| Tasmanian Government Railways M class | |
| Powertype: | Steam |
| Builder: | Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns |
| Serialnumber: | 7421-7430 |
| Builddate: | 1951 |
| Totalproduction: | 10 |
| Rebuilder: | Tasmanian Government Railways, Inveresk |
| Rebuilddate: | 1957 |
| Numberrebuilt: | 4 (MA class) |
| Whytetype: | 4-6-2 |
| Leadingdiameter: | 2feet |
| Driverdiameter: | M: 4feet MA: M: 4feet |
| Trailingdiameter: | 2feet |
| Length: | 59feet |
| Weightondrivers: | 37.25LT |
| Locoweight: | 54.21NaN1 |
| Tenderweight: | 42.41NaN1 |
| Fueltype: | Coal |
| Fuelcap: | 61NaN1 |
| Watercap: | 40001NaN1 |
| Boilerpressure: | 1802NaN2 |
| Firearea: | 23.13NaN3 |
| Tubearea: | 601square feet |
| Fluearea: | 371square feet |
| Fireboxarea: | 371square feet |
| Superheatertype: | 18 element |
| Superheaterarea: | 371square feet |
| Cylindercount: | 2 outside |
| Cylindersize: | 16x |
| Tractiveeffort: | M: 170902NaN2 MA: 196002NaN2 |
| Factorofadhesion: | 3.44 |
| Operator: | Tasmanian Government Railways |
| Fleetnumbers: | M1-M10 |
| Withdrawndate: | 1960-1975 |
| Disposition: | All preserved, none scrapped |
The Tasmanian Government Railways M class is a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
On 12 March 1952, the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) took delivery of ten M class branch line locomotives from Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The locomotives were similar to the Indian Railways YB class.[1] [2]
They were allocated to operate on the North-Eastern and Western lines and at Hobart. However, with the TGR having already commenced dieselisation with the X class, some of the lines intended for M class operation had already been converted. Hence in 1957, four were fitted with smaller driving wheels recovered from withdrawn Australian Standard Garratts enabling them to operate heavier trains over the steeply graded North-Eastern line.[1] [3] [4]
As they fell due for overhaul, they were withdrawn from 1960, with the last removed from traffic in 1975.[1]
All members of the class have been preserved to an extent, with four locomotives seeing further use on heritage trains.
| Original number | Builder's number | Final number | Preservation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | 7421 | MA2 | Don River Railway, Devonport[5] | |
| M2 | 7422 | MA4 | Don River Railway, Devonport[6] | |
| M3 | 7423 | M3 | Don River Railway, Devonport[7] | |
| M4 | 7424 | M4 | Don River Railway, Devonport[8] | |
| M5 | 7425 | M5 | Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy[9] | |
| M6 | 7426 | MA3 | Public park, Margate[10] [11] | |
| M7 | 7427 | M1 | Derwent Valley Railway[12] | |
| M8 | 7428 | MA1 | Derwent Valley Railway[13] | |
| M9 | 7429 | M6 | Bellarine Railway, Queenscliff, Victoria[14] | |
| M10 | 7430 | M2 | Tanfield Railway, England[15] |
The M class designation was previously used by the M class, the last of which was withdrawn in 1931.