New Zealand J Johnston A class bush lokey

[Ian Roberts]

While on a trip to New Zealand in October I found an interesting plinthed locomotive at Riverton in the South Island.
It is a J. Johnston Class A bush lokey.
Built in Invercargill in 1902 as an 0-4-0 it is a geared loco with two cylinders horizontal under the smoke box driving a crank shaft which is geared to a lay shaft with a ratio of 13:30.
All this between the frames of a 3’ 6” track gauge.
The lay shaft had cranks outside the frame which were coupled to the wheels which had broad treads to accommodate wooden track as well as steel railed track.
At some time during the 1920’s a flangless wheel replaced the cranks on the lay shaft making the loco a
An 0-6-0.
The tender was separate and usually made in the mill shops rather than at the loco builder.
The loco ran until 1954 and was then displayed at a remote pic-nic are where it had been abused by hunters for target practice
After cosmetic Repairs it 2014 it was displayed at Riverton

[Ian Roberts]

Another Bush Lokey from New Zealand
At Havelock in the Marlborough Sounds
“Aunt Sally” Barclay #718
Compared to the last posting, this is a fairly conventional 0-4-2ST built by Andrew Barclay in 1892 and delivered to Brownlee and Co to run on their 80km of bush lines between the timber cutting area and the port of Havelock via the mill.
Although sharing the same 3’ 6” track gauge, the tramway was never connected to the government railways.
It was retired in the 1960’s and donated to the local museum.