Passenger Car (Af 970)
Maker and role
New Zealand Railways, Manufacturer
Production date
1907
See full details
Object detail
Accession number
F1011.2002
Maker
Production period
Description
Car Van Af 970 was built in 1907 as a 47½' first class narrow-bodied carriage.
A 970 built 22/06/1907 at Newmarket Shops (47'6", Wooden Open Platform Car, 2 Compartments, body blueprint X 3090). Altered 1939 at Otahuhu Shops (fitted with Guards Compartment). Reclassified 1944 to AF 970 (47'6", Car/Van (Goods Compartment), 2nd class). Altered 18/08/1951 (Stove fitted). Written off 30/03/1974 at Otahuhu Shops [source: http://nzrailwaysrollingstocklists.weebly.com]
A 970 built 22/06/1907 at Newmarket Shops (47'6", Wooden Open Platform Car, 2 Compartments, body blueprint X 3090). Altered 1939 at Otahuhu Shops (fitted with Guards Compartment). Reclassified 1944 to AF 970 (47'6", Car/Van (Goods Compartment), 2nd class). Altered 18/08/1951 (Stove fitted). Written off 30/03/1974 at Otahuhu Shops [source: http://nzrailwaysrollingstocklists.weebly.com]
Brief History
Rail car A 970 was built in 1909 at the Newmarket Railway Workshops as a 47' 6", 1st class - 2nd class composite car with 2-compartments and was gas-lit. It was originally built with twenty eight 2nd class longitudinal seats in one compartment and sixteen 1st class seats in the other compartment. It was one of a series of 30 carriages allocated to various North Island centres to work on provincial trains. The interior of the carriage was finished in native kauri panelling. In 1944 it was converted to car-van Af 970, being one of a number cars converted to car-vans throughout the 1930s and 1940s. This was done as a space saving measure to avoid the necessity of attaching a larger guard's van to trains. The conversion involved removing the 1st class chairs, as well as fitting a toilet and hand basin fitted to the opposite end. The longitudinal seats were also removed and twenty four 2nd class 'Scarret' seats were installed. The car retained it's non-smoking status and was again used on provincial trains and, later, on mixed-goods passenger trains until improved roads rendered them redundant in the 1960s and 1970s. Af 970 operated out of Te Kuiti and was attached to shunting services as a guards van, with seats removed, until mid 1982 when it was donated to MOTAT by New Zealand Railways. It was restored soon after it arrived and has been in operation on the Western Spriongs Railway ever since.
Marks
AF / 970 Maker's Number
Other name
Af 970
Af970
Af970
Credit Line
New Zealand Railways. 1907. Passenger Car (Af 970), F1011.2002. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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