Ellis and Burnand Tramway

The Ellis & Burnand Tramway was from 1922 to 1958 a 37 kilometres (23 mi) long bush tramway 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 length	37 kilometres (23 mi)
Track gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Route map Legend 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 Ongarue[1]

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]

Wheels	Type	Manufacturer	Number	Year	Condition	Owner	Usage
0-4-4-0BT		Climax Manufacturing Co.	#1650	1924	Stored	Bush Tramway Club	1924-1960[5]
0-4-4-0BT		Heisler/Stearns	#1082	1904	Overhaul	Bush Tramway Club	1947-1966[5]
0-4-4-4-4-0T		A & G Price	Matilda	1912	Out of service		1923-1951[6]
0-4-4-4-4-0T		A & G Price	Martha	1912	Out of service		1923-1926[6]
0-4-4-0BT	B	Climax Manufacturing Co.	#1203	1913	Stored	West Coast Historical & Me- chanical Society, Shantytown	1953-1963[5]
0-4-4-0T	E	A & G Price	#111	1923	Overhaul	Bush Tramway Club	1944-1958[5]
4-2-0		Chevrolet			Unknown

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

• Rail trail