May 2018 Project Martha – Historical & Archaeological Background 45 Bros., who have the contract for supplying and placing the same in position, are expected to commence the work in a week or ten days, or as soon as all the earthwork is completed. The pipes when laid will cover a distance of half a mile. They are 26 inches in diameter, and will give about 701bs of pressure to the square inch, the fall being about 140 feet. After passing through two Pelton wheels the water will be carried into the present race and again utilised as motive power.’171 Tramways172 Tramways were a convenient and economic solution to the problem of moving heavy materials, and historic plans reveal a multitude of tramways across Waihi (see Figure 33 and Figure 34). Horses were the early motive power, except on the Silverton tramline, where a small locomotive was used from the outset. Even when the rakeline (rail) from the Victoria Battery was commissioned and locomotives used, ore and wood were still hauled to the Waihi Battery by horse. Silverton Tramway (NZAA T13/818) This tramway took ore from the Silverton kilns along the eastern side of Union Hill, through what is now Gilmour Reserve, through town to the Silverton Battery on the Ohinemuri River. Although the Silverton Company took over the old Martha Battery in 1891, there is no mention of a locomotive before the Mines Statement of 1896.173 New No.1 Shaft Tramway This was built by the Union-Waihi Company (c.1899) to transport their ore from the New No.1 Shaft to their newly acquired mill on the Ohinemuri (this was the old Silverton Battery, renamed the Union Battery). This short length of tramway appears to have exited a tunnel below the Union tiphead, and negotiated a steep section as a self-acting incline. Ore Tramway from Martha Hill to Kilns This was built when the Martha property was purchased in 1890. The ore was taken to the top of the kilns, even when they were no longer used. Coal was delivered to the hoppers above the boiler house by this same tramway (from 1904), though in 1908 an additional line was laid from Martha Hill to avoid conflict with the ore traffic. Rakeline (Waihi Gold Mining Company’s Martha to Victoria Battery Ore Tramway) (NZAA T13/305, T13/310 & T13/346) In 1896 the Waihi Gold Mining Company commenced work on an 8km rakeline (narrow gauge railway) for the transport of quartz ore from the Martha Mine to the Victoria Battery at Waikino.174 The line was largely completed by March 1897 and details of its progress were provided in the annual goldmining report for that year: 171 Thames Star, 18 May 1891, p.4. 172 Note: This section is largely derived from Clough 2004, p.84, except where otherwise stated. 173 AJHR 1896 C-03, p.76. 174 NZAA site record T13/310.
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