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'''A summary of published research'''


'''NOTE:'''This section of the wiki is coloured green in the vision diagram on the Main page. This means there is at least one example of a locomotive that goes right down to the individual locomotive, in this case Locomotive F12. This is then an example that can be followed for developing the full story for every locomotive as the information is gathered.


The history of the locomotives used by the [[New Zealand Railways]] (NZR) is both intriguing and complex, particularly during the early years. This is brought out in several published works which attempt to unravel the complexities of early numbering and classification systems. This page and its sub-pages are intended as a summary of some of that research.


Up until 1878,  was the year the Railways Department and the Public Works Department were split, leaving the Railway Department in charge of running trains and the Public Works Department in charge of building railways, among other things.
==A summary of published research==


The earliest formal publication devoted to NZR locomotives was curiously published in the U.S.A., the work of Tom McGavin, summarising the results of the work of several NZR&LS members to whom it had been presented in 1950. The work was entitled [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/43517589|"The Steam Locomotives of New Zealand Government Railways 1872 - 1949"]]. From this came the first New Zealand publication, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand Since 1863" (1st edition 1950) with a second revised and enlarged edition in 1961. A complete update of the material covered by these early publications resulted in a set of three new volumes, Part one by T.A. McGavin dealing with 1863 - 1900, the other two by E.J. McClare, Part two dealing with 1900 - 1930 and Part three 1930 - 1971. These booklets still provide a ready reference of the various steam locomotive types used throughout NZR's history
===New Zealand Locomotives===


The first attempt to document all the steam locomotives used on New Zealand railways was carried out by Bill LLoyd, and presented in a publication "NZR Steam Locomotive Lists 1880 - 1957". This was issued by the Railway and Locomotive Society as  Supplement No.5 to their quarterly publication "The New Zealand Railway Observer". This first list was however not a complete story as it used the 1880 locomotive list (issued as an appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives) as a starting point, with no attempt to unravel the earlier numbering systems. A further 10 years of research resulted in the publication of the first formal attempt to provide a complete register. The "Register of New Zealand Railways Steam Locomotives, published in 1974. 27 years later after much further research, an enlarged and revised edition was published in 2002. Both these edition are serious reference works, listing every locomotive of every class that worked on Government railway lines.
The history of the locomotives used by the [[New Zealand Railways|New Zealand Government Railways]] (NZR) is both intriguing and complex, particularly during the early years. This is brought out in several published works which attempt to unravel the complexities of early numbering and classification systems. This page and its sub-pages are intended to be able to be expanded to capture any level of detail desired about New Zealand railway locomotives.


At the time of the centenary of New Zealand railways, a new work was published as a historical record of all classes of locomotives used by the New Zealand Government Railways, including Steam, Electric and Diesel. This was a collaborative effort by A. N. Palmer and W. W. Stewart and was titled "Cavalcade of New Zealand Locomotives" this is still a very useful reference, outlining all the locomotive types from 1863 to 1955 for the 1st edition, and to 1965 for the 2nd edition with a convenient Locomotive index and list of builders at the back.
As a ready reference, a summary is available on the page [[All NZR locomotives]]  giving the the basic details of each locomotive operated by NZR. The extensive table for steam locomotives has been transcribed from W.G. Lloyd's Register of NZR Steam Locomotives 1863 - 1971 with the Diesel/Petrol, and Electric locomotive data being sourced from The New Zealand Railway Observer magazines and other publications from the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society.


During the early 1960's, Peter Dyer was compiling data on the Public Works Department steam locomotives, a more challenging task given the loss of many of the early records. He subsequently published a booklet in 1966 titled "Steam Locomotives of the New Zealand Public Works Department"
The very early railway development in New Zealand was authorised by the Provincial Councils of the time, and all independent of each other, so any numbering of locomotives was also without any consideration of how things might develop in the future. It was also a period when locomotives tended to get allocated names, with some some rules around what types of locomotives received what type of name. By the time the Provincial Governments were abolished in 1876, a structure for a national railway network was already taking shape but it was not until two years later when the Railways Department and the Public Works Department were separated as two separate entities, the Railway Department in charge of running trains and the Public Works Department in charge of building railway lines (among other things), that serious thought was given to how such things as a national locomotive numbering system could be established. Given the haphazard start to railways in New Zealand, and the time that has elapsed since then, it is little wonder that understanding all the steps along the way could become a challenging task, one that was ultimately taken up by a number of different researchers.


A separate branch of locomotive research was carried out by Gerald Petrie, looking at steam locomotives in New Zealand other than those operated by NZR. This resulted in the publication of "New Zealand Steam Locomotives by Official Number" in 1993. This was followed 3 years later by "In the Beginning", a detailed look at all locomotive data between 1863 and 1877 in an attempt to unravel some/most of the mysteries that surrounded certain old locomotives. Then in 2007 a detailed analysis of all available data relating to the early numbering of New Zealand Railways locomotive numbering
The earliest formal publication devoted to NZR locomotives was curiously published in the U.S.A., the work of Tom McGavin, summarising the results of the work of several NZR&LS members. An address was given to Society members by Tom in 1950 and a duplicated transcript of the talk made available. An expanded version of that, with illustrations, was then published by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in their "Bulletin 81" in the U.S.A. The work was titled [[https://www.jstor.org/stable/43517589|"The Steam Locomotives of New Zealand Government Railways 1872 - 1949"]]. From this came the first New Zealand publication, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand Since 1863" (1st edition 1950) with a second revised and enlarged edition in 1961. A complete update of the material covered by these early publications resulted in a set of three new volumes, Part one by T.A. McGavin dealing with 1863 - 1900, the other two by E.J. McClare, Part two dealing with 1900 - 1930 and Part three 1930 - 1971. These booklets still provide a very handy ready reference of the various steam locomotive types used throughout NZR's history.


A completely up to date reference titled "The NZR Steam Locomomotive" was published by Sean Miller in 2011. This is a fine reference work covering each locomotive type including a short section on unclassified locos and steam railcars etc. It has many fine illustrations but lacks some details you would expect to find in such a well presented publications.
The first attempt to document all the steam locomotives used on New Zealand railways was carried out by Bill LLoyd, and presented in a publication "NZR Steam Locomotive Lists 1880 - 1957". This was issued by the Railway and Locomotive Society as  Supplement No.5 to their quarterly publication "The New Zealand Railway Observer". This first list was however not a complete story as it used the 1880 locomotive list (issued as an appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives) as a starting point, with no attempt to unravel and reconcile any earlier numbering systems. A further 10 years of research resulted in the publication of the first formal attempt to provide a complete register. The "Register of New Zealand Railways Steam Locomotives, published in 1974. 27 years later after much further research, an enlarged and revised edition was published in 2002. Both these edition are serious reference works, listing every locomotive of every class that worked on Government railway lines.


In 2018 Sean Millar published another book titled "Classifying New Zealand's Locomotives" being a more serious look at the classification issue than an earlier publication "From A to Y excluding I".
At the time of the centenary of New Zealand railways in 1963, a new work was published as a historical record of all classes of locomotives used by the New Zealand Government Railways, including Steam, Electric and Diesel. This was a collaborative effort by A. N. Palmer and W. W. Stewart and was titled "Cavalcade of New Zealand Locomotives" this is still a very useful reference, outlining all the locomotive types from 1863 to 1955 for the 1st edition, and to 1965 for the 2nd edition with a convenient Locomotive index and list of builders at the back.
 
As if to formally close off the Steam era, in 2011, Sean Miller published an extensive work titled "The NZR Steam Locomotive". This beautifully presented reference work covers each locomotive type, including a short section on unclassified locos, steam railcars etc. It has many fine illustrations but does lack some details you would expect to be able to find in such a well presented publications.
 
During the early 1960's, Peter Dyer was busy compiling data on the Public Works Department steam locomotives, a more challenging task given the dearth of early records that existed. He subsequently published a booklet in 1966 titled "Steam Locomotives of the New Zealand Public Works Department".
 
While the focus of the above publications has really been on steam locomotives, soon after Tom McGavin's first publications he started producing what became a series of booklets reviewing all the motive power that was in use by NZR. While the titles varied a bit, they seemed to settle on "NZR Locomotives and Railcars" with a new issue every few years between 1953 and 1990. Among those issues there were also one publication called "NZR Locomotives", a Railmac publication from 1981, and two more extensive 'pocket' books compiled by Geoffrey Churchman from 1988 and 1992. These smaller format books listed all operating locomotives in New Zealand and grouped by NZR, Industrial and Museum.There was also a 1980 publication by E. J. McClare dedicated to diesels titled "New Zealand railways Diesels". In 2002 David Parsons published a book titled New Zealand Motive Power 2002 that reviewed each class of locomotive in use at that time. This was followed up with an updated version in 2018, so altogether there is a pretty comprehensive record of all railway motive power in New Zealand.
 
===Locomotive Classification===
 
The study of locomotive classification attempts to come to an understanding of why particular locomotive groups received the classification letters they ended up with, and why particular numbers were allocated to particular locomotives, at particular times. This is perhaps not too important to the general rail-fan, but a fascinating conundrum to the serious researcher. Three people in particular have tackled the classification and numbering issues in detail. Bill Lloyd in the two issues of [[Register of New Zealand Railway Steam Locomotives]], Gerald Petrie with three publications; the first looking at boiler records, which resulted in the publication of "New Zealand Steam Locomotives by Official Number" (i.e. boiler number). This was followed 3 years later by "In the Beginning", a detailed look at all locomotive data between 1863 and 1877 in an attempt to unravel many of the mysteries that surrounded certain old locomotives. Then in 2007 a detailed analysis of all available data relating to the early numbering of New Zealand Railways locomotives "Locomotive Numbering from 1890 back to 1863 - The Evidence". This is a fully documented research effort with scanned copies of all early documents found to support the conclusions reached. Sean Millar made locomotive classification his particular challenge and in 2001 he published a slightly controversial book titled "From A to Y excluding I", which was his first interpretation on researching locomotive classification and included some speculation where no hard evidence could be sourced, and yet a conclusion wanted to be reached. This was followed in 2018 by a new work, "Classifying New Zealand's Locomotives" being a more serious look at the classification issue and includes the diesel and electric locomotives. A more comprehensive look at this topic as it relates to New Zealand, can be found on the [[Locomotive Classification]] page in this wiki.
 
==Locomotive Types==
 
A locomotive's 'Type' is a label given to describe what kind of locomotive it is, usually based on it's wheel arrangement, and this can be described in a number of different ways. For steam locomotives, the system commonly used in New Zealand is known at the Whyte System where a sequence of numbers, separated by dashes, denotes the wheel arrangement e.g. 4-6-2. Appended to this code can be a series of letters to signify that it is not a Tender engine but a Tank engine and then what kind of tank arrangement. Apart from the number/letter code, some steam locomotives also had names for the particular type of wheel arrangement e.g. 4-6-2 was also known as a 'Pacific'.  There is a second system, used primarily in Europe, therefore known as the Continental System, and it caters for steam, diesel and electric locomotives within the one system. Here in New Zealand we use that system for defining our diesel and electric locomotives, so we need to understand two systems to be able to record the wheel arrangement of any locomotive in New Zealand. A more detailed look at this topic can be found on the [[NZR Locomotive Types]] page in this wiki.
 
There is of course much more published material available, particularly articles in periodicals like the Observer, Railfan, and others, however these tend to look at individual locomotive classes rather than the collection as a whole. it is hoped that descriptions of these articles too will eventually be included in this wiki to help researchers locate all relevant material quickly.
 
==Tables of NZ Locomotive Classes==
 
=== Steam Locomotives ===
 
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Steam Locomotives - Imperial units
!  width="20px"|Class
! Originally
! Type
! No Built
! Builder
! Start Year
! End  Year
! Weight
! [[Tractive Effort]]
! [[Boiler Pressure|Boiler Pres]]
! Drivers
! Cylinders
! Length 
|-
|Rowspan=2| [[A Class  0-4-0T Locomotive|A]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2| 0-4-0T
||12
|| [[Dubs and Company|Dubs]]
|| 1874/5
|Rowspan=2| 1906
|Rowspan=2| 11
|Rowspan=2| 3,072
|Rowspan=2| 120
|Rowspan=2| 30
|Rowspan=2| 2/ 8 x 15
|Rowspan=2| 17'-11"
|-
||2
||[[Yorkshire Engine Company Limited|Yorkshire]]
||1875
|-
||[[A Class  0-4-0T (Mills)Locomotive|A]]
||
||0-4-0T
||3
||[[E. W. Mills|Mills]]
||1875
||1885
||8
||3,413
||100
||24
||2/ 8 x 16
||16'-6"
|-
||[[A Class  0-4-0ST (Shanks)Locomotive|A]]
||
||0-4-0ST
||2
||[[Alexander Shanks and Sons Limited|Shanks]]
||1876
||1882
||10
||3,004
||110
||30
||2/ 8 x 16
||unknown
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[A Class  4-6-2 Locomotive|A]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|4-6-2
||8
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1906-8
|Rowspan=2|1969
|Rowspan=2|76.5
|Rowspan=2|17,000
|Rowspan=2|225
|Rowspan=2|54
|Rowspan=2|2/ 12 x 22 + 2/ 19 x 22
|Rowspan=2|57'-2"
|-
||50
||[[A. & G. Price Limited|Price]]
||1907-14
|-
||[[Aa Class  4-6-2 Locomotive|Aa]]
||
||4-6-2
||10
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1915
||1957
||88.5
||21,580
||170
||49
||2/ 18 x 24
||58'-5"
|-
|Rowspan=4|[[Ab Class 4-6-2  Locomotive|Ab]]
|Rowspan=3|
|Rowspan=4|4-6-2
||38
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
|Rowspan=4|1915-24
|Rowspan=4|1969
|Rowspan=4|84.7
|Rowspan=4|20,030
|Rowspan=4|180
|Rowspan=4|54
|Rowspan=4|2/ 17 x 26
|Rowspan=4|62'-5"
|-
||83
||[[North British Locomotive Company Limited|North British]]
|-
||20
||[[A. & G. Price Limited|Price]]
|-
||ex Wab
||11
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
|-
||[[Ab Class 4-6-2(exA) Locomotive|Ab]]
||ex A class
||4-6-2
||1
||[[NZR Addington  Workshops|Addington]]
||1915
||1969
||77
||20,030
||180
||54
||2/ 17 x 26
||56'-10"
|-
||[[Ad Class 4-6-2 Locomotive|Ad]]
||ex A class
||4-6-2
||30
||reclassification
||1910
||1915
||80.55
||20,060
||190
||54
||2/ 18 x 22
||57'-2"
|-
||[[B Class  0-4-4-0T Locomotive|B]]
||
||0-4-4-0T
||2
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1874
||1896
||28
||6,912
||130
||39
||4/ 9 x 16
||31'-2"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[B Class  4-8-0 Locomotive|B]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|4-8-0
||4
||[[Sharp Stewart and Company Limited|Sharp Stewart]]
|Rowspan=2|1899
|Rowspan=2|1967
|Rowspan=2|65
|Rowspan=2|18,662
|Rowspan=2|175
|Rowspan=2|42.25
|Rowspan=2|2/ 16 x 22
|Rowspan=2|51'-9"
|-
||6
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
|-
||[[Ba Class  4-8-0 Locomotive|Ba]]
||
||4-8-0
||10
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1911
||1969
||69.4
||18,550
||175
||42.5
||2/ 16 x 22
||52'-3"
|-
||[[Bb Class  4-8-0 Locomotive|Bb]]
||
||4-8-0
||30
||[[A. & G. Price Limited|Price]]
||1915
||1968
||69
||20,940
||175
||42.5
||2/ 17 x 22
||52'-8"
|-
||[[Bc Class  2-8-2 Locomotive|Bc]]
||
||2-8-2
||1
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1908
||1927
||71.4
||16,080
||200
||43
||2/11.5 x 20 + 2/19 x 20
||55'-7"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[C Class  0-4-0ST Locomotive|C]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|0-4-0ST
||10
||[[Neilson and Company|Neilson]]
||1874
|Rowspan=2|1879
|Rowspan=2|15.7
|Rowspan=2|5,198
|Rowspan=2|120
|Rowspan=2|30
|Rowspan=2|2/ 9.5 x 18
|Rowspan=2|21'-3"
|-
||6
||[[Dubs and Company|Dubs]]
||1875
|-
||[[C Class  0-4-2ST Locomotive|C]]
||ex C 0-4-0ST
||0-4-2ST
||16
||reclassification
||1879
||1922
||15.7
||5,198
||120
||30
||2/ 9.5 x 18
||21'-3"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[C Class  2-6-2 Locomotive|C]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|2-6-2
||12
||[[NZR Hutt Workshops|Hutt]]
|Rowspan=2|1930
|Rowspan=2|1968
|Rowspan=2|66.5
|Rowspan=2|15,330
|Rowspan=2|200
|Rowspan=2|45
|Rowspan=2|2/ 14 x 22
|Rowspan=2|54'-6"
|-
||12
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[D Class  2-4-0T Locomotive|D]]
|Rowspan=3|
|Rowspan=3|2-4-0T
||17
||[[Neilson and Company|Neilson]]
|Rowspan=3|1874
|Rowspan=3|1927
|Rowspan=3|14.7
|Rowspan=3|4,693
|Rowspan=3|130
|Rowspan=3|36
|Rowspan=3|2/ 9.5 x 18
|Rowspan=3|21'-6"
|-
||5
||[[Dubs and Company|Dubs]]
|-
||11
||[[Scott Brothers Limited|Scott]]
|-
||[[D Class  0-4-0T Locomotive|D]]
||
||0-4-0T
||1
||[[Clayton Wagons Limited|Clayton]]
||1930
||1936
||25.7
||5,600
||300
||42
||4/ 7 x 10
||22'-4"
|-
||[[E Class 0-4-4-0T(Vulcan) Locomotive|E]]
||Ex D&PCR
||0-4-4-0T
||2
||[[Vulcan Foundry Limited|Vulcan]]
||1873
||1899
||28
||8,320
||130
||45
||4/ 10 x 18
||32'-10"
|-
||[[E Class  0-4-4-0T(Avonside) Locomotive|E]]
||
||0-4-4-0T
||6
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1875
||1899
||34
||9,600
||130
||39
||4/ 10 x 18
||34'-2"
|-
||[[E Class  2-6-6-0T Locomotive|E]]
||
||2-6-6-0T
||1
||[[NZR Petone Workshops|Petone]]
||1906
||1917
||65.8
||24,200
||200
||36.5
||4/ 9.5 x 18 + 4/16 x 18
||39'-9"
|-
|Rowspan=7|[[F Class  0-6-0ST Locomotive|F]]
|Rowspan=7|
|Rowspan=7|0-6-0ST
||26
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1873
|Rowspan=7|1964
|Rowspan=7|19.2
|Rowspan=7|5,733
|Rowspan=7|130
|Rowspan=7|36
|Rowspan=7|2/ 10.5 x 18
|Rowspan=7|32'-4"
|-
||1
||[[Black Hawthorn and Company|Black Hawthorn]]
||1874
|-
||21
||[[Dubs and Company|Dubs]]
||1878-84
|-
||12
||[[Neilson and Company|Neilson]]
||1872-88
|-
||12
||[[Robert Stephenson and Company|Stephenson]]
||1885-6
|-
||5
||[[Yorkshire Engine Compamy Limited|Yorkshire]]
||1874
|-
||11
||[[Vulcan Foundry Limited|Vulcan]]
||1875-87
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[Fa Class 0-6-0T Locomotive|Fa]]
|Rowspan=3|ex F class
|Rowspan=3|0-6-0T
||5
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
|Rowspan=3|1892
|Rowspan=3|1943
|Rowspan=3|24
|Rowspan=3|9,090
|Rowspan=3|160
|Rowspan=3|36.5
|Rowspan=3|2/ 12 x 18
|Rowspan=3|23'-4"
|-
||3
||[[NZR Newmarket Workshops|Newmarket]]
|-
||4
||[[NZR Petone Workshops|Petone]]
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[Fa Class 0-6-2T Locomotive|Fa]]
||13 ex Fb class
|Rowspan=3|0-6-2T
||12
||reclassification
|1905
|Rowspan=3|1943
|Rowspan=3|29.3
|Rowspan=3|9,090
|Rowspan=3|160
|Rowspan=3|36.5
|Rowspan=3|2/ 12 x 18
|Rowspan=3|27'-1"
|-
||
||6
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1902-3
|-
||ex F class
||1
||[[NZR Westport Workshop|Westport]]
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Fb Class 0-6-2T Locomotive|Fb]]
||ex Fa 0-6-0
|Rowspan=2|0-6-2T
||13
||conversion
|Rowspan=2|1900-5
|Rowspan=2|1905
|Rowspan=2|29.3
|Rowspan=2|9,090
|Rowspan=2|160
|Rowspan=2|36.5
|Rowspan=2|2/ 12 x 18
|Rowspan=2|27'-1"
|-
||
||1
||[[NZR Newmarket Workshops|Newmarket]]
|-
||[[G Class  4-4-0ST Locomotive|G]]
||
||4-4-0ST
||4
||[[Black Hawthorn and Company|Black Hawthorn]]
||1875
||1919
||18.2
||5,733
||130
||36
||4/ 10.5 x 18
||24'-3"
|-
||[[G Class  4-6-2+2-6-4 Locomotive|G]]
||
||4-6-2+2-6-4
||3
||[[Beyer Peacock and Company Ltd|Beyer Peacock]]
||1929
||1937
||145.8
||51,584
||200
||57
||6/ 16.5 x 24
||84'-4"
|-
||[[G Class 4-6-2 Locomotive|G]]
||ex G class
||4-6-2
||6
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1937
||1956
||98.5
||25,792
||200
||57
||3/ 16.5 x 24
||64'-6"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[H Class  0-4-2T Locomotive|H]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|0-4-2T
||4
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1877
|Rowspan=2|1956
||34
|Rowspan=2|19,510
|Rowspan=2|130
|Rowspan=2|32 + 23.5
|Rowspan=2|2/14 x 16 + 2/12 x 14
|Rowspan=2|24'-1"
|-
||2
||[[Neilson and Company|Neilson]]
||1886
||36
|-
|Rowspan=5|[[J Class  2-6-0 Locomotive|J]]
|Rowspan=5|
|Rowspan=5|2-6-0
||6
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1875-76
|Rowspan=5|1935
|Rowspan=5|38
|Rowspan=5|9,707
|Rowspan=5|130
|Rowspan=5|42
|Rowspan=5|2/ 14 x 20
|Rowspan=5|41' 1"
|-
||4
||[[Dubs and Company|Dubs]]
||1879
|-
||5
||[[Neilson and Company|Neilson]]
||1880
|-
||5
||[[Robert Stephenson and Company|Stephenson]]
||1880
|-
||12
||[[Vulcan Foundry Limited|Vulcan]]
||1883-85
|-
||[[J Class  4-8-2 Locomotive|J]]
||
||4-8-2
||40
||[[North British Locomotive Company Limited|North British]]
||1939
||1971
||109
||24,960
||200
||54
||2/ 18 x 26
||67'-0"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Ja Class  4-8-2 Locomotive|Ja]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|4-8-2
||35
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1946-56
|Rowspan=2|1971
|Rowspan=2|109.45
|Rowspan=2|24,960
|Rowspan=2|200
|Rowspan=2|54
|Rowspan=2|2/ 18 x 26
|Rowspan=2|67'-0"
|-
||16
||[[North British Locomotive Company Limited|North British]]
||1952
|-
||[[Jb Class 4-8-2 Locomotive|Jb]]
||Ex J class
||4-8-2
||12
||reclassification
||1948
||1971
||108.9
||24,960
||200
||54
||2/ 18 x 26
||67'-0"
|-
||[[K Class  2-4-2 Locomotive|K]]
||
||2-4-2
||8
||[[Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works|Rogers]]
||1878
||1927
||42.5
||6,240
||130
||48
||2/ 12 x 20
||45'-7"
|-
||[[K Class  4-8-4 Locomotive|K]]
||
||4-8-4
||30
||[[NZR Hutt Workshops|Hutt]]
||1932
||1967
||135.6
||30,815
||200
||54
||2/ 20 x 26
||69'-8"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Ka Class  4-8-4 Locomotive|Ka]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|4-8-4
||25
||[[NZR Hutt Workshops|Hutt]]
|Rowspan=2|1939
|Rowspan=2|1967
|Rowspan=2|145.9
|Rowspan=2|30,815
|Rowspan=2|200
|Rowspan=2|54
|Rowspan=2|2/ 20 x 26
|Rowspan=2|69'-8"
|-
||10
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
|-
||[[Kb Class  4-8-4 Locomotive|Kb]]
||
||4-8-4
||6
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1939
||1969
||147.7
||30815/36815
||200
||54/36
||2/ 20 x 26 + 2/ 7 x 10
||69'-8"
|-
||[[L Class  2-4-0T Locomotive|L]]
||
||2-4-0T
||10
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1878
||1903
||18.5
||5,733
||130
||36
||2/ 10.5 x 18
||24'-1"
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[L Class 4-4-2T Locomotive|L]]
|Rowspan=3|ex L(Av)
|Rowspan=3|4-4-2T
||2
||[[Neilson and Company|Neilson]]
||1899
|Rowspan=3|1939
|Rowspan=3|31.5
|Rowspan=3|7,806
|Rowspan=3|160
|Rowspan=3|42.5
|Rowspan=3|2/ 12 x 18
|Rowspan=3|29'-9"
|-
||1
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
|Rowspan=2|1900
|-
||1
||[[NZR Petone Workshops|Petone]]
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[L Class 4-4-0T Locomotive|L]]
|Rowspan=2|ex L (Av)
|Rowspan=2|4-4-0T
||2
||[[NZR Newmarket Workshops|Newmarket]]
|Rowspan=2|1900-02
|Rowspan=2|1939
|Rowspan=2|26.6
|Rowspan=2|7,806
|Rowspan=2|160
|Rowspan=2|42.5
|Rowspan=2|2/ 12 x 18
|Rowspan=2|26'-2"
|-
||1
||[[NZR Petone Workshops|Petone]]
|-
||[[La Class  4-4-2T Locomotive|La]]
||
||4-4-2T
||3
||[[NZR Petone Workshops|Petone]]
||1903
||1939
||31.5
||7,806
||160
||42.5
||2/ 12 x 18
||29'-9"
|-
||[[La Class  4-4-0T Locomotive|La]]
||
||4-4-0T
||5
||[[Nasmyth Wilson and Company Limited|Nasmyth]]
||1895
||1928
||25
||6,451
||140
||45
||2/ 12 x 18
||26'-2"
|-
||[[M Class  0-6-0T Locomotive|M]]
||
||0-6-0T
||4
||[[Hunslet Engine Company Limited|Hunslet]]
||1876
||1928
||27.7
||10,240
||160
||42
||2/ 12.25 x 20
||25'-5"
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[N Class  2-6-2 Locomotive|N]]
||
|Rowspan=3|2-6-2
||6
|Rowspan=3|[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1885
|Rowspan=3|1934
||45.2
||9,551
||130
|Rowspan=3|49
|Rowspan=3|2/ 15 x 20
||49'-2
|-
||ex WMR
||2
||1895
||50.8
||10,285
||140
||50'-2'
|-
||
||4
||1901
||54.2
||14,660
||200
||48'-11"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Na Class 2-6-2 Locomotive|Na]]
|Rowspan=2|ex WMR
|Rowspan=2|2-6-2
||1
|Rowspan=2|[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1894/1908
||1929
||54.5
||9,700
||180
|Rowspan=2|49
|Rowspan=2|2/ 10 x 20 + 2/ 17 x 20
||50'-10"
|-
||1
||1897/1908
||1929
||57.1
||10,800
||200
||50'-5"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Nc Class 2-6-2 Locomotive|Nc]]
|Rowspan=2|ex WMR
|Rowspan=2|2-6-2
||1
|Rowspan=2|[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1902/1908
|Rowspan=2|1931
||65.1
|Rowspan=2|10,800
|Rowspan=2|200
|Rowspan=2|49
|Rowspan=2|2/ 10 x 20 + 2/ 17 x 21
||54'-10"
|-
||1
||1904/1908
||63.3
||52'-2"
|-
||[[O Class  2-8-0 Locomotive|O]]
||
||2-8-0
||6
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1885
||1922
||45.5
||11,700
||130
||36
||2/ 15 x 18
||46'-3"
|-
||[[Oa Class 2-8-0 Locomotive|Oa]]
||ex WMR
||2-8-0
||1
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1894/1908
||1929
||57.4
||13,600
||180
||43
||2/ 11 x 20 + 2/ 18 x 20
||51'-8"
|-
||[[Ob Class 2-8-0 Locomotive|Ob]]
||ex WMR
||2-8-0
||2
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1888/1908
||1931
||57.6
||15,717
||165
||43
||2/ 16 x 20
||51'-3"
|-
||[[Oc Class 2-8-0 Locomotive|Oc]]
||ex WMR
||2-8-0
||1
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1897/1908
||1930
||62.8
||15,110
||200
||43
||2/ 11 x 20 + 2/ 18 x 20
||51'-8"
|-
||[[P Class  0-6-0T Locomotive|P]]
||
||0-6-0T
||2
||[[James Davidson and Company|Davidson]]/[[Hunslet Engine Company Limited|Hunslet]]
||1876
||1885
||12
||3,328
||130
||28
||2/ 8 x 14
||20'-1"
|-
||[[P Class  2-8-0 Locomotive|P]]
||
||2-8-0
||10
||[[Nasmyth Wilson and Company Limited|Nasmyth]]
||1886
||1930
||52.2
||11,415
||130
||41
||2/ 15 x 20
||50'-7"
|-
||[[Q Class 2-4-4T Locomotive|Q]]
||ex R&AFR
||2-4-4T
||2
||[[Rogers Locomotive and Machine Works|Rogers]]
||1879
||1901
||29
||4,719
||130
||48
||2/ 11 x 18
||35'-4"
|-
||[[Q Class  4-6-2 Locomotive|Q]]
||
||4-6-2
||13
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1901
||1957
||72.1
||18,340
||200
||49
||2/ 16 x 22
||55'-4"
|-
||[[R Class  0-6-4T Locomotive|R]]
||
||0-6-4T
||18
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1879
||1936
||30
||6,936
||130
||36
||2/12.25 x 16
||31'-3"
|-
||[[S Class  0-4-0T Locomotive|S]]
||
||0-4-0T
||1
||[[Henry Hughes and Company|Hughes]]
||1876
||1886
||10
||3,391
||110
||30
||2/ 8.5 x 16
||unknown
|-
||[[S Class  0-6-4T Locomotive|S]]
||
||0-6-4T
||7
||[[Avonside Engine Company Limited|Avonside]]
||1882
||1927
||36
||7,705
||130
||36.5
||2/ 13 x 16
||33'
|-
||[[T Class  2-8-0 Locomotive|T]]
||
||2-8-0
||6
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1880
||1928
||42.2
||11,700
||130
||36
||2/ 15 x 18
||44'-10"
|-
||[[U Class  4-6-0 Locomotive|U]]
||
||4-6-0
||9
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1894
||1959
||61.5
||12,136
||160
||54
||2/ 16 x 20
||50'
|-
||[[U Class  4-6-0(Baldwin) Locomotive|U]]
||
||4-6-0
||10
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1898
||1902
||57.2
||14,591
||175
||49
||2/ 16 x 20
||49'-6"
|-
||[[Ua Class  4-6-0 Locomotive|Ua]]
||
||4-6-0
||6
||[[Sharp Stewart and Company Limited|Sharp Stewart]]
||1899
||1937
||62.2
||14,591
||175
||49
||2/ 16 x 20
||49'-3"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Ub Class 4-6-0 Locomotive|Ub]]
|Rowspan=2|ex U (Baldwin)
|Rowspan=2|4-6-0
||10
||reclassification
||1902
||1928
||57.2
||14,591
||175
|Rowspan=2|49
|Rowspan=2|2/ 16 x 20
||49'-6"
|-
||10
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1901
||1957
||58.3
||16,670
||200
||49'-2"
|-
||[[Ub Class  4-6-0(Brooks) Locomotive|Ub]]
||
||4-6-0
||1
||[[American Locomotive Company - Brooks Works|Brooks]]
||1901
||1933
||63.6
||18,340
||200
||49
||2/ 16 x 22
||49'-5"
|-
||[[Ub Class  4-6-0 (Richmond)Locomotive|Ub]]
||
||4-6-0
||1
||[[American Locomotive Company - Richmond Works|Richmond]]
||1902
||1933
||59.6
||16,510
||180
||49
||2/ 16 x 22
||48'-4"
|-
||[[Uc Class  4-6-0 Locomotive|Uc]]
||
||4-6-0
||10
||[[Sharp Stewart and Company Limited|Sharp Stewart]]
||1901
||1959
||62.6
||18,340
||200
||49
||2/ 16 x 22
||49'-6"
|-
||[[Ud Class 4-6-0 Locomotive|Ud]]
||ex WMR
||4-6-0
||2
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1908
||1930
||66.8
||15,280
||185
||58
||2/ 16.5 x 22
||51'-6"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[V Class  2-6-2 Locomotive|V]]
||
|Rowspan=2|2-6-2
||10
|Rowspan=2|[[Nasmyth Wilson and Company Limited|Nasmyth]]
||1885/6
||1927
||51.2
||9,551
||130
|Rowspan=2|49
|Rowspan=2|2/ 15 x 20
|Rowspan=2|48'-9"
|-
||ex WMR
||3
 
||1885
||1927
||52.3
||10,285
||140
|-
||[[W Class  2-6-2T Locomotive|W]]
||
||2-6-2T
||2
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1889
||1959
||37.2
||12,888
||150
||36.5
||2/ 14 x 20
||29'-5"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[Wa Class  2-6-2T Locomotive|Wa]]
|Rowspan=2|
|Rowspan=2|2-6-2T
||5
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1892
|Rowspan=2|1962
|Rowspan=2|37.2
|Rowspan=2|12,623
|Rowspan=2|160
|Rowspan=2|39.75
|Rowspan=2|2/ 14 x 20
|Rowspan=2|29'-4"
|-
||6
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1898
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[Wa Class 2-6-2T(ex J) Locomotive|Wa]]
|Rowspan=3|ex J class
|Rowspan=3|2-6-2T
||1
||[[NZR Petone Workshops|Petone]]
||1917
||1932
|Rowspan=3|38.7
|Rowspan=3|11,806
|Rowspan=3|160
|Rowspan=3|42.5
|Rowspan=3|2/ 14 x 20
|Rowspan=3|30'-6"
|-
||2
||[[NZR Newmarket Workshops|Newmarket]]
||1918
||1933
|-
||1
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1919
||1936
|-
|Rowspan=4|[[Wab Class  2-6-4T Locomotive|Wab]]
|Rowspan=3|
|Rowspan=4|2-6-4T
||1
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1918
|Rowspan=4|1963
|Rowspan=4|71.5
|Rowspan=4|22,260
|Rowspan=4|200
|Rowspan=4|54
|Rowspan=4|2/ 17 x 26
|Rowspan=4|44'-5"
|-
||10
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1923-7
|-
||3
||[[A. & G. Price Limited|Price]]
||1923-7
|-
||ex Ws class
||16
||reclassification
||1932-5
|-
||[[Wb Class 2-6-2T Locomotive|Wb]]
||ex Wa
||2-6-2T
||12
||reclassification
||1899
||1957
||40.7
||13,412
||170
||39.75
||2/ 14 x 20
||32'-9"
|-
||[[Wd Class 2-6-2T Locomotive|Wd]]
||ex Wa
||2-6-4T
||18
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1901
||1936
||43.7
||15,780
||200
||39.75
||2/ 14 x 20
||34'-9"
|-
|Rowspan=2|[[We Class 2-6-2T Locomotive|We]]
|Rowspan=2|ex B (Sharp)
|Rowspan=2|4-6-4T
||1
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
|Rowspan=2|1902
|Rowspan=2|1969
|Rowspan=2|55.2
|Rowspan=2|19,080
|Rowspan=2|180
|Rowspan=2|42.5
|Rowspan=2|2/ 16 x 22
|Rowspan=2|35'-9"
|-
||2
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[Wf Class  2-6-2T Locomotive|Wf]]
|Rowspan=3|
|Rowspan=3|2-6-4T
||10
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
|Rowspan=3|1904
|Rowspan=3|1969
|Rowspan=3|43.7
|Rowspan=3|15,330
|Rowspan=3|200
|Rowspan=3|45
|Rowspan=3|2/ 14 x 22
|Rowspan=3|34'-2"
|-
||16
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
|-
||15
||[[A. & G. Price Limited|Price]]
|-
||[[Wg Class  2-6-2T Locomotive|Wg]]
||
||4-6-4T
||20
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1910
||1956
||50
||15,330
||200
||45
||2/ 14 x 22
||36'-10"
|-
||[[Wh Class 2-6-2T Locomotive|Wh]]
||ex WMR
||2-6-2T
||3
||[[Manning Wardle and Company|Manning Wardle]]
||1884-6
||1927
||32.9
||7,846
||140
||37
||2/ 12 x 18
||29'-6"
|-
||[[Wj Class 2-6-2T Locomotive|Wj]]
||ex WMR
||2-8-4T
||1
||[[The Baldwin Locomotive Works|Baldwin]]
||1908
||1927
||53.6
||21,510
||200
||43
||2/ 17 x 20
||37'-2"
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[Ws Class  2-6-2T Locomotive|Ws]]
|Rowspan=3|
|Rowspan=3|2-6-4T
||1
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1917
|Rowspan=3|1932-5
|Rowspan=3|71.5
|Rowspan=3|22,260
|Rowspan=3|200
|Rowspan=3|54
|Rowspan=3|2/ 17 x 26
|Rowspan=3|44'5"
|-
||10
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1923-7
|-
||5
||[[A. & G. Price Limited|Price]]
||1923-7
|-
|Rowspan=3|[[Ww Class  2-6-2T Locomotive|Ww]]
||
|Rowspan=3|4-6-4T
||50
||[[NZR Hillside Workshops|Hillside]]
||1913
|Rowspan=3|1969
|Rowspan=3|51.5
|Rowspan=3|16,910
|Rowspan=3|180
|Rowspan=3|45
|Rowspan=3|2/ 15.5 x 22
|Rowspan=3|37'
|-
||ex Wg class
||10
||[[NZR Hutt Workshops|Hutt]]
||1940
|-
||
||4
||[[NZR Hutt Workshops|Hutt]]
||1950-2
|-
||[[X Class  4-8-2 Locomotive|X]]
||
||4-8-2
||18
||[[NZR Addington Workshops|Addington]]
||1909
||1957
||94/95.15
||29,500
||230/215
||45
||2/ 13.5 x 22 + 2/ 22 x 22
||56'-10"
|-
||[[Y Class 0-4-0T Locomotive|Y]]
||ex PWD
||0-6-0T
||3
||[[Hunslet Engine Company Limited|Hunslet]]
||1938
||1958
||25.8
||10,816
||160
||40
||2/ 13 x 20
||22'-11"
|}
 
=== Diesel-Electric Locomotives ===
 
NZR began its journey to dieselisation in 1952 with the arrival of the first [[De_Class_Locomotive|De Class]] diesel-electric locomotives from the firm English Electric in Great Britain (makers No's 1739 - 1753). They were allocated to Auckland and Wellington for use as heavy shunters in the first phase of eliminating steam from shunting services. Their size was such that they were also suited to lighter Mainline work, though the first diesel locomotives specifically ordered for mainline duties were of the [[Df_Class_Locomotive|Df Class]] also from English Electric, 10 of which entered service in 1954 and allocated to Auckland. Over the next three years these were followed by 31 [[Dg_Class_Locomotive|Dg Class]] from English Electric, allocated to Wellington, Frankton and Auckland,  40 [[Da_Class_Locomotive|Da Class]]  from General Electric and built in Canada (15), USA (15) and Australia (10), all allocated to Auckland, and finally 11 [[Dh_Class_Locomotive|Dh Class]] allocated to Dunedin. A total of 107 new locomotives in four years. This was however just the start, as it took another 15 years to eliminate the last of the steam locomotives from the South Island, which did not occur until 1971.
 
While the [[De_Class_Locomotive|De Class]] was introduced principally as a heavy shunter doing a little main line work, an earlier example of diesel motive power had been introduced to Wellington in the form of 4 [[Ds_Class_Locomotive|Ds Class]] shunters, which had entered service in 1949 already. A further 12 examples for the South Island entered service in 1953 and 1955. By 1957, soon after the manufacture of the last steam locomotive in New Zealand, a further 70 shunt loco's had been imported, all from Britain. These were of [[Dsa_Class_Locomotive|Dsa Class]](45) and [[Dsb_Class_Locomotive|Dsb Class]] (25). A final batch of 18 imported shunt locomotives were commissioned during 1959 and these were of [[Dsc_Class_Locomotive|Dsc Class]].
 
As Steam continued to be phased out during the 1960's, additional diesel powered loco's were acquired. Mainline motive power continued to be imported, with the most significant orders being for 106 additional [[Da_Class_Locomotive|Da Class]] locomotives (from GM Canada) for the North Island, bringing the total to 141, and 64 [[Dj_Class_Locomotive|Dj Class]] locomotives from Mitsubishi in Japan for the South Island. There were also and order of 17 [[Db_Class_Locomotive|Db Class]]locomotives from GM Canada, for the North Island and 5 [[Di_Class_Locomotive|Di Class]] from English Electric (Australia) allocated to Frankton.
 
During this period the shunting requirements were supplemented by a further 12 [[Dsa_Class_Locomotive|Dsa Class]]engines, and 3 [[Dsb_Class_Locomotive|Dsb Class]], all from Mitsubishi in Japan, while Addington and Hillside Workshops built an additional 26 [[Dsc_Class_Locomotive|Dsc Class]] engines each.
 
This completed the transition from steam to Diesel, but by now some of the early diesel engines were nearing their end of life and the chosen way forward was to import 48 [[Dx_Class_Locomotive|Dx Class]] locomotives from General Electric (USA), with a whopping 2750 Hp, large by New Zealand standards. These became the mainstay for the North Island allowing some smaller loco's to be transferred to the South and the oldest units to be retired. Economic constraints also played their part resulting in major overhauls and conversions of several classes and the details of these will be covered under the pages for each locomotive class.
 
One  major factor that allowed significant reallocation of locomotive resources was the electrification of the central part of the NIMT and the introduction of 22 Class 30 electric locomotives. These displaced around 30 [[Dx_Class_Locomotive|Dx Class]] locos for use elsewhere in the network with 18 of them being transferred to the South Island.
 
==== Main Line Locomotives ====
 
The Table below records the major statistics for each class of mainline diesel locomotive used in New Zealand, with the 'class-letters' forming a link to the wiki page for that class
 
=== Electric Locomotives ===
 
=== Railcars ===
 
=== Diesel Multiple Units ===
 
=== Electric Multiple Units ===

Latest revision as of 06:18, 3 July 2024

NOTE:This section of the wiki is coloured green in the vision diagram on the Main page. This means there is at least one example of a locomotive that goes right down to the individual locomotive, in this case Locomotive F12. This is then an example that can be followed for developing the full story for every locomotive as the information is gathered.


A summary of published research

New Zealand Locomotives

The history of the locomotives used by the New Zealand Government Railways (NZR) is both intriguing and complex, particularly during the early years. This is brought out in several published works which attempt to unravel the complexities of early numbering and classification systems. This page and its sub-pages are intended to be able to be expanded to capture any level of detail desired about New Zealand railway locomotives.

As a ready reference, a summary is available on the page All NZR locomotives giving the the basic details of each locomotive operated by NZR. The extensive table for steam locomotives has been transcribed from W.G. Lloyd's Register of NZR Steam Locomotives 1863 - 1971 with the Diesel/Petrol, and Electric locomotive data being sourced from The New Zealand Railway Observer magazines and other publications from the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society.

The very early railway development in New Zealand was authorised by the Provincial Councils of the time, and all independent of each other, so any numbering of locomotives was also without any consideration of how things might develop in the future. It was also a period when locomotives tended to get allocated names, with some some rules around what types of locomotives received what type of name. By the time the Provincial Governments were abolished in 1876, a structure for a national railway network was already taking shape but it was not until two years later when the Railways Department and the Public Works Department were separated as two separate entities, the Railway Department in charge of running trains and the Public Works Department in charge of building railway lines (among other things), that serious thought was given to how such things as a national locomotive numbering system could be established. Given the haphazard start to railways in New Zealand, and the time that has elapsed since then, it is little wonder that understanding all the steps along the way could become a challenging task, one that was ultimately taken up by a number of different researchers.

The earliest formal publication devoted to NZR locomotives was curiously published in the U.S.A., the work of Tom McGavin, summarising the results of the work of several NZR&LS members. An address was given to Society members by Tom in 1950 and a duplicated transcript of the talk made available. An expanded version of that, with illustrations, was then published by the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society in their "Bulletin 81" in the U.S.A. The work was titled ["The Steam Locomotives of New Zealand Government Railways 1872 - 1949"]. From this came the first New Zealand publication, "Steam Locomotives of New Zealand Since 1863" (1st edition 1950) with a second revised and enlarged edition in 1961. A complete update of the material covered by these early publications resulted in a set of three new volumes, Part one by T.A. McGavin dealing with 1863 - 1900, the other two by E.J. McClare, Part two dealing with 1900 - 1930 and Part three 1930 - 1971. These booklets still provide a very handy ready reference of the various steam locomotive types used throughout NZR's history.

The first attempt to document all the steam locomotives used on New Zealand railways was carried out by Bill LLoyd, and presented in a publication "NZR Steam Locomotive Lists 1880 - 1957". This was issued by the Railway and Locomotive Society as Supplement No.5 to their quarterly publication "The New Zealand Railway Observer". This first list was however not a complete story as it used the 1880 locomotive list (issued as an appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives) as a starting point, with no attempt to unravel and reconcile any earlier numbering systems. A further 10 years of research resulted in the publication of the first formal attempt to provide a complete register. The "Register of New Zealand Railways Steam Locomotives, published in 1974. 27 years later after much further research, an enlarged and revised edition was published in 2002. Both these edition are serious reference works, listing every locomotive of every class that worked on Government railway lines.

At the time of the centenary of New Zealand railways in 1963, a new work was published as a historical record of all classes of locomotives used by the New Zealand Government Railways, including Steam, Electric and Diesel. This was a collaborative effort by A. N. Palmer and W. W. Stewart and was titled "Cavalcade of New Zealand Locomotives" this is still a very useful reference, outlining all the locomotive types from 1863 to 1955 for the 1st edition, and to 1965 for the 2nd edition with a convenient Locomotive index and list of builders at the back.

As if to formally close off the Steam era, in 2011, Sean Miller published an extensive work titled "The NZR Steam Locomotive". This beautifully presented reference work covers each locomotive type, including a short section on unclassified locos, steam railcars etc. It has many fine illustrations but does lack some details you would expect to be able to find in such a well presented publications.

During the early 1960's, Peter Dyer was busy compiling data on the Public Works Department steam locomotives, a more challenging task given the dearth of early records that existed. He subsequently published a booklet in 1966 titled "Steam Locomotives of the New Zealand Public Works Department".

While the focus of the above publications has really been on steam locomotives, soon after Tom McGavin's first publications he started producing what became a series of booklets reviewing all the motive power that was in use by NZR. While the titles varied a bit, they seemed to settle on "NZR Locomotives and Railcars" with a new issue every few years between 1953 and 1990. Among those issues there were also one publication called "NZR Locomotives", a Railmac publication from 1981, and two more extensive 'pocket' books compiled by Geoffrey Churchman from 1988 and 1992. These smaller format books listed all operating locomotives in New Zealand and grouped by NZR, Industrial and Museum.There was also a 1980 publication by E. J. McClare dedicated to diesels titled "New Zealand railways Diesels". In 2002 David Parsons published a book titled New Zealand Motive Power 2002 that reviewed each class of locomotive in use at that time. This was followed up with an updated version in 2018, so altogether there is a pretty comprehensive record of all railway motive power in New Zealand.

Locomotive Classification

The study of locomotive classification attempts to come to an understanding of why particular locomotive groups received the classification letters they ended up with, and why particular numbers were allocated to particular locomotives, at particular times. This is perhaps not too important to the general rail-fan, but a fascinating conundrum to the serious researcher. Three people in particular have tackled the classification and numbering issues in detail. Bill Lloyd in the two issues of Register of New Zealand Railway Steam Locomotives, Gerald Petrie with three publications; the first looking at boiler records, which resulted in the publication of "New Zealand Steam Locomotives by Official Number" (i.e. boiler number). This was followed 3 years later by "In the Beginning", a detailed look at all locomotive data between 1863 and 1877 in an attempt to unravel many of the mysteries that surrounded certain old locomotives. Then in 2007 a detailed analysis of all available data relating to the early numbering of New Zealand Railways locomotives "Locomotive Numbering from 1890 back to 1863 - The Evidence". This is a fully documented research effort with scanned copies of all early documents found to support the conclusions reached. Sean Millar made locomotive classification his particular challenge and in 2001 he published a slightly controversial book titled "From A to Y excluding I", which was his first interpretation on researching locomotive classification and included some speculation where no hard evidence could be sourced, and yet a conclusion wanted to be reached. This was followed in 2018 by a new work, "Classifying New Zealand's Locomotives" being a more serious look at the classification issue and includes the diesel and electric locomotives. A more comprehensive look at this topic as it relates to New Zealand, can be found on the Locomotive Classification page in this wiki.

Locomotive Types

A locomotive's 'Type' is a label given to describe what kind of locomotive it is, usually based on it's wheel arrangement, and this can be described in a number of different ways. For steam locomotives, the system commonly used in New Zealand is known at the Whyte System where a sequence of numbers, separated by dashes, denotes the wheel arrangement e.g. 4-6-2. Appended to this code can be a series of letters to signify that it is not a Tender engine but a Tank engine and then what kind of tank arrangement. Apart from the number/letter code, some steam locomotives also had names for the particular type of wheel arrangement e.g. 4-6-2 was also known as a 'Pacific'. There is a second system, used primarily in Europe, therefore known as the Continental System, and it caters for steam, diesel and electric locomotives within the one system. Here in New Zealand we use that system for defining our diesel and electric locomotives, so we need to understand two systems to be able to record the wheel arrangement of any locomotive in New Zealand. A more detailed look at this topic can be found on the NZR Locomotive Types page in this wiki.

There is of course much more published material available, particularly articles in periodicals like the Observer, Railfan, and others, however these tend to look at individual locomotive classes rather than the collection as a whole. it is hoped that descriptions of these articles too will eventually be included in this wiki to help researchers locate all relevant material quickly.

Tables of NZ Locomotive Classes

Steam Locomotives

Steam Locomotives - Imperial units
Class Originally Type No Built Builder Start Year End Year Weight Tractive Effort Boiler Pres Drivers Cylinders Length
A 0-4-0T 12 Dubs 1874/5 1906 11 3,072 120 30 2/ 8 x 15 17'-11"
2 Yorkshire 1875
A 0-4-0T 3 Mills 1875 1885 8 3,413 100 24 2/ 8 x 16 16'-6"
A 0-4-0ST 2 Shanks 1876 1882 10 3,004 110 30 2/ 8 x 16 unknown
A 4-6-2 8 Addington 1906-8 1969 76.5 17,000 225 54 2/ 12 x 22 + 2/ 19 x 22 57'-2"
50 Price 1907-14
Aa 4-6-2 10 Baldwin 1915 1957 88.5 21,580 170 49 2/ 18 x 24 58'-5"
Ab 4-6-2 38 Addington 1915-24 1969 84.7 20,030 180 54 2/ 17 x 26 62'-5"
83 North British
20 Price
ex Wab 11 Hillside
Ab ex A class 4-6-2 1 Addington 1915 1969 77 20,030 180 54 2/ 17 x 26 56'-10"
Ad ex A class 4-6-2 30 reclassification 1910 1915 80.55 20,060 190 54 2/ 18 x 22 57'-2"
B 0-4-4-0T 2 Avonside 1874 1896 28 6,912 130 39 4/ 9 x 16 31'-2"
B 4-8-0 4 Sharp Stewart 1899 1967 65 18,662 175 42.25 2/ 16 x 22 51'-9"
6 Addington
Ba 4-8-0 10 Addington 1911 1969 69.4 18,550 175 42.5 2/ 16 x 22 52'-3"
Bb 4-8-0 30 Price 1915 1968 69 20,940 175 42.5 2/ 17 x 22 52'-8"
Bc 2-8-2 1 Baldwin 1908 1927 71.4 16,080 200 43 2/11.5 x 20 + 2/19 x 20 55'-7"
C 0-4-0ST 10 Neilson 1874 1879 15.7 5,198 120 30 2/ 9.5 x 18 21'-3"
6 Dubs 1875
C ex C 0-4-0ST 0-4-2ST 16 reclassification 1879 1922 15.7 5,198 120 30 2/ 9.5 x 18 21'-3"
C 2-6-2 12 Hutt 1930 1968 66.5 15,330 200 45 2/ 14 x 22 54'-6"
12 Hillside
D 2-4-0T 17 Neilson 1874 1927 14.7 4,693 130 36 2/ 9.5 x 18 21'-6"
5 Dubs
11 Scott
D 0-4-0T 1 Clayton 1930 1936 25.7 5,600 300 42 4/ 7 x 10 22'-4"
E Ex D&PCR 0-4-4-0T 2 Vulcan 1873 1899 28 8,320 130 45 4/ 10 x 18 32'-10"
E 0-4-4-0T 6 Avonside 1875 1899 34 9,600 130 39 4/ 10 x 18 34'-2"
E 2-6-6-0T 1 Petone 1906 1917 65.8 24,200 200 36.5 4/ 9.5 x 18 + 4/16 x 18 39'-9"
F 0-6-0ST 26 Avonside 1873 1964 19.2 5,733 130 36 2/ 10.5 x 18 32'-4"
1 Black Hawthorn 1874
21 Dubs 1878-84
12 Neilson 1872-88
12 Stephenson 1885-6
5 Yorkshire 1874
11 Vulcan 1875-87
Fa ex F class 0-6-0T 5 Addington 1892 1943 24 9,090 160 36.5 2/ 12 x 18 23'-4"
3 Newmarket
4 Petone
Fa 13 ex Fb class 0-6-2T 12 reclassification 1905 1943 29.3 9,090 160 36.5 2/ 12 x 18 27'-1"
6 Addington 1902-3
ex F class 1 Westport
Fb ex Fa 0-6-0 0-6-2T 13 conversion 1900-5 1905 29.3 9,090 160 36.5 2/ 12 x 18 27'-1"
1 Newmarket
G 4-4-0ST 4 Black Hawthorn 1875 1919 18.2 5,733 130 36 4/ 10.5 x 18 24'-3"
G 4-6-2+2-6-4 3 Beyer Peacock 1929 1937 145.8 51,584 200 57 6/ 16.5 x 24 84'-4"
G ex G class 4-6-2 6 Hillside 1937 1956 98.5 25,792 200 57 3/ 16.5 x 24 64'-6"
H 0-4-2T 4 Avonside 1877 1956 34 19,510 130 32 + 23.5 2/14 x 16 + 2/12 x 14 24'-1"
2 Neilson 1886 36
J 2-6-0 6 Avonside 1875-76 1935 38 9,707 130 42 2/ 14 x 20 41' 1"
4 Dubs 1879
5 Neilson 1880
5 Stephenson 1880
12 Vulcan 1883-85
J 4-8-2 40 North British 1939 1971 109 24,960 200 54 2/ 18 x 26 67'-0"
Ja 4-8-2 35 Hillside 1946-56 1971 109.45 24,960 200 54 2/ 18 x 26 67'-0"
16 North British 1952
Jb Ex J class 4-8-2 12 reclassification 1948 1971 108.9 24,960 200 54 2/ 18 x 26 67'-0"
K 2-4-2 8 Rogers 1878 1927 42.5 6,240 130 48 2/ 12 x 20 45'-7"
K 4-8-4 30 Hutt 1932 1967 135.6 30,815 200 54 2/ 20 x 26 69'-8"
Ka 4-8-4 25 Hutt 1939 1967 145.9 30,815 200 54 2/ 20 x 26 69'-8"
10 Hillside
Kb 4-8-4 6 Hillside 1939 1969 147.7 30815/36815 200 54/36 2/ 20 x 26 + 2/ 7 x 10 69'-8"
L 2-4-0T 10 Avonside 1878 1903 18.5 5,733 130 36 2/ 10.5 x 18 24'-1"
L ex L(Av) 4-4-2T 2 Neilson 1899 1939 31.5 7,806 160 42.5 2/ 12 x 18 29'-9"
1 Hillside 1900
1 Petone
L ex L (Av) 4-4-0T 2 Newmarket 1900-02 1939 26.6 7,806 160 42.5 2/ 12 x 18 26'-2"
1 Petone
La 4-4-2T 3 Petone 1903 1939 31.5 7,806 160 42.5 2/ 12 x 18 29'-9"
La 4-4-0T 5 Nasmyth 1895 1928 25 6,451 140 45 2/ 12 x 18 26'-2"
M 0-6-0T 4 Hunslet 1876 1928 27.7 10,240 160 42 2/ 12.25 x 20 25'-5"
N 2-6-2 6 Baldwin 1885 1934 45.2 9,551 130 49 2/ 15 x 20 49'-2
ex WMR 2 1895 50.8 10,285 140 50'-2'
4 1901 54.2 14,660 200 48'-11"
Na ex WMR 2-6-2 1 Baldwin 1894/1908 1929 54.5 9,700 180 49 2/ 10 x 20 + 2/ 17 x 20 50'-10"
1 1897/1908 1929 57.1 10,800 200 50'-5"
Nc ex WMR 2-6-2 1 Baldwin 1902/1908 1931 65.1 10,800 200 49 2/ 10 x 20 + 2/ 17 x 21 54'-10"
1 1904/1908 63.3 52'-2"
O 2-8-0 6 Baldwin 1885 1922 45.5 11,700 130 36 2/ 15 x 18 46'-3"
Oa ex WMR 2-8-0 1 Baldwin 1894/1908 1929 57.4 13,600 180 43 2/ 11 x 20 + 2/ 18 x 20 51'-8"
Ob ex WMR 2-8-0 2 Baldwin 1888/1908 1931 57.6 15,717 165 43 2/ 16 x 20 51'-3"
Oc ex WMR 2-8-0 1 Baldwin 1897/1908 1930 62.8 15,110 200 43 2/ 11 x 20 + 2/ 18 x 20 51'-8"
P 0-6-0T 2 Davidson/Hunslet 1876 1885 12 3,328 130 28 2/ 8 x 14 20'-1"
P 2-8-0 10 Nasmyth 1886 1930 52.2 11,415 130 41 2/ 15 x 20 50'-7"
Q ex R&AFR 2-4-4T 2 Rogers 1879 1901 29 4,719 130 48 2/ 11 x 18 35'-4"
Q 4-6-2 13 Baldwin 1901 1957 72.1 18,340 200 49 2/ 16 x 22 55'-4"
R 0-6-4T 18 Avonside 1879 1936 30 6,936 130 36 2/12.25 x 16 31'-3"
S 0-4-0T 1 Hughes 1876 1886 10 3,391 110 30 2/ 8.5 x 16 unknown
S 0-6-4T 7 Avonside 1882 1927 36 7,705 130 36.5 2/ 13 x 16 33'
T 2-8-0 6 Baldwin 1880 1928 42.2 11,700 130 36 2/ 15 x 18 44'-10"
U 4-6-0 9 Addington 1894 1959 61.5 12,136 160 54 2/ 16 x 20 50'
U 4-6-0 10 Baldwin 1898 1902 57.2 14,591 175 49 2/ 16 x 20 49'-6"
Ua 4-6-0 6 Sharp Stewart 1899 1937 62.2 14,591 175 49 2/ 16 x 20 49'-3"
Ub ex U (Baldwin) 4-6-0 10 reclassification 1902 1928 57.2 14,591 175 49 2/ 16 x 20 49'-6"
10 Baldwin 1901 1957 58.3 16,670 200 49'-2"
Ub 4-6-0 1 Brooks 1901 1933 63.6 18,340 200 49 2/ 16 x 22 49'-5"
Ub 4-6-0 1 Richmond 1902 1933 59.6 16,510 180 49 2/ 16 x 22 48'-4"
Uc 4-6-0 10 Sharp Stewart 1901 1959 62.6 18,340 200 49 2/ 16 x 22 49'-6"
Ud ex WMR 4-6-0 2 Baldwin 1908 1930 66.8 15,280 185 58 2/ 16.5 x 22 51'-6"
V 2-6-2 10 Nasmyth 1885/6 1927 51.2 9,551 130 49 2/ 15 x 20 48'-9"
ex WMR 3 1885 1927 52.3 10,285 140
W 2-6-2T 2 Addington 1889 1959 37.2 12,888 150 36.5 2/ 14 x 20 29'-5"
Wa 2-6-2T 5 Addington 1892 1962 37.2 12,623 160 39.75 2/ 14 x 20 29'-4"
6 Hillside 1898
Wa ex J class 2-6-2T 1 Petone 1917 1932 38.7 11,806 160 42.5 2/ 14 x 20 30'-6"
2 Newmarket 1918 1933
1 Hillside 1919 1936
Wab 2-6-4T 1 Addington 1918 1963 71.5 22,260 200 54 2/ 17 x 26 44'-5"
10 Hillside 1923-7
3 Price 1923-7
ex Ws class 16 reclassification 1932-5
Wb ex Wa 2-6-2T 12 reclassification 1899 1957 40.7 13,412 170 39.75 2/ 14 x 20 32'-9"
Wd ex Wa 2-6-4T 18 Baldwin 1901 1936 43.7 15,780 200 39.75 2/ 14 x 20 34'-9"
We ex B (Sharp) 4-6-4T 1 Addington 1902 1969 55.2 19,080 180 42.5 2/ 16 x 22 35'-9"
2 Hillside
Wf 2-6-4T 10 Addington 1904 1969 43.7 15,330 200 45 2/ 14 x 22 34'-2"
16 Hillside
15 Price
Wg 4-6-4T 20 Hillside 1910 1956 50 15,330 200 45 2/ 14 x 22 36'-10"
Wh ex WMR 2-6-2T 3 Manning Wardle 1884-6 1927 32.9 7,846 140 37 2/ 12 x 18 29'-6"
Wj ex WMR 2-8-4T 1 Baldwin 1908 1927 53.6 21,510 200 43 2/ 17 x 20 37'-2"
Ws 2-6-4T 1 Addington 1917 1932-5 71.5 22,260 200 54 2/ 17 x 26 44'5"
10 Hillside 1923-7
5 Price 1923-7
Ww 4-6-4T 50 Hillside 1913 1969 51.5 16,910 180 45 2/ 15.5 x 22 37'
ex Wg class 10 Hutt 1940
4 Hutt 1950-2
X 4-8-2 18 Addington 1909 1957 94/95.15 29,500 230/215 45 2/ 13.5 x 22 + 2/ 22 x 22 56'-10"
Y ex PWD 0-6-0T 3 Hunslet 1938 1958 25.8 10,816 160 40 2/ 13 x 20 22'-11"

Diesel-Electric Locomotives

NZR began its journey to dieselisation in 1952 with the arrival of the first De Class diesel-electric locomotives from the firm English Electric in Great Britain (makers No's 1739 - 1753). They were allocated to Auckland and Wellington for use as heavy shunters in the first phase of eliminating steam from shunting services. Their size was such that they were also suited to lighter Mainline work, though the first diesel locomotives specifically ordered for mainline duties were of the Df Class also from English Electric, 10 of which entered service in 1954 and allocated to Auckland. Over the next three years these were followed by 31 Dg Class from English Electric, allocated to Wellington, Frankton and Auckland, 40 Da Class from General Electric and built in Canada (15), USA (15) and Australia (10), all allocated to Auckland, and finally 11 Dh Class allocated to Dunedin. A total of 107 new locomotives in four years. This was however just the start, as it took another 15 years to eliminate the last of the steam locomotives from the South Island, which did not occur until 1971.

While the De Class was introduced principally as a heavy shunter doing a little main line work, an earlier example of diesel motive power had been introduced to Wellington in the form of 4 Ds Class shunters, which had entered service in 1949 already. A further 12 examples for the South Island entered service in 1953 and 1955. By 1957, soon after the manufacture of the last steam locomotive in New Zealand, a further 70 shunt loco's had been imported, all from Britain. These were of Dsa Class(45) and Dsb Class (25). A final batch of 18 imported shunt locomotives were commissioned during 1959 and these were of Dsc Class.

As Steam continued to be phased out during the 1960's, additional diesel powered loco's were acquired. Mainline motive power continued to be imported, with the most significant orders being for 106 additional Da Class locomotives (from GM Canada) for the North Island, bringing the total to 141, and 64 Dj Class locomotives from Mitsubishi in Japan for the South Island. There were also and order of 17 Db Classlocomotives from GM Canada, for the North Island and 5 Di Class from English Electric (Australia) allocated to Frankton.

During this period the shunting requirements were supplemented by a further 12 Dsa Classengines, and 3 Dsb Class, all from Mitsubishi in Japan, while Addington and Hillside Workshops built an additional 26 Dsc Class engines each.

This completed the transition from steam to Diesel, but by now some of the early diesel engines were nearing their end of life and the chosen way forward was to import 48 Dx Class locomotives from General Electric (USA), with a whopping 2750 Hp, large by New Zealand standards. These became the mainstay for the North Island allowing some smaller loco's to be transferred to the South and the oldest units to be retired. Economic constraints also played their part resulting in major overhauls and conversions of several classes and the details of these will be covered under the pages for each locomotive class.

One major factor that allowed significant reallocation of locomotive resources was the electrification of the central part of the NIMT and the introduction of 22 Class 30 electric locomotives. These displaced around 30 Dx Class locos for use elsewhere in the network with 18 of them being transferred to the South Island.

Main Line Locomotives

The Table below records the major statistics for each class of mainline diesel locomotive used in New Zealand, with the 'class-letters' forming a link to the wiki page for that class

Electric Locomotives

Railcars

Diesel Multiple Units

Electric Multiple Units