"Dominion of New Zealand" plate on display

[EpochNZ]

Anyone visiting Wellington in New Zealand will be pleased to know that a nameplate for A4 "Dominion of New Zealand" is now accessible in the Wellington Railway Station.

The plate is located by the main "Railway Offices" lifts and can be accessed from the main entrance to the KiwiRail offices on the east side of the building. Previously it was hidden away in the engineering department on the second floor.

Came as a real surprise to see it as I left for lunch today! Well done KiwiRail!

Evan.

[giner]

Kudos to KiwiRail. What does it say on the small brass plate above the nameplate?

[brsince78]

I hope for their sake that they've got it well screwed down...... do they know how much it is worth I wonder???

[jukebox]

"Presented as a gift to Her Majesty's New Zealand Government, 1/4/1968, by Newton Replicas"

[2002EarlMarischal]

Pity they didn't save the loco it was fitted too!

[60800]

Newton Replicas

I was going to mention earlier that it looks like a single casting, which isn't prototypical of the original 4492's nameplates or Bittern's DoNZ nameplates, both of which had their nameplates cast in two halves.

[2512silverfox]

Certainly in the late 60s the original DoNZ plates were one at Clapham and one at New Zealand House in London. They were in two pieces and we borrowed the London based plates to prove to Ted Morris of MRM at Kings Vross that the originals were chromium plates - after which he had them etched in nickel silver rather than brass! They were moved by taxi not on the tube!

[60800]

The one at Clapham must be the one that's now sat with CoA's nameplate at the NRM.

[EpochNZ]

Youve got me wondering now!

I am in sometime today to pick a few things up, I will have a look and report back.

Ev.

[EpochNZ]

Right, went in to pick up a few bits and pieces, and got this from the plaque:

"THIS NAMEPLATE WAS CARRIED BY LOCOMOTIVE No 60013
CLASS A4 PACIFIC BUILT BY THE L.N.E RAILWAY
COMPANY AT DONCASTER WORKS IN JULY 1937 AND WAS
WITHDRAWN FROM TRAFFIC ON THE 14th APRIL 1963
DURING THIS PERIOD THE LOCOMOTIVE RAN 1,459,904 MILES"

I also gave it a quick onceover and it looks to be a single piece.

Merry Xmas!

Ev.

[2512silverfox]

It obviously aint an original plate! The mention Of Newton Replicas confirms that>

[jukebox]

It obviously aint an original plate! The mention Of Newton Replicas confirms that>

Except I was taking the mickey... hence the and the April 1st presentation date...

Can someone confirm that DoNZ was in reality a two-piece plate? I thought that quirk was unique to CoA.

[Steve05]

Hi All,

Did BR offer their A4 to New Zealand Railways?

Regards
Steve