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It once pumped two million gallons from Western Springs every day, but for the past 80 years Motat’s beam engine has lain unused and rusting.

On Saturday 19th April, the engine was started again and the public were treated to an authentic piece of history in motion.

The 131-year-old beam engine was unveiled by the Prime Minister the Rt Hon Helen Clark at an open day after more than three years of restoration.

 Volunteers including engine enthusiasts from all over Auckland have dedicated hundreds of hours to bringing the engine back to life.

Steam section manager Ken Pointon has led the project.

An engine fitter and turner by trade, Mr Pointon says getting the engine working again has been very rewarding.

“No one ever really thought it would go again, but we decided bugger it. It’s a national treasure of New Zealand, we’re lucky it’s still here.”

Chief Engineer Mike Austin firing the beam engine’s boiler

Built in Scotland in 1877, the engine was shipped to New Zealand in pieces and assembled at Western Springs, where it has stayed ever since.

Click Here or the image above to download a video of the Beam Engine working! (5Mb)

Chief engineer Mike Austin says the pumphouse is now Motat’s oldest building.

“This building is the reason Motat is here.”

During it’s 51 years of use, it was the city’s main water supply, pumping water to reservoirs in Ponsonby, Mt Eden and Khyber pass.

It was decommissioned in 1928 after the dam at Waitakere took over as the main water supply.

It has become the biggest operational beam engine in the southern hemisphere.

Mr Pointon says it has been a huge task to restore it completely as parts of the machine had seized solid, requiring hours of piping and plumbing work.

Other work has included rebuilding valve spindles and installing a new cooling tower.

As for actually pumping water again, Mr Austin is optimistic.

He says the next phase of work after the open day will hopefully see a pump hooked on to the engine but for now it is “one miracle at a time.”

In the most recent test run in December last year, the engine was able to sound Motat’s steam horn for the first time in 80 years.

Motat’s marketing and events co-ordinator Bridgette Johansen says it was exciting to hear the horn blow.

“People came running out of their offices all around Motat to see what was happening.”

Miss Johansen says they hope to spread some of their enthusiasm to the public on the open day.

“It’s getting people excited about history while tying in a quintessential piece of history, especially kids.”

Mr Pointon says there is a huge educational story behind the engine and the way water pumps work.

“Kids today just turn on a tap and see water come out.

“They don’t know how it got there.”

Miss Johansen says Motat’s April school holiday programme will also centre around water and steam.

The open day was a steam celebration day featuring a Victorian theme.

The name Alluvial Dredges Limited first was registered in 1935 when Lobnitz & Co took equal rights with Yuba Manufacturing Co. of USA in forming a subsidiary company. This links ADL to the year 1847 when a engineering and boat building firm was established in Renfrew. Initially called Barr & McNabb the yard had several name changes and owners, Henry Christian Lobnitz becoming involved in 1861, and eventually became sole owner in 1880, and after various partnerships, the company was named Lobnitz & Co. Ltd. In 1895.
Henry Christian Lobnitz was an immigrant worker from Denmark, the oldest record I have identified is his membership of Lodge Greenock St. John’s No 175 in 1842 ( to be confirmed) ,where he gave his profession as “Shipbuilder”. The partners in 1895 were H C Lobnitz, his son Fredric Carl Lobnitz, and William Andrew Young. Henry C Lobnitz died in 1901, his son Fredric taking control and developing the business. During the First World War Fredric devoted his whole time to service with the Ministry of Munitions, being the Director of Munitions for Scotland. For this he was Knighted. By the year 1921 the authorised capital of the company was £500,000, and in that year, Lady & Sir Fredric Lobnitz gifted the Royal Burgh of Renfrew, The Renfrew Victory Baths. Sir Fredric was made Chairman of the Company in 1919, a position he held until his death in 1932.During the Second World War, the Company was charged by Churchill to design Piers for use in the beaches. They must float up and down with the tide”. Part of the famous Mulberry Dock System. Mr Pearson Lobnitz the MD and his team, of which George Young’s had a prominent part, adapted the spud system for dredges to make the beach piers for the prefabricated harbours for the Normandy landings. The company remained in family ownership until 1960 when it merged with Simons, to become Simon Lodnitz Ltd, and eventually became part of British Shipbuilders who in 1969 closed the specialised craft building yards. In 1970, Alluvial Dredges Limited was re established on an independent basis in its present location without the shipyard facilities, but with all the design records and experience.
ADL are obviously a small part of the output from the Lobnitz yard, specialising in mineral recovery dredges, treatment plants and industry related technical feasibility studies.

FURTHER TO THAT

I was also able to follow up on the origins of the Steam Tug William C Daldy built by Lobnitz in 1935 for the Auckland Harbour Board. ‘The Daldy’ is still running in the hands of a historical society on our harbour. Mick the ship’s historian informed me that the Daldy steamed to New Zealand fitted with two Board of Trade specification lifeboats. Apparently one of these boats was ‘properly’ constructed in the best timber available by Lobnitz. The other boat was apparently specified to be ‘good for one passage’ and was built of less superior stock. Never the less this latter boat survived quite some time and one or other of them was lost not too long ago while on loan to another ship which sunk.
In a later instalment we will trace some of the Norse influences on Scots boatbuilding that are reflected in Pakawai’s design.
Dave Robertson

Hands up anyone who noticed the lack of a home for Auckland’s heritage boat fleet in last year’s grand plans for the redevelopment of Auckland’s waterfront. I admit I didn’t, so I’ll be charitable and not embarrass the high and mighty of the design world who managed to hatch Ports of Auckland’s glossy “design concepts” brochure in 2005 without a mention.

Ditto the authors of last year’s Auckland Regional Council’s “urban design framework” document, who if anything, only compounded the earlier blooper. They borrowed an illustration of the prow of a classic Logan “A” class keeler to head their page of “conceptual views” of “the waterfront Aucklanders have been asking for”. Yet somehow they too managed to forget making any reference to housing such vessels in their 22-page document.

As you might have guessed, if the rest of us automatically assumed old boats would be part of the visionary mix, the less gullible old salts amongst us were less trusting. And, after some months of lobbying, they appear to have found sympathetic ears within the bureaucracy responsible for fine-tuning the Tank Farm design. Not that anyone cracking’s open the champagne just yet.

In joint submissions in August and December last year, Classic Yacht Association of New Zealand chairman Tony Blake and Classic Yacht Charitable Trust chairman John Street argued for an “on the water living display” of significant and historically important heritage vessels. They said they were aware of 30 or so and noted there were also a number under restoration.

“While these vessels form a significant part of Auckland’s maritime history, they are not particularly visible, nor do they form part of the backdrop of Auckland’s waterfront as they do in other cities around the world such as Stockholm and Copenhagen, all of which have significant maritime history.”

They envisaged a display of 20 to 30 of New Zealand’s most significant heritage vessels. These would include a waka, yachts, launches, workboats and the large steam tug William C. Daldy. “All vessels are still in active use and would provide a wonderful public attraction as they come and go from their berths.” They would be part of a heritage trail, including old buildings and other port facilities.

The proposal was to house this classic fleet in the 0.45ha of land at the base of Wynyard wharf reclamation just north of the Jellicoe St silos, that is being proposed as a stormwater quality treatment pond. The idea was to collect all the stormwater run-off in the area, divert it into a huge triangular excavated pond, plant a forest of water purifying plants, add an aerating water feature, and let the cleansed water spill down a weir into the sea.

As a focal destination point on the planned Jellicoe St entertainment strip, a water treatment plant, however green and sustainable it be, was hardly an optimal tourist drawcard. And John Dalzell, the project director hired by Auckland Regional Holdings to realise the grand plan, appears to agree.

There’s been a rethink. The primary stage of stormwater treatment will now occur in less prominent waterways down the centre of Daldy St. It will then flow into a wetland area occupying just the top third of the planned triangular pond. This will leave much of the pond area available for the uses envisaged by the classic boat enthusiasts.

Mr Dalzell admits it’s early days yet and decisions have to be made whether to open the Westhaven side of the pond completely to the sea, as the heritage boaties prefer, or to build a lock. A lock would limit the times the basin could be used and be expensive to operate. It would also limit usage to reasonably shallow drafted boats. The alternative of opening the area to the sea, would have the alternative expense of digging deep into the existing reclamation and below.

The good thing is, Mr Dalzell believes “the more of this sort of stuff we can get into the area the better. It adds to the rich tapestry of the area and brings it to life. A working waterfront needs to reflect what happens here today and what happened in the past.” By this he includes the heritage steam tug, William C. Daldy.

Of course, in this town nothing is certain, but I think the classic yachties could risk a little tipple on having achieved a good first step.

By Brian Rudman

© NZ Herald

There were no fireworks, no tugs jetting their water plumes skywards. There was little sign that an era in New Zealand’s maritime history was drawing to a close.

At a little after 2200 hours tonight, Cunard’s iconic QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 slipped her moorings in Auckland, New Zealand and bade farewell for the last time. An era had come to an end.

Three blasts of the ship’s siren was greeted with rapturous cheers from the crowds of ordinary Aucklanders who turned out to say goodbye to the Grand Old Lady of the Oceans.

But sadly, apart from an assembled flotilla of maybe half a dozen small ferries, the preserved vintage steam tug William C. Daldy and just a handful of private pleasure craft, her departure was a big non-event.

If it had not been for the hoards of “Joe Public” who had braved the steadily building North-East winds and the operators of the commercial vessels on the harbour (well done Fullers Ferries and WC Daldy Preservation Trust!!), the Auckland City Council and Ports of Auckland did nothing to mark the city’s ending of it’s association (an

association which began way back on 14 February 1978) with the ship which has become, arguably, the most famous on the planet.

A moment in New Zealand maritime history which could have been built into a spectacular celebration was completely ignored. She was just another cruise ship moving out to make way for the next due tomorrow.

It is little wonder why the growth in numbers and sheer size of the modern cruiseships is extolled in such passionate terms by port company, business leaders and council. It seems to boil down to one thing……. a desperation for tourist dollars. But surely the need to draw in these much needed and welcomed funds should be balanced with a perception of occasion and history. After all, we Kiwis do pride ourselves and boast to the world that we are such a sea-loving nation.

No doubt the thousands who lined the city’s waterfront and East Coast Bays think likewise.

QE2…………from the people of Auckland, “Thanks for the memories”.

We value your opinion! Please reply?

The 167th annual regatta on 28 January 2008, saw for the first time a fleet of 26 operational, retired, vintage and veteran tugs and towboats racing for line honours over a 5 nautical mile course on the outer Waitemata Harbour. There were also trophies for best presented operational tug and best presented retired tug. The race is set to become an annual event.

Date: 29 January 2007

Photographer: © Trevor Coppock

Cars can no longer park on Devonport Wharf. Vehicles have been banned from one of the most popular spots for fishing and sight-seeing on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour, the Devonport Wharf. North Shore City Council yesterday closed the 80-year-old wharf to vehicles, pending an engineering investigation of the concrete structure and repairs. “We are keeping vehicles off as a public safety precaution on engineering advice,” said the council’s group manager for transport infrastructure, Phil Consedine.

He said there was concern about the state of repair of the wharf’s deck and its ability to take the weight of up to 40 vehicles at once, including trucks serving the vintage steam tug William C Daldy, which is berthed there. “People can still fish there, there’s no danger. It’s just they can’t drive on.” He said general structural repairs had to be done but the extent of the work and its cost would not be known until after a review in the New Year.

The wharf, which is known as Victoria Wharf, is separate to the ferry wharves and was built by the former Auckland Harbour Board in steel-reinforced concrete. The council acquired the wharf in 2002 with the ferry wharves, and says the structure has deteriorated rapidly in recent years. Investigations next month will determine whether it can be repaired or should be demolished. The trust, which runs the tug, will continue to use the berth and is making alternative arrangements for loading supplies and coal.

Devonport resident and city councillor Chris Darby said he was alarmed by such a drastic requirement and concerned that councillers were not alerted to the wharf’s poor condition earlier. “It’s a busy recreational wharf … and we are heading into the peak recreation season,” he said. “The wharf is also used for parking for wharf shops and overflow parking for ferry commuters.”

The council said there was enough parking in the immediate vicinity for the displaced vehicles, and no further consideration or action was intended.
© NZ Herald

On Sunday 4th November 2007  a group of members of the Christchurch Branch of the NZ Company of Master Mariners, along with Members of the Marine Engineers Institute  and Members of the Merchant Navy Association and their partners, hosted Earle Crutchley and his wife, Norma, and other members of his family, on the Steam Tug “Lyttelton”  for an afternoon’s cruise to commemorate 100 years of the tug’s operation.

The cruse for a gratifyingly large contingent of seafarers, plus a group of steam enthusiasts from overseas, took place in excellent conditions, on a warm and sunny day, with light winds, totally unexpected, as the preceeding week had been marred by extreem winds, which had one or two of our wives threatening mutiny. There was however a reasonable groundswell at the harbor entrance to remind us that we were at sea.

On our return to Lyttelton, at 4pm, and after the departure of the other passengers I presented on behalf of the  New Zealand Company of Master Mariners, our Company plaque to Earle, in recognition of his achievements  in getting Merchant Navy Veterans commemorated alongside the Armed forces on War Memorials throughout NZ.. He has had success in 21 centres around the country, in both Islands, all at his own expense.

Earle, who was never at sea, but was a soldier, is now getting on in years and in failing health. is a fine old gentleman who is greatly interested in all things maritime and it was a great pleasure for me to make this presentation. He was obviously very moved by the whole occasion and very appreciative of the plaque, which I suspect will take pride of place in his home. His Daughter commented to me afterwards how very much they appreciated the whole afternoon, and how much it meant to her father.

Unfortunately, Tudor Owen, who was instrumental in getting this ceremony under way, was unable through ill health to attend.

What a milestone. Congratulations from tripleexpansion.com and all our affiliates. A special thanks to all who support this fine vessel.

Steam tug Lyttleton II Scrapped!

The picture says it all. Click the link above for images and more information.