Ellis and Burnand Tramway, Ongarue

The Ellis & Burnand Tramway was from 1922 to 1958 a 37 kilometres (23 mi) long forest railway near Ongarue in the central North Island of New Zealand with a gauge of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm).

Ellis & Burnand Tramway
Two A & G Price locomotives on the spiral
Route
Technical
Line length37 kilometres (23 mi)
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Route map
 km
46
Terminus clearing
 59
Camp No 11
 65
Camp No 10
 68
Waikoura Bridge
 69
Mangatukutuku Bridge
 70
Goat Creek
 73 Bruntons
74 Ongarue Spiral
 78 Mangakahu Stream
 82
Bennet Road
 85

Route

The construction of the rail track started in 1922, after J. W. Ellis and Harry Burnand had built their timber mill at Ongarue in 1914.[2][3]

The Ellis & Burnand Tramway was well engineered with a spiral, a tunnel, two great trestle bridges and very impressive cuttings.

In 1955 the tramway was closed because of flood damage, followed by the mill closure in 1966.[2]

Locomotives

Geared steam locomotives Climax, Heisler/Stearns and A & G Price were used on the tramway. The Climax operated between the mill and the Waione camp siding while the A & G Price ran from there to the bush loading points.[2][4]

WheelsTypeManufacturerNumberYearConditionOwnerUsage
0-4-4-0BTClimax Manufacturing Co.#16501924StoredBush Tramway Club1924-1960[5]
0-4-4-0BTHeisler/Stearns#10821904OverhaulBush Tramway Club1947-1966[5]
0-4-4-4-4-0TA & G PriceMatilda1912Out of service1923-1951[6]
0-4-4-4-4-0TA & G PriceMartha1912Out of service1923-1926[6]
0-4-4-0BTBClimax Manufacturing Co.#12031913StoredWest Coast Historical & Me-
chanical Society, Shantytown		1953-1963[5]
0-4-4-0TEA & G Price#1111923OverhaulBush Tramway Club1944-1958[5]
4-2-0ChevroletUnknown

Timber trail

The right of way of the tramway is now being used as the Timber Trail, which can be used on foot or bike.[7]

  • Managers' Chevrolet jigger on a bridge over a gorge near the mill
  • Climax locomotive hauling logs over the Mangatukutuku Viaduct
  • Today's timber trail in the curved tunnel of the Ongarue Spiral

See also

References
  1. Map 2 in Timber Trail: Pureora – Ongarue Trail guide (R103627). or Timber Trail: Pureora – Ongarue Trail guide (2017).
  2. Central North Island Rail Trail — New Zealand.
  3. Ken Anderson: Sparse Timber Sawmillers: Ellis & Burnand Ltd Sawmillers and Timber Merchants Ongarue. Taumarunui & Districts Histori, 2012, ISBN 9780958298483.
  4. A & G Price Ltd., Thames. Geared Steam Locomotives.
  5. David Maciulaitis: New Zealand Rolling Stock Register: Industrial Steam Locomotives Register.
  6. New Zealand Geared Locomotives. Locomotive Owners: A & G Price Ltd., Thames.
  7. Historic Ongarue Tramway and Spiral.

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