Ocean Island Railway

The Ocean Island Railway (later Banaba Island Railway) was a -long phosphate mining railway on Ocean Island (later renamed Banaba Island). It had an initial gauge of . After 1937, the gauge was widened to and, finally, to .Thomas Kautzor: Feldbahnen in Ozeanien (Nauru). 18 January 2015.

Route The track ran along the coast from the northern guano mining areas, through the European Settlement (English:Tabwewa, French: Tapiwa) and the Native Labour Quarters (Tabiang, Tapiang) to the depot and Boat Harbour (Uma, Ooma).

Operation Initially, steam locomotives manufactured by Orenstein & Koppel (O&K), and a saddle tank locomotive manufactured by Bagnall, were used. One O&K locomotive was named Florence, one had the number 7 (O&K works number 12678 of 1935) and another one the number 11 (O&K works number 9880 of 1922).

Later, diesel locomotives were used. European passengers were transported in a canopy car and native labourers in an open wagon.

Locomotives

Manufacturer Type Works No Year Gauge Remarks Bagnall 610 mm Saddle tank locomotive O&K 9880 1922 610mm No 11 O&K 11174 1926 610mm Location unknown, possibly on another island O&K 11291 1926 610mm Location unknown, possibly on another island O&K 11585 1928 610mm O&K 11586 1928 610mm O&K 12678 1935 610mm No 7 O&K 12887 1937 914mm O&K 12888 1937 914mm O&K B-t 12889 1937 914mm O&K 12890 1937 914mm O&K 12891 1937 914mm O&K 3300 1909 600mm 40 PS, delivered to Marrison, James & Co., Australia for Nauru, from 1920 as No 12 on Ocean Island (Replacement boiler 13108 of 1955)

References