NZR DE class
Encyclopedia
The NZR
DE class is a New Zealand class of shunting diesel-electric locomotives. The New Zealand Railways
intended to replace steam locomotives for shunting duties with this class. They are physically similar to the Tasmanian Government Railways
X class
, which were also of English Electric
design.
s when Queen Elizabeth the Second
visited New Zealand in 1953. The class was also used for suburban passenger trains in Auckland and Wellington.
The class was initially based in the North Island
, but at four of the class were sent to the South Island
in 1981. The class was slowly dispersed to secondary yards on the New Zealand network, such as Napier, Dunedin and Invercargill.
plan to reduce the number of first-generation diesels in the late 1980s, a number of the class were scrapped or sold for preservation. Two locomotives have been preserved by the Diesel Traction Group at Ferrymead
, two at Glenbrook Vintage Railway
, and two at the Silver Stream Railway
. One locomotive remains in service for the Taieri Gorge Railway
in Dunedin.
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
DE class is a New Zealand class of shunting diesel-electric locomotives. The New Zealand Railways
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
intended to replace steam locomotives for shunting duties with this class. They are physically similar to the Tasmanian Government Railways
Tasmanian Government Railways
The Tasmanian Government Railways was the former Government of Tasmania managed operator of mainline railways in Tasmania, Australia...
X class
TGR X class
The Tasmanian Government Railways X Class locomotive was the first class of diesel-electric locomotives to enter main line service on a Government-owned railway in Australia, in Tasmania...
, which were also of English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
design.
Introduction
A number of the DEs were used in pairs (each locomotive crewed) on the Royal TrainRoyal Train
A royal train is a set of carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of that particular royal family. Most monarchies with a railway system employ a set of royal carriages.-Australia:...
s when Queen Elizabeth the Second
Monarchy in New Zealand
The monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,...
visited New Zealand in 1953. The class was also used for suburban passenger trains in Auckland and Wellington.
The class was initially based in the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, but at four of the class were sent to the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
in 1981. The class was slowly dispersed to secondary yards on the New Zealand network, such as Napier, Dunedin and Invercargill.
Withdrawal
As part of the New Zealand Railways CorporationNew Zealand Railways Corporation
KiwiRail Network, formerly ONTRACK , is the infrastructure arm of KiwiRail. The ONTRACK trading name was introduced in 2004 after the government repurchased all of New Zealand's rail infrastructure from Toll NZ. It does not operate revenue rolling stock...
plan to reduce the number of first-generation diesels in the late 1980s, a number of the class were scrapped or sold for preservation. Two locomotives have been preserved by the Diesel Traction Group at Ferrymead
Ferrymead Railway
The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealand's first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. On the opening of the line to Lyttelton on 9 December 1867, the Ferrymead Railway became the Ferrymead Branch and...
, two at Glenbrook Vintage Railway
Glenbrook Vintage Railway
The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour...
, and two at the Silver Stream Railway
Silver Stream Railway
The Silver Stream Railway is a heritage railway at Silverstream in the Hutt Valley near Wellington, New Zealand. It regularly operates preserved New Zealand Railways Department locomotives along a restored section of the Hutt Valley Line before a deviation was built in 1954.- History :The...
. One locomotive remains in service for the Taieri Gorge Railway
Taieri Gorge Railway
The Taieri Gorge Railway is a railway line and tourist train operation based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand...
in Dunedin.
Class register
| Original no. | TMS no. | Introduced | Current status | Notes |
| 501 | 1308 | Scrapped in 1990. | ||
| 502 | 1314 | Written off 1986. | ||
| 503 | 1320 | Written off 1988. | ||
| 504 | 1337 | Written off 1989. | In service for the Taieri Gorge Railway Taieri Gorge Railway The Taieri Gorge Railway is a railway line and tourist train operation based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand... |
|
| 505 | 1343 | Written off 1984. | Preserved by Silver Stream Railway Silver Stream Railway The Silver Stream Railway is a heritage railway at Silverstream in the Hutt Valley near Wellington, New Zealand. It regularly operates preserved New Zealand Railways Department locomotives along a restored section of the Hutt Valley Line before a deviation was built in 1954.- History :The... |
|
| 506 | 1366 | Withdrawn 1980s. | Scrapped in 1990. | |
| 507 | 1372 | Written off 1988 | Preserved by Glenbrook Vintage Railway Glenbrook Vintage Railway The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour... |
|
| 508 | 1389 | Preserved by Silver Stream Railway Silver Stream Railway The Silver Stream Railway is a heritage railway at Silverstream in the Hutt Valley near Wellington, New Zealand. It regularly operates preserved New Zealand Railways Department locomotives along a restored section of the Hutt Valley Line before a deviation was built in 1954.- History :The... . |
||
| 509 | 1395 | Preserved by Glenbrook Vintage Railway Glenbrook Vintage Railway The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour... |
||
| 510 | 1406 | Written off 1987 | ||
| 511 | 1412 | Written off 1987 | Preserved by Diesel Traction Group, Ferrymead Ferrymead Railway The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealand's first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. On the opening of the line to Lyttelton on 9 December 1867, the Ferrymead Railway became the Ferrymead Branch and... . |
|
| 512 | 1429 | Written off 1987. | Preserved by Diesel Traction Group, Ferrymead Ferrymead Railway The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealand's first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. On the opening of the line to Lyttelton on 9 December 1867, the Ferrymead Railway became the Ferrymead Branch and... |
|
| 513 | 1435 | Written off 1987 | ||
| 514 | 1441 | Written off 1984 | Scrapped in 1990 | |
| 515 | 1458 | Written off 1989 | ||