Hand crane [283]
Maker and role
Ransomes and Rapier, Manufacturer
Production date
1874
See full details
Object detail
Accession number
F1031.2002
Maker
Production period
Description
Crane - 283 - first type of New Zealand Railway accident and overhaul crane. 6-wheeled vehicle.
Brief History
Originally number 7, this crane was one of a batch of seventeen, 4-wheeled, 5-tonne, hand cranes built for the New Zealand Government Railways (NZGR) by Ransomes and Rapier (Great Britain).
Eleven were built in 1874, one in 1875 and five in 1876. The 1874 batch have their makers name cast in the centre post and all surviving examples appear to have worked in the South Island. Crane 7 was allocated to the Picton section. In 1892 it was renumbered 283 and converted to a 6-wheeled crane around 1903.
These cranes were the mainstay of hand-operated rail cranes for the latter part of the 19th Century. Run on the NZGR lines, their usage was varied. There was construction work, breakdown work (recovering rolling stock that had parted company with the rail), as well as other activity such as loading goods.
At the the time of the 1962 census, crane 283 was out of use and being forwarded to the Foreman of Works at Kaikoura. It was deemed surplus by the Traffic Branch and was written off for scrapping on February 5, 1964. It then found its way to Otira and was used for lifting rail in the 8 km long electrified tunnel. The two position-plates on the jib stays were replaced with single (low) position-plates to prevent the jib from being raised into the 1,500 volt overhead.
It has been restored and is now operational on the Western Springs Railway.
Eleven were built in 1874, one in 1875 and five in 1876. The 1874 batch have their makers name cast in the centre post and all surviving examples appear to have worked in the South Island. Crane 7 was allocated to the Picton section. In 1892 it was renumbered 283 and converted to a 6-wheeled crane around 1903.
These cranes were the mainstay of hand-operated rail cranes for the latter part of the 19th Century. Run on the NZGR lines, their usage was varied. There was construction work, breakdown work (recovering rolling stock that had parted company with the rail), as well as other activity such as loading goods.
At the the time of the 1962 census, crane 283 was out of use and being forwarded to the Foreman of Works at Kaikoura. It was deemed surplus by the Traffic Branch and was written off for scrapping on February 5, 1964. It then found its way to Otira and was used for lifting rail in the 8 km long electrified tunnel. The two position-plates on the jib stays were replaced with single (low) position-plates to prevent the jib from being raised into the 1,500 volt overhead.
It has been restored and is now operational on the Western Springs Railway.
Marks
RANSOME & RAPIER / MAKERS LONDON / NZR 1874 Embossed
PIPED ONLY 283 MAXIMUM LOAD 5 TONS Painted
PIPED ONLY 283 MAXIMUM LOAD 5 TONS Painted
Media/Materials
Credit Line
Ransomes and Rapier. 1874. Hand crane [283], F1031.2002. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
![Log and Timber Wagon [E 4195]; New Zealand Railways; 1890?](https://collection.motat.nz/records/images/medium/36713/9ab32c6084eb7e6762e3f547c3b1bbf94fe07c28.jpg)
Public comments
I saw one of these crane cars at the Camlik rail museum in Turkey. It seemed identical to yours but was rated at 6 tons. I would love to model it, is it possible to getmore images please? say from above maybe?
- John Blakeley posted 3 years ago.