Bell Hill mill tramway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bell Hill mill tramway |
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Johnson steam locomotive of Bell Hill mill tramway
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The Bell Hill mill tramway was a special kind of railway. It was a "bush railway," which means it was built in the forest. This tramway was located at Bell Hill, in the Moana Region of New Zealand's West Coast. It was used in the 1910s, which was over 100 years ago!
This tramway had a "track gauge" of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm). The track gauge is the distance between the two rails. This specific size is quite common for railways in New Zealand. The tramway's main job was to help move logs and timber from the forest to the sawmills.
What Was a Bush Railway?
A bush railway was like a small train track built right into the forest. These railways were super important for logging companies. They helped transport huge logs that were cut down from the trees. Before these tramways, moving logs was very hard work!
These railways were often temporary. They were built, used for a while, and then sometimes taken apart. This happened once all the trees in an area had been harvested.
Locomotives of the Tramway
The Bell Hill mill tramway used powerful steam locomotives. These engines pulled wagons loaded with timber. One important locomotive was the Johnson locomotive.
- The Johnson locomotive was built in 1906. It was made in a town called Invercargill, in New Zealand.
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Timber mill workers on a Johnson locomotive, around 1910. This type of engine is called a 0-6-0.
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A sawmill at Bell Hill, which might have been Jack Bros' Sawmill. Sawmills turned logs into usable timber.
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An abandoned 0-4-0T Gibbons & Harris locomotive No 3 at Bell Hill.
Why Was This Tramway Important?
The Bell Hill mill tramway played a big role in the timber industry. It helped New Zealand's economy grow by making it easier to get wood. Timber was used for building houses, furniture, and many other things.
These old tramways show us how people worked in the past. They also highlight the clever ways they used technology to solve problems. The Bell Hill mill tramway is a small but important part of New Zealand's history.
