1954. trailers (110-115) in 1908, the eight ‘Dreadnaught’ bogie After being written off, the bodies were then sold and trailers (116-122) in 1911-12 and the two 4 wheel found new homes all over Canterbury. convertible ‘Big Bertha’ trailers (124-125) in 1915. But Moving on to the late 1960s and the era of ‘tram this time there were to be more, ultimately 27 in total hunting’ when most of the Society’s tram fleet was and officially known as New’ or ‘Standard’ or trailers, but obtained, we found a good number of the ‘Standard’ to some simply as ‘Boon’ trailers, as they were also built trailers still extant, being used as garden sheds, sleep by Boon & Co. There were more of this class (just) than outs, holiday homes and so on. Some were already badly any trams or trailers built for the CTB fleet. The deteriorating, but others, particularly if they had been prototype was 126, which entered service in 1917. The roofed over, remained in good condition. We found No. remainder followed, from 1918-1923. Numbers 126-142 126, at that stage a well looked after holiday home at had Peckham P21 radial trucks, and 147-9 and 201-206 Duvauchelle on Banks Peninsula, and still very much in had Brill Radiax E1 trucks. These trailers became the use by its then owners. Much closer to home (in Pages mainstay of the trailer fleet and were often seen being Rd) was trailer No. 202, in quite original form though a towed in pairs, particularly on the Sumner line behind little weather beaten. We were able to obtain it, and one of the modern ‘Brills’. Three of them (203-205) were brought it to Ferrymead where it still patiently awaits converted into ‘St Martins Cars’ in 1927, Christchurch’s restoration. Interestingly one of the attractions of 202 at homemade version of the ‘Birney Safety Tram’. Many of the time was our mistaken belief that it was the ‘last’ the ’Standards’ lasted till the end of tram operation in trailer, and only later was it realised that 201 had had 4 3 that honour! 201 incidentally may still exist - it ventured 1.