OBITUARY.
MR JOHN THOMAS.
The death of Mr John Thomas, of Mornington, on Saturday, marks the passing of a veteran engineman of the New Zealand Railways. Mr Thomas was born in Newport, Monmouthshire, in 1844. He entered the service of the Great Western Railway Company at an early age, and five years later joined the London and North-Western Railway Company. In 1871 he took part in the tests of Robert Fairlie’s patent locomotives, and upon completion of these he signed articles of agreement (through Robert Fairlie) to proceed to New Zealand with the sister engines, the “Rose” and “Josephine,” for Messrs Proudfoot, Oliver, and Ulph, owners of the Dunedin-Port Chalmers Railway. After their arrival at Port Chalmers in August, 1872, the engines and rolling stock were erected, and Mr Thomas brought the first train to Dunedin with the “Josephine” on the official opening on January 1, 1873. He continued in the service until the Provincial Government took over the Port Chalmers line and equipment. As soon as the Main North and South lines and Central Otago lines were completed, Mr Thomas had charge of the locomotives for the opening runs. He had a particularly successful career of continuous footplate service with many classes of express engines, and eventually retired on superannuation in 1907. He was a particularly unobtrusive and retiring man, well liked by all who knew him, and was a great favourite with the locomotive staff and the officers of the several departments. He leaves a family of four sons and one daughter, all married. His wife predeceased him 16 years ago. -Otago Daily Times, 31/7/1928.
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