| Driving Wheels | 2ft 6ins |
| Weight | 11 tons |
| Boiler Pressure | 120psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 8in x 15in |
| Tractive Effort | 3,072 lbf |
The New Zealand Railway (NZR) A class of 1873 consisted of three types of locomotives with similar specifications but different details. The earliest and most numerous were built by Dübs in Glasgow in 1873 who supplied 12 locomotives. The Yorkshire Engine Company in Sheffield supplied another 2 in 1875. The details above are for the Dübs engines.
The locomotives were initially ordered by the Public Works Department for use in the construction of lines in Canterbury and Taranaki. They were not just used by the Public Works Department; the New Zealand Government Railways also utilised the class to operate revenue services on smaller branch lines.
The locomotives quickly became outmoded for use on the lines they helped build and only one remained in government service by 1905. It was used on the Piha Tramway and later on NZR’s Stores Branch Piha Tramway. By 1906 all Dubs A class locomotives were out of service for NZR.
Whilst the locomotives were too small for operating on the NZR they were ideally suited to use on bush tramways and small private industrial sidings. Many members of the class survived for decades in private use.
This locomotive (A64) entered traffic with the NZR in January 1875.
It was withdrawn from service in November 1890. It was sold to a grain store company in Lyttelton, where it was used to supply steam to various machinery until 1900 when the Canterbury Frozen Meat Co Ltd (CFM) at Fairton purchased the locomotive to use as a shunter. It was reboilered at CFM in 1904. It was replaced by diesel power there in 1961 but was kept as a standby locomotive until 1962. It was subsequently donated to the Ashburton Steam and Model Engineers Club and displayed at the Tinwald Domain.
In 1971 the Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society Inc (AR&PS) was founded with the goal of purchasing a section of the former Mt Somers Branch railway on which to run restored locomotives.
The AR&PS then founded The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum and began to acquire exhibits which included leasing A64 with a view to restoring it. The locomotive was returned to traffic in November 1973 after which it became the main workhorse on the line for a period.
In 1988 the locomotive was fitted with new firebars and in October of that year it participated in the Ferrymead 125 cavalcade.
The locomotive was taken out of service in 1991 for a ten year overhaul which saw it return to traffic before being taken out of service again in the summer of 1997.
It returned to steam again May 2000 after having the wooden side tanks, fitted whilst it was at CFM, replaced by steel round-ended tanks.
In 2012 the locomotive was again taken out of service for an overhaul which included a full boiler inspection and overhaul.
It returned to service in time for the New Zealand Rail 150 celebrations in October 2013 where it was the oldest operating steam locomotive in the country.
From September 2014 until January 2015 the locomotive was placed on loan to the Canterbury Railway Society for operation on their Ferrymead Heritage Park.
Five other A class locomotives built by Dübs in 1873 are preserved in New Zealand
- Works number 647 – 67
- Works number 648 – 66
- Works number 653 – 65
- Works number 655 – 193
- Works number 656 – 62
Preserved Outside Britain – By Country
Preserved British Steam Locomotives 