Wikipedia:WikiProject NZR

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WP:NZR

Welcome to the New Zealand Railways (NZR) WikiProject!

This project was established to facilitate co-operation with regards to Wikipedia's coverage of New Zealand's national railway network. Recognising the unique facets of this isolated rail system, this project seeks to enhance and expand coverage wherever possible while fostering closer communication between participants.

Please note that we have an NZR Manual of Style for articles related to New Zealand's railways; it seeks to provide guidance on matters of notability and style for all editors of articles on related topics.

Contents

[edit] Goals

  • To expand coverage of NZR by creating articles on all relevant encyclopaedic topics that do not currently have articles.
  • To enhance the standard of currently existing articles through the addition of information, pictures, maps, and anything else pertinent.
  • To provide information of a high calibre; detailed, well referenced, well written, precise, and accurate.
  • Establish guidelines for articles related to NZR.

[edit] Scope

This project's scope encompasses all articles related to rail transport in New Zealand. Although its name is "WikiProject NZR", it also covers the Wellington and Manawatu Railway, other NZR-era private operators, and NZR's provincial predecessors and privately owned successors.

[edit] Members

Please add your name below if you are interested in joining our group.

[edit] Current issues requiring attention

[edit] Railway preservation in New Zealand

[edit] W&MR

  • Whether Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company should be moved to "Wellington and Manawatu Railway", with the current title used for the actual company and the Company-less title used for information about the origins, development, and operation of the actual railway. See the talk page.

This issue has been taken care of with the separate articles for Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company and Wellington - Manawatu Line.

[edit] Auckland lines

Agreed, the Auckland lines could certainly be split like Wellington, with Hutt Valley Line which is part of the Wairarapa Line and Paraparaumu Line which is part of the NIMT

The main lines articles would be mainly historic, while the suburban articles would be largely cover proposed improvements and upgrades. It would also reduce the lengths of some of the articles! PS: Need to add to the Rail Line Navigation Box Eastern Line, Auckland, Western Line, Auckland (currently a redirect) and Southern Line, Auckland?

[edit] Lyttelton Line

For Lyttelton, how about turning the present Lyttelton rail tunnel article into an article on the Lyttelton Line also (ie Redirect), as there is hardly enough for two articles, apart from the difficulty of separating it out! PS: Is the Lyttelton Line regarded as part of the Main South Line as stated; it seems more like a branch line to me?

First; I don't agree that the Lyttelton Tunnel article should be removed simply because of the current poor state of the article under that name, for several reasons:
  • It is not the only article on railway tunnels in New Zealand (e.g. Otira and Rimutaka), which though not in of itself establishing notability for this particular subject, does mean that there is at least precedent.
  • The Lyttelton Tunnel is notable for various reasons, including being the first railway tunnel in New Zealand.
  • The current article could be expanded with additional information, given access to the appropriate sources (a simple search of Archway lists many files with potentially useful information).
Second; that which is referred to as the "Lyttelton Line" is indeed the portion of the Main South Line from Lyttelton to Christchurch. It is not, and has never been, a branch. The Main South Line by definition (Notice of Final Decision to Assign Place Names) starts in Lyttelton and terminates in Invercargill. I have previously questioned the purpose of a Lyttelton Line article myself; other users are of the belief that this line is sufficiently notable to warrant its own article. -- Matthew25187 (talk) 11:23, 2 February 2008 (UTC)
I am essentially with Matthew on this one. The Lyttelton tunnel is certainly notable - the real problem here is that there is no article for the Kaimai tunnel! The other major tunnels are covered, but bizarrely not that one. Where I disagree is with regards to a Lyttelton Line article; I believe it should be done, for two primary reasons: firstly, until 1972, it was a distinct suburban route and deserves the same coverage as the Auckland and Wellington suburban lines; secondly, it was and to a degree still is quite operationally distinct from the rest of the MSL, and treating it separately follows the precedent of separating the Hutt Valley Line and Rimutaka Incline from the Wairarapa Line as a whole. - Axver (talk) 11:38, 2 February 2008 (UTC)
"the real problem here is that there is no article for the Kaimai tunnel! The other major tunnels are covered, but bizarrely not that one."
This most egregious oversight has been rectified.  :-) -- Matthew25187 (talk) 04:10, 3 February 2008 (UTC) PS: Good article. Was it built by the MOW, not by a contractor? Hugo999 (talk) 13:45, 4 February 2008 (UTC)
The majority of the work was carried out by the MOW, though the concrete track bed was laid by a private contractor. -- Matthew25187 (talk) 21:02, 4 February 2008 (UTC) The Ministry of Works is worth mentioning in the Kaimai Tunnel article I think? But not "Bob the Builder" though he helped, see his article Bob Clarkson MP! 03:50, 5 February 2008 (UTC)
There is now an article for the Lyttelton Line so you may judge for yourself whether or not there is sufficient information on the subject. I'm sure there probably is more information I could add with the appropriate source material, but I think the current article is a good start. HTH. -- Matthew25187 (talk) 09:49, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

I wasw not proposing that the Lyttelton Tunnel article be removed but that the Lyttelton Line redlink be redirected to it! The early history of the line - whether, when and how it should be built - is the history of the tunnel. The operation as a suburban line could be seperated out later. Hugo999 (talk) 13:45, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Line templates

I've raised this issue on both the Paraparaumu Line and Johnsonville Branch articles - the project needs to standardise the templates we use. In my view the project should stick to the standard rail templates. --Lholden (talk) 19:13, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Loco Manufacturers

I have added A & G Price and Scott Brothers (locomotive manufacturers) ie the two private manufacturers of steam locos for the NZR. However the Scott Bros article has been tagged for speedy deletion and I would appreciate some support on its talk page, as leaving out one manufacturer will leave a hole, even if they were less notable than some! ## OK now but more info on firm needed ##

Scott Brothers (locomotive manufacturers) just needs additional sources now! A & G Price has the totals for each class (5) of locos made there, which comes to 122, not the 123 total that Lloyd gives on page 139 of his Register. And the Price article needs something on Price Diesel locos? ## Price built 50 NZR A Class not 49 (+ 8 by NZR at Addington Workshops ##

The new steam locos total (81) for those built at Hutt Workshops (inc Petone) seem to add up to the 81 given in Lloyd (see table in New Zealand Railways Department, but the totals for Addington Workshops & Hillside Workshops need articles with numbers built for the remaining NZR steam locomotives to complete the numbers.

[edit] Station Names

Re station articles, have just noticed that for Auckland it is Avondale Train Station while for Wellington it is Raroa Railway Station! Train Station or Railway Station? PS: have completed the last major Workshops with new article Hutt Workshops. Hugo999 (talk) 06:36, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

The reason for this discrepancy is explained in the Manual of Style for this project. -- Matthew25187 (talk) 07:21, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Photographs

The Auckland City Library has some good 'Heritage' photos to add as external links - the link works, though a very long search string??

Disregard; the search string for the Auckland City Library eventually times out, though the Christchurch City Library site is useable; see Addington Workshops. Hugo999 (talk) 11:56, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Open tasks

  • Create articles for all red links on {{NZR Lines}}
  • Create articles for all red links on {{NZR Locomotives}}
  • Create more maps to illustrate the routes of specific lines.
  • Add pictures of locomotives and lines in operation.

[edit] Templates

{{WikiProject NZR}} superceded by ;

{{TrainsWikiProject}}

[edit] Assessment

Main article: Wikipedia:WikiProject NZR/Assessment
New Zealand Railways
articles		 Importance
Top High Mid Low None Total
Quality
B 2 6 12 108 4 132
Start 8 12 116 14 150
Stub 36 1 37
List 1 1 1 3
Assessed 2 14 25 261 20 322
Total 2 14 25 261 20 322

[edit] See also