Pictures From The Past

Opening in 1911 and closing in March, 1917, the Gisborne Borough Council's Gentle Annie Metal Supply Tramway had a short 6-year history.

Metal was transported on the tramway which ran from the quarry on the Tiniroto Road to the terminal on the Carnarvon Street-Childers Road corner (now the City Bus yards) opposite the Eddison tram barn which is now the Testing Station.

The tramway followed along Childers Road, Stanley Road, the back Matawhero Road and along the main road to the quarry.

Two locos were used to haul the metal in hoppers into the depot.

Loco "Jack", delivered from the Bagnall Locomotive Works, England, on January 26, 1911, weighed 5.25 tons and measured 11ft 4ins over the buffers.

With the addition of a tender fitted by the council, "Jack's" weight increased to 7 tons.

Loco "Annie" arrived from the Bagnall Works in the S.S."Squall" on March 23, 1912, and was stationed at the quarry end of the tramway.

The capacity of the hoppers used on the line was 1½ yards.

When the tramway closed, all the equipment was purchased by the Motuhora Stone Quarries Co. , and was used by them to haul metal from the Motuhora quarry to the Motuhora railway station from 1917 till 1921 when they in turn closed down.

All the equipment is now abandoned on the quarry site at Motuhora.

Bob Hepburn, who supplied these pictures, is preparing an article on the old quarry lines and would be interested in any photos or information readers are able to supply. If you have either, you can contact Bob at 27 Steed Avenue.