| Driving Wheels | 3ft 0ins |
| Weight | 15 tons |
| Boiler Pressure | 130psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 9½in x 18in |
| Tractive Effort | 4,693 lbf |
This locomotive was built by Dübs in Glasgow in 1878 and entered service with New Zealand Railways (NZR) in February 1879. It was one of 35 class locomotives built as class D engines that were all withdrawn from service by the end of 1927.
The first eight members of the class were supplied by Neilson & Company in 1874. Five more were supplied by Dübs in 1878 and then four from Neilson in 1878 and seven in 1880. Scott Brothers of Christchurch built ten in 1887 and one in 1890.
Interestingly these were the first class of locomotive built by Scott Brothers for the NZR and were one of only two New Zealand manufacturers to supply steam locomotives to NZR. The other was A & G Price of Thames.
The class was not particularly powerful and was employed on light duties, sometimes achieving speeds of 45 mph on level track They often saw service on commuter trains between Christchurch and Lyttelton until superior locomotives took their place. They were utilised at other major locations on the South Island’s east coast.
The first of the class to be withdrawn from service with NZR went to the Public Works Department in 1899. This locomotive was sold to the Fortification Railway and Coal Company at Milton in 1902.
Mining in the area had started in 1882 but poor roads and the difficulty of navigating the river limited production. The Fortification Railway and Coal Company started building a railway in 1900 which opened in April 1901 but the company went into liquidation in 1903.
In 1905 the locomotive was acquired by the Bruce Coal Company Ltd which opened a new mine across the river called Waronui. The locomotive was employed here until 1908.
In 1909 the locomotive was purchased by the Kauri Timber Company Limited (KTC). It quickly became a large logging and sawmilling company with headquarters in Melbourne and branches in sixteen locations in New Zealand. The forests owned by KTC made it the fifth-largest landholding company in the country. It was responsible for removing much of North Island’s native forest of kauri and then kahikatea in order to supply raw material for its mills for many years.
Between 1909 and 1919 the locomotive was based at Puketi Bush and from 1922 until at Kauaeranga. It is not known where it was in the period 1920 to 1921.
In 1922 the locomotive was acquired by the Challenge Phosphate Company until 1950 where it was converted to a 0-4-0 diesel locomotive in 1950.
It is thought to be stored in a museum at Stratford.
This locomotive was disposed of by the Museum in Stratford and has since been scrapped.
Six other class D locomotives have been preserved.in New Zealand
Neilson & Company
- Works number 1847 – 143
- Works number 2306 – 16
- Works number 2563 – 170
- Works number 2564 – 6
- Works number 2565 – 221
Scott Brothers
- Works number 31 – 137
- Works number 36 – 140
Preserved Outside Britain – By Country
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 