Introduction
The heavy increase in traffic by the early 1880s necessitated a design for a new class of passenger locomotive. The V class was conceived as an enlarged version of the 2-4-2 NZR K class of 1877. Instead of the K class's four coupled wheels, six coupled wheels were used. The order was placed with Nasmyth, Wilson and Company ofWithdrawal
The first withdrawals of the V class began around 1925 and ended in the early 1930s. Most of the engines were dumped as stripped hulks comprising the boiler, frames, cylinders and wheels at the Branxholme Locomotive Dump in 1927. V 126 and V 127 were dumped as substantially more complete hulks at Mararoa Junction, in October 1928, complete with their cabs and tenders. V 132 was dismantled at the Bealey Quarry and its frames dumped there. The three WMR engines were withdrawn the same time and their boilers removed for stationary use or sale. The fate of the 3 WMR V's is unknown, though there has been some speculation that one might have been dumped at Branxholme. One of the boilers from these engines was unearthed byPreservation
In 1999, enthusiast Tony Bachelor salvaged the remains of locomotives V 35, V 125, and V 136 from Braxholme. Due to the weakness in the frames, the frame of V 132 and a Nasmyth Wilson pony truck were recovered from the Bealey Quarry. It was intended that the locomotives would be restored by the Hooterville Charitable Trust at Waitara, but this later fell through and Bachelor moved the remnants to his property in Ashhurst. In 2009, the parts of the four Vs, along with a boiler found during the Kai Iwi deviation construction, were donated to the Feilding and District Steam Rail Society. The parts were stored at the F&DSR depot in the Feilding yard, but now scrapped. In 2018 the remains of two V class locomotives were investigated at Mararoa Junction with a view to recovery and static restoration by the Lumsden Heritage Trust. During late January 2020, the Lumsden Heritage Trust successfully recovered 1885 V-class 127 from the dump site in the Oreti River after a recovery effort and planning that spanned six years. They had also wanted to recover V-class 126, but in the words of the Lumsden Heritage Trust, logistics got the better of them on the day, despite a mammoth effort. No.127's recovered locomotive and tender are sitting on their wheels and bogies on a specially built siding at the Lumsden Railway Precinct. Then on Wednesday 26 February, the Trust commenced a second attempt at recovering V-class 126. Learning from the first attempt they first winched 126 and tender closer to the river bank and onto gravel prior to re-attempting the lift, which was reported as being easier than lifting 127. The recovery of the two V-class locomotives has garnered media attention as far away as the UK and the Trust's Lumsden base has seen an influx of interested tourists and visitors.References
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