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Craigs Jam Side-Rod No. 9037-1

Since it was electrified in 2011, the branch line to the Craigs jam factory has been worked by a trio of Hitachi Side-Rod locomotives imported from Brazil. These engines were originally built in 1974 for the rack railway in Paranapiacaba, but were made redundant by a fleet of seven new electric engines built by Stadler between 2011 and 2014.

Following their retirement, this trio of Side-Rod engines - numbers 9037-1, 9038 and 9044-0 - were sold to Craigs Jam for service on their short railway in New Zealand. But before entering service they needed major modifications.

The Side-Rods arrived in Wellington harbour late in 2010. Once there they were sent by lorry to Hutt Workshops, as they were not yet compatible with NZ’s track gauge (3ft 6inch). During their time at Hutt the engines were rebuilt from 5ft 3inch gauge to the much narrower 3ft 6inch, and repainted into the distinctive ‘Craigs Crimson’ livery.

After being transferred to Tylah - by another locomotive, of course - the engines went through a brief period of testing before entering service on the jam line. Nowadays the two crimson Side-Rods are kept very busy hauling either passenger or freight trains on the Tylah to Matheson line.