Rewatering the Df (Another true story)

Good morning to you all Dear Reader's.  Once again, it's 'Blog time' (and a Saturday Morning) and Komata's blog is out and about again.

Would you care to come along for the ride and see what eventuates?

I was fortunate in being employed with the New Zealand Government Railways Department during the time when first-generation Diesel-Electrics were still the only form of motive power around and still undertaking their assignemd tasks.

While the majority of these were of EMD origin, there were also a small collection of English Electric locomotives in service and what i am about to relate concerns one of thees - the last of her class - Df 1501.

However, by way of background:

The NZ Railways Dept became involved with Diesel Electric traction in the early 1950's and purchased a small number of shunting (yard switching) locomotives from English Electric and classified them as class De.  These little loco's were a  basically experimental units and as such were a revelation  to NZR management and were very much in advance of the steam power then in use.  They were quick and had rapid acceleration.  It was later disovered (by accident) that they were especially good on local suburban passenger services where they revolutionised scheduled times.

The locos were however of only 660hp and were consequently somewhat short on pulling power.  Like all new toys, they were used on anything and even assigned to mainline freight duties - and failed dismally! They did however do a lot in the Eastern Bay of Plenty where NZR was experimenting with logging trains on a newly opened branch line - they operated in pairs in that area.

Indeed  so impressive was their performance, and so enarmoured were they by all the possibilities which had been opened up, that NZR management went ahead and ordered 15 more diesel electrics from the same builder, but specifying that they were to be double the size and double the horsepower. Based on the performance of a small groiup of low-powered locomotives, this was not necessarily a wise move. . .

These new engines (NZR class Df) were huge in comparison with what had gone before. They were 1500hp, weighed 110 tons and were of 2-Co-Co-2 (4-6-6-4 in steam parlance).  they also had a cab at each end! Originally there were to be 20, but wiser heads had at last prevailed and the order was cut to 10, with the rest to be of half the Hp and with only a single cab (and that is another story altogether. . .)

A detailed description of these engines is difficult, but is best described, simply,  as being like two F-7's joined Back-to-back as a single unit, painted a dark red, with a dark grey roof, and black running gear - and cow catchers!

(Unfortunately, the only photos of the Df class that I've been able to find are at www.trainweb.org/nzdiesels/mainline/dfee/, though  sadly, these are not easy to access.  That of 1501 at Parnell was taken about 12 months or so after the events in this story, after her final failure . . .)

However, having got all that out of the way, it's back to the story (which will. because of its length, take more than one posting (you have been warned . . .[LOL]

By 1973, I was stationed at NZR Papakura, on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city.  By that time only one Df was still running - all the rest had been laid-up on 'Rotten Row' prior to scrapping - and to keep the sole survivor (Df 1501) operating.

The loco was used consistently on Auckland - Te Maunga (near Tauranga in NZ's Bay of Plenty and at the time a major yard), goods (freight) trains, mainly because of the light rail through the Karangahake Gorge, which needed a locomotive with a well spread-out weight distribution. As a 2-Co-Co-2, the Df class was ideal.

We got used to seeing 1501 going through Papakura at about 1400-1415 each afternoon, and most station staff would watch with interest as it made its way south.

The reason for this was three-fold:

1.  It was such an unusual shape - there were no other NZR locos with a cab at each end.

2. It made such an unusual noise - a gentle bubbling, puttering sound like a kettle or coffee percolator bubbling away on a stove.

3. Its train was always so very long!

It was this last that was most awesome. As railwaymen we were all used to seeing double-headed Da's (EMD G-12's) coming north with 100 wagons in tow, working very hard as they climbed the bank from Drury (about 4 miles south), up to Papakura.

We were NOT used to seeing 130-140 wagon trains being towed, seemingly without effort, by a single locomotive, quietly puttering along with little fanfare.  This sight was very impressive, especially as there was a very short, very steep climb just to the North of the Papakura Home Signal.  The Df seemed to just amble up this with no great effort, its huge train following obediently behind.

I think, subconsciously, we all looked at our watches at about 1400 in anticipation of the Df's arrival - if only to watch amazed as the train went through.  Certainly there seemed to be more railway staff than usual working in the area of the Down Main at about that time, than at any other time of the day,  Perhaps it was just coincidence?

One afternoon however, the scheduled time came and went and NO Df!  most unusual.  We all kept an ear out I'm sure and when, about 40 minutes later, ii came into Papakura very slowly, the feeling was one of relief - it had arrived, and concern because it was going so slowly and the alarm bells were ringing in the cab! 

The locomotive stopped under the station verandah and the crew climbed down from the cab.

Within minutes, for some odd reason, just about every staff member of NZR Papakura station had mysteriously found it necessary to do some work in the station or on the platform - all somewhere in the vicinity of the locomotive.

It transpired that the Df had run out of water!

And, unfortunately, Dear Reader's because this has been necessarily, a rather long 'Blog, I must 'run out of words' for today - so that's all folks!

However, please DO come back to see what happens, and have a great day

Happy modelling

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "