Garden Railway Forum

My next project is New Zealand's first mainline diesel-electric locomotive, the NZR English Electric Df of 1954



I'm currently having a go at making a prototype nose hung axle motor arrangement. There's lots of wheels on this 2Co-Co2 loco to keep the axle weight down on my line

Not going to be a live diesel this one then Dave?

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:43 am Not going to be a live diesel this one then Dave?

I don't know Tom

Nice bit of engineering Dave - looks like a good start. Handsome prototype as well. Looks very similar to British diesels of the same period - above sole bar level that is, I don't think I've ever seen a diesel with so many wheels before. The windscreens have a very 'English Electric' look about them. Will make a lovely model I reckon.

I never saw one of these during my younger years in NZ. How long did they last?
On my local line it was class Da and and few De locos. The latter were an EE design too I believe and bore a family resemblence to the UK class 20's. Shunting and trip working at our local yard
was mostly done by De or the centre cab Dsc classes. In later years the Dsc locos were often radio controlled by the shunting crew if I remember right.
In those days passenger services were provided by the Fiat engined BRC&W articulated railcars. I wonder if any of those escaped the gas axe.

This is going to be another one of your brilliant builds again Dave.
Really looking forward to its progress.

invicta280 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:57 pm I never saw one of these during my younger years in NZ. How long did they last?

There were only 10 made. They were used up until 1975

Check out: www.railcars.co.nz I know they are rebuilding a Fiat