Sunday 17 August 2008 saw our old friend ‘Big Red’ - the red locomotive DF-1501 leave Pacific Steel.  Resident on site since 1975, NZ’s first diesel electric locomotive has stood guardian near our main gate and has become a firm icon of the steel industry and the local community alike.  Although popular with taggers and the scene of some nefarious night-time activities, the bulk of DF-1501 has endured over the years with a little assistance from Pacific Steel. 

Big Red was recovered by its owners (National Federation of Railway Societies) for some loving restoration down at its new home in Ferrymead, Christchurch.  The departure of DF-1501 will see the space that it and the steam locomotive before it occupied developed into a new Pacific Steel overflow parking area complete with provision for the safe drop-off of all employees.

The task of moving Big Red was not an insignificant one.  It required the cooperation of multiple parties, many of them generously donating their services to the cause.  The first step was a thorough assessment of the condition of DF-1501’s undercarriage, after so many years of inaction it was great to see each of the big wheels easily rotate once again.  A sigh of relief was certainly audible from all as the bearings and lubrication of old were proved to still be sound!

In order to prepare the land, a sick unprotected tree required removal, the boundary fence had to come out, the red tubular architectural (according to some..!) structure needed to come down, and the roof/shelter above the locomotive had to go.  Given the range and sensitivity of the myriad of subsurface services in the road berm of James Fletcher Drive, each utility provider had to be contacted and provisions made to protect each supply.

A 33kV cable feeding Pacific Steel was but 3.5m from the northern footprint of DF-1501.  This cable formed the boundary to which each of the two 150T cranes had to work within in to lift Big Red onto a waiting low loader.

DF-1501 was safely removed and taken down the main site road to the rail tracks where it was lifted from the low loader and again placed on welcoming rails.  KiwiRail was tasked with coupling up our old friend and towing Big Red away to a shunting yard in preparation for the long trip south.  There were some challenges at the rail end to overcome with the main 110kV incomers plus the site ring water main located in this area.

The re-railing task safely happened without incident to underlying services - a testimony of the care by the Engineering Services team assigned with preparatory works on the day.  Alan Redfearn, Amesh Soma and Alex Snegirev bade DF-1501 farewell and set to restore the site fixtures affected to enable the locomotive’s safe removal from site. 

The empty carcass of what used to be DF-1501’s home is all that remains as evidence of Big Red, and in the near future the concrete columns will also go as part of Pacific Steel’s entry improvements. 

Although DF-1501 has gone, Big Red will always remain in our memories. Let’s not forget that Big Red was an icon of Pacific Steel, just as Pacific Steel is one of the great icons of Otahuhu and South Auckland.