The Tasmanian Government Railways M class is a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
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.Class M 4-6-2 Locomotives Locomotive, Railway Carriage & Wagon Review issue 713 January 1952 pages 2-5Locomotives for Tasmania Railway Gazette 2 May 1952 page 493 The locomotives were similar to the Indian Railways YB class.TGR Adopts Indian-Designed Pacific Type Locomotive for Use on Light Branch Lines Railway Transportation June 1952 pages 32-24Steam Locomotives of the Tasmanian Government Railways and its Constituents Australian Railway History issue 917 March 2014 page 16 The ten locomotives arrived in March 1952.Still running Track & Signal issue 16/4 November 2012 page 79
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 Consequently, in 1957, four were fitted with smaller driving wheels recovered from withdrawn Australian Standard Garratts to enable them to operate heavier trains over the steeply graded North-Eastern line.DD 446 Divisional Diary August 1965 page 49
As they fell due for overhaul, they were withdrawn from 1960, with the last removed from traffic in 1975.
Preservation All members of the class have been preserved; four have seen further use on heritage trains. OriginalnumberBuilder'snumberFinalnumberPreservationM17421MA2Don River Railway, DevonportMA2 Australian SteamM27422MA4Don River Railway, DevonportMA4 Australian SteamM37423M3Don River Railway, DevonportM3 Australian SteamM47424M4Don River Railway, DevonportM4 Australian SteamM57425M5Tasmanian Transport Museum, GlenorchyM5 Australian SteamM67426MA3Public park, MargateMA3 Australian SteamThe Margate Train About AustraliaM77427M1Derwent Valley RailwayM1 Australian SteamM87428MA1Derwent Valley RailwayMA1 Australian SteamM97429M6Bellarine Railway, Queenscliff, VictoriaM6 arrives at Queenscliff Newsrail July 1977 pages 140-144M6 Australian SteamM107430M2Tanfield Railway, EnglandDon River Railway Continental Railway Journal issue 98 July 1994 page 586M2 Australian Steam
Namesake The M class designation was previously used by the M class, the last of which was withdrawn in 1931.
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