Rarawai–Kavanagasau Light Railway


The Rarawai–Kavanagasau Light Railway was a long narrow gauge railway on Fiji.

Operation

The railway with a gauge of 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.
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.

Rolling stock

Locomotives

The Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 locomotive with works number 972 of 1912 named Fiji and a Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST with works number 1056 of 1914 are preserved at Statfold Barn Railway.
MillNoManufacturerTypeFuelWorks NoYear builtCondition
1-7John Fowler0-6-0TTSteam1903-1906
Rarawai MillFirst 8, later 10John Fowler0-6-2TTSteam114581908Plinthed outside the mill in 2011 and 2016
9John Fowler0-6-2TTSteam1910
10-17Hudswell Clarke0-6-0Steam1912-1914
18Hudswell Clarke0-6-0Steam1915
19Hudswell Clarke0-4-0STSteam1914
20 & 21Hudswell Clarke0-6-0Steam1936
22Hudswell Clarke0-6-0Steam1938
23 & 24Hudswell Clarke0-6-0Steam1950
25Hudswell Clarke0-6-0Steam1914
1 & 2Clyde Engineering0-6-0Diesel1957
Rarawai Mill22Hunslet6wDH Diesel92741987Operable in 2016 and 2017
Rarawai Mill24Baguley-Drewry0-6-0DHDiesel37731983Operable for shun­ting in 2017
Rarawai Mill, seen in 2007 at Penang MillHudswell Clarke0-6-0DMDieselD7531950Derelict at Penang Mill in 2007. Remains scrapped in 2011.
Rarawai Sugar MillAustralian Clyde, rebuilt by Ontrak Engineering of Sydney0-6-0DHDieselOperable in 2012
Lautoka MillClydeDHI-71DieselDerelict 2008
Lautoka MillClydeDHI-71DieselDerelict 2008

Carriages



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.