Rarawai–Kavanagasau Light Railway

The Rarawai–Kavanagasau Light Railway was a 142 miles (229 km) long narrow gauge railway on Fiji.

Rarawai–Kavanagasau Light Railway
Passenger train near Rarawai Mill, 1947 Route of the main line highlighted on a modern map
Technical
Line length	142 miles (229 km)
Track gauge	2 feet (610 mm)
Route map mi 60 Nabuna 51 Tavua 45 Tagi Tagi 40 Lousa 31 Ba 30 Rarawai Yalalevu Nailaga Tawararau Vatamai 0 Lautoka Natabua Tovilavila 4 Saweni Esivo Sabeto 14 Natova 24 Navakai Meigunyah Nadi Navo Momi Military Camp 41 Savu Savu Lomawai 51 Natadola Beach, Coral Coast Railway 64 Fijian Resort, Cuvu, Coral Coast Railway 72 Sigatoka 82 Kavanagasau[1] Further stations: Malolo (Navakai-Kavanagasau) Vatamai Lomaloma Nabuyagiyagi Namaka Military Camp Martins Crossing (near Nadi) Natuatuathoko (near Sigatoka)[1]

Operation

The railway with a gauge of 2 feet (610 mm) was built and operated by the Colonial Sugar Refinery Co.

The operation started in December 1914 with free, twice-weekly, return passenger train services and weekly public goods trains, which transported pipes for the manganese mines as well as agricultural produce such as potatoes, onions, rice, maize, and other food. Transport of cattle started in the early 1950s.[2]

The section of the Kavanagasau–Rarawai tramline from Kavanagasau to Baitiri behind Navisabasaba village, at the boundary of Cuvu and Lomawai sectors, about 4.5 kilometres from the Intercontinental Hotel towards Nadi was closed on 7 August 2009 due to the significant decline in the production of cane in the Cuvu and Olosara sectors and cane from these areas being transportable by lorry to the Lautoka Mill.[3]

Rolling stock

Locomotives

The Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 locomotive with works number 972 of 1912 named Fiji (Colonial Sugar Refining Co. No. 11) and a Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST with works number 1056 of 1914 (Colonial Sugar Refining Co. No. 19) are preserved at Statfold Barn Railway.[4][5]

Mill	No	Manufacturer	Type	Fuel	Works No	Year built	Condition
	1-7	John Fowler	0-6-0TT	Steam		1903-1906[6]
Rarawai Mill	First 8, later 10	John Fowler	0-6-2TT	Steam	11458	1908	Plinthed outside the mill in 2011 and 2016[7]
	9	John Fowler	0-6-2TT	Steam		1910[6]
	10-17	Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0	Steam		1912-1914[6]
	18	Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0	Steam		1915[6]
	19	Hudswell Clarke	0-4-0ST	Steam		1914[6]
	20 & 21	Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0	Steam		1936[6]
	22	Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0	Steam		1938[6]
	23 & 24	Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0	Steam		1950[6]
	25	Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0	Steam		1914[6]
	1 & 2	Clyde Engineering	0-6-0	Diesel		1957[6]
Rarawai Mill	22	Hunslet	6wDH	Diesel	9274	1987	Operable in 2016 and 2017[7]
Rarawai Mill	24	Baguley-Drewry	0-6-0DH	Diesel	3773	1983	Operable for shun­ting in 2017[7]
Rarawai Mill, seen in 2007 at Penang Mill		Hudswell Clarke	0-6-0DM	Diesel	D753	1950	Derelict at Penang Mill in 2007. Remains scrapped in 2011.[7]
Rarawai Sugar Mill		Australian Clyde, rebuilt by Ontrak Engineering of Sydney	0-6-0DH	Diesel			Operable in 2012[7]
Lautoka Mill		Clyde	DHI-71	Diesel			Derelict 2008[7]
Lautoka Mill		Clyde	DHI-71	Diesel			Derelict 2008[7]

Carriages

2nd class passenger carriage and brake van No 4 fitted with temporary frames for lifting by crane

Two second class passenger carriages and a brake van were built in 1914 by Clyde Engineering in Granville, Australia for Rarawai–Kavanagasau Light Railway. One of the carriages is now at the Ferrymead 2ft Railway in a partially disassembled state.

External links

• The Railways of Fiji. The Development of Railways in the South Pacific. In: Railway Wonders of the World.
• Railways of Fiji, Rarawai-Kavanagasau Light Railway, as seen in October 2007

References

1. Fergusson, Jim (20 January 2016). "Fiji & Pacific Islands Railways, Passenger Stations & Stops" (PDF). railwaystationlists.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
2. Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences. "Photograph of a brake van, No. 4, built for Rarawai-Kavanagasau Light Railway in Fiji". Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences, Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
3. Fijian Government: Portion of Kavanagasau/Rarawai tramline closed. 7 August 2009.
4. Andrew Naylor: Colonial Sugar Refining Co No 19, Statfold Barn Railway, Sat 8 August 2015. Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST 1056 / 1914, 2ft gauge. Repatriated from Fiji.
5. Chris Allen: Statfold Barn Railway - green, red and yellow. The Geograph, No 5382236.
6. Hodge, Peter (October 1960). "Narrow Gauge In Fiji". Railway and Locomotive Historical Society Bulletin. 103 (103): 21–40. JSTOR 43517963.
7. Photos on Facebook Narrow Gauge Enthusiasts Group