| Weight | 50t |
| Driving Wheels | 5ft 6ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 140psi |
| Cylinders | Two Outside – 18in x 24in |
| Tractive Effort | 14,020lbf |
30 locomotives were supplied by Beyer Peacock between 1877 and 1879 and a further four in 1881. 26 were built by Dübs and Company during 1880 and 1881 and 8 were built in Australia by the Atlas Engineering Works situated in Sydney and delivered in 1881 and 1882. In total 68 locomotives were supplied to the New South Wales Government Railway (NSWGR).
The locomotive design is a development of the London Metropolitan Railway class A 4-4-0T locomotive built by Beyer Peacock and first used in 1864. One of these locomotives (Metropolitan Railway No 23) is preserved in Britain at the London Transport Museum.
The first batch of locomotives supplied by Beyer Peacock were placed in service as class 79 locomotives. They were the first locomotives to be imported with Westinghouse continuous air-brakes already fitted.
They were employed hauling express passenger and mail trains.
In 1895 one of the class was converted to a 4-4-2T tank engine for use on the Sydney suburban services. By 1902 a further 19 had been converted to 4-4-2T tank engines at Eveleigh Railway Workshops and became CC79 class locomotives and then the Z13 class in 1924.
The remaining 4-4-2 tender engines were then classed as C80 which was later changed to Z12.
The 20 rebuilt locomotives were displaced from suburban passenger duties following introduction of powerful 4-6-4T locomotives from 1903. They were then deployed on various branch line duties including the Yass Tramway and the Picton-Mittagong Loop Line, while others were used as shunters.
This is locomotive (1308) was the built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester for the New South Wales Government Railway in 1877 as a 4-4-0 locomotive.
In 1894 it was one of the locomotives rebuilt as a 4-4-2T engine for use at Sydney on suburban passenger trains.
During the 1950s the locomotive was based at Picton depot for use on Picton-Mittagong Loop Line duties and accordingly would often through Thirlmere, which later became the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (NSWRTM) base.
Following its withdrawal from service 1308 suffered from being stored in the open at Enfield for a number of years. It was transferred to the NSWRTM Thirlmere site in 1975 where it remained in storage.
In 1985 the locomotive was placed on long-term loan to the Parramatta Park Steam Tramway & Museum for restoration to working order.
By 1988 locomotive 1308 was dismantled for overhaul at Parramatta Park and restoration of the frames and other components was underway. In May 1993 the Parramatta Park Steam Tramway & Museum depot was destroyed by arson. The dismantled components of 1308 were then returned to Thirlmere and stored at various locations around the NSWRTM site.
The Parramatta Park Steam Tramway & Museum relocated the surviving items of their collection to the Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum. In the late 2008 and early 2009 the dismantled components of 1308 were also relocated to Valley Heights.
1308 is currently undergoing long term restoration at Valley Heights.
There are five other members of the original 68 delivered preserved.
Two other class Z13 locomotives were preserved
- 1301 built by Beyer Peacock in 1877 as works number 1624
- 1307 built by Beyer Peacock in 1877 as works number 1637
Three are preserved as Z12 locomotives
- 1210 built by Beyer Peacock in 1878 as works number 1767
- 1219 built in 1879 by Dübs and Company as works number 1270
- 1243 built in 1882 by Atlas Engineering Company in Australia
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 