Tasmanian Government Railways M class (1952)
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The Tasmanian Government Railways M class is a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
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M5 at the Tasmanian Transport Museum | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
On 12 March 1952, the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) took delivery of ten M class branch line locomotives from Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.[1][2] The locomotives were similar to the Indian Railways YB class.[3][4][5] The ten locomotives arrived in March 1952.[6]
They were allocated for operation on the North-Eastern and Western lines, as well as for services based in Hobart. However, as the TGR had already commenced dieselisation with the X class, some lines intended for M class operation had already been converted. Consequently, in 1957, four were fitted with smaller driving wheels recovered from withdrawn Australian Standard Garratts to enable them to operate heavier trains over the steeply graded North-Eastern line.[4][7][8]
As they fell due for overhaul, they were withdrawn from 1960, with the last removed from traffic in 1975.[4]
Preservation
All members of the class have been preserved; four have seen further use on heritage trains.
| Original number |
Builder's number |
Final number |
Preservation |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | 7421 | MA2 | Don River Railway, Devonport[9] |
| M2 | 7422 | MA4 | Don River Railway, Devonport[10] |
| M3 | 7423 | M3 | Don River Railway, Devonport[11] |
| M4 | 7424 | M4 | Don River Railway, Devonport[12] |
| M5 | 7425 | M5 | Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy[13] |
| M6 | 7426 | MA3 | Public park, Margate[14][15] |
| M7 | 7427 | M1 | Derwent Valley Railway[16] |
| M8 | 7428 | MA1 | Derwent Valley Railway[17] |
| M9 | 7429 | M6 | Bellarine Railway, Queenscliff, Victoria[18][19] |
| M10 | 7430 | M2 | Tanfield Railway, England[20][21] |
Namesake
The M class designation was previously used by the M class, the last of which was withdrawn in 1931.
