- NZR DM class
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NZR DM class 
D2778 awaiting departure from Johnsonville, the terminus of the Johnsonville Line.In service July 1938 - 2012 (planned) Manufacturer English Electric Built at Preston Works, United Kingdom Replaced Replaced by Matangi units 2011-12 Constructed 1938 - 1954 Entered service July 1938 (36 stock)
December 1946 (42 stock)
August 1949-March 1954 (46 stock)Refurbishment 2005-2007 (Tranz Metro) Scrapped 1978 - 1994 (36, 42 stock)
2011-12 (46 stock)Number built 49 Number in service 16 Formation DM-D (Johnsonville line and Melling Line)
D-DM-D (Hutt Valley Line)Fleet numbers D2130-2869
DM147 - 562Capacity 132 (two-car sets)
204 (three-car sets)Operator Tranz Metro Line(s) served Johnsonville Line, Melling Line (two-car sets)
Hutt Valley Line,(three-car sets)Specifications Car length 19.2 metres (63 ft) each car Maximum speed 97 km/h (60 mph) Weight 43.5 tonnes (42.8 long tons) Power output 447 kW (599 hp) Electric system(s) 1500 V DC overhead Braking system(s) Handbrakes Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Cape gauge The NZR DM/D class is a type of electric multiple unit used on the rail passenger network of Wellington, New Zealand formed of DM power cars and D trailers. They are owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and operated by Tranz Metro, a division of national railway operator KiwiRail.[1]
Contents
Introduction
Built by English Electric, they were introduced in 1938 following the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation of the North Island Main Trunk - the section of the old NIMT from Wellington to Johnsonville became the Johnsonville Line from 2 July. Ordered in 1936, the first six DM motor cars and D trailers inaugurated the service. Due to traffic growth, three more DM cars and two more D trailers were ordered in 1942 and placed into service in 1946.
Forty more DM cars and 71 D trailers were ordered in 1946 and supplied from 1949 on for an expansion of Wellington suburban services to the Wellington - Upper Hutt line. They were supplied from 1949 and were used on the Wellington - Paekakariki service, as the Hutt Valley electrification was not then completed. However this required the use of prewar wooden carriages with electric locomotives in peak periods on the Hutt line until the EM units were supplied.[2]
The multiple units were known as the 36, 42 and 46 stock from the year that they were ordered.
Operation
They operate in one of two train configurations:
- Two-car unit (DM-D). Primarily used on the steep Johnsonville Branch, as a four-car train for peak and two-car train of off-peak and weekend. A two-car unit is 38.4 metres long with a tare weight of 69.7 t, full seated load 79.9 t. There are eleven two-car units in service.
- Three-car unit (D-DM-D). Mainly used on the Wellington Station to Taita and Wellington to Melling lines. A three-car unit is 57.5 metres long with a tare weight of 99.5 t. There are five three-car units in service.
The DM/D class is amongst the oldest rolling stock operated by KiwiRail. Those in service are the 46 stock introduced in 1949 to 1954 - the 36 and 42 stock were withdrawn in the early 1980s. The DM motor cars have 54 seats and D trailers have 70 seats (originally 56 and 72 seats).
Technical details
There are some differences between the 36 and 42 sets and the 49 sets. Because of their shorter wheelbase and the smaller motor-generator set designed for one trailer unit only, the 36 & 42 sets were kept for the Johnsonville line as much as possible (Hoy).
Originally there was a double seat alongside the driver’s cab of the motor and trailer coaches, but during renovations this seat was removed, reducing the seating by two, and a barrier was installed level with the back of the cab.
Some motor coaches had the double seats in the rear section in front of the luggage compartment removed and the seats parallel with the sides extended; this was to provide space for prams on daytime services (Hoy).
Each car had 10 150V electric heaters in series, run off the 1500V supply, so a 1500V connection was required between the motor and trailer coaches (Hoy).
The 46 stock differed from the 36 and 42 stock in some respects:
- On the 36 and 42 motor coaches a 120V DC motor-generator set supplied power for lights, signal circuits and brake & door operation; the 46 set was larger to supply two not one trailer cars (Hoy).
- Longer bogie wheelbase: on 46 stock, 8 ft (2.4 m); 36 and 42 stock, 7 ft 6 in (2.3 m) (Churchman, Hoy).
- Shorter windows and door ventilation louvres on 36 and 42 stock (Churchman).
- The 46 stock had Westinghouse electro-pneumatic air brakes and automatic brake equipment; the 36 & 42 stock had one coach-mounted brake cylinder only (Churchman, Hoy).
- All the motor coaches originally had a driver’s cab at each end, but extra space was needed in the luggage compartment and the cab there was removed. Initially a single motor coach had been used on the Johnsonville line for the all-night service, and this was considered for the Melling line (Hoy).
Withdrawal
The introduction of the EM class units and ET trailers in the early 1980s made some of the DM/D class redundant, but ten motor-trailer sets were refurbished between 1984 and 1987 for continued operation on the Johnsonville Branch where EMs do not have running rights due to their being overgauge, and for peak-hour running on the Hutt Valley and Melling lines.
The introduction of the Matangi units in 2011-12 will replace all the DM class. Metlink's latest plan is to have all EE units retired by July 2012.
Refurbishment
The units underwent a moderate refurbishment to extend their operational lives to about 2012, by the time they will be replaced by Matangi units. The refurbishment largely involves a cosmetic upgrade of the exterior and interior of the cars, with new seating and a major mechanical overhaul.
In February 2007, overcrowding of Wellington trains resulted in the recommendation by the Greater Wellington Regional Council to re-introduce five DM/D cars,[3] three Tranz Metro units being used for spares and two from the Ferrymead Railway.[4] These units entered service from October 2008.[5] Six ex-British Rail carriages top-and-tailed by EO locomotives were also used.[6]
Liveries
The DM/D class are best known for the "Midland Red" livery that they wore for most or all of their working lives. When the EM class were introduced in the early 1980s in an olive paint scheme, the red of the older DM class became a distinguishing feature and they came to be nicknamed "old reds" and "red sets" in New Zealand railfan jargon.
The 36 stock were originally in royal blue, similar to MAXX Blue, with a thick white line along the sides below the windows. By the introduction of the 1949 batch, "Midland Red" was standard. In the mid-1980s some of the two-car DM/D units were repainted in the olive livery of the EM class, and through the 1990s and 2000s all sets were refurbished. Starting in 2005 the cars acquired the a new Tranz Metro livery with yellow safety ends and a dark blue stripe along the windows. A few sets remain in red, including the most famous member of the class, DM556 "Cyclops", whose restoration included new red paint and earned Tranz Metro a "business in conservation" award from the New Zealand Department of Conservation and the Wellington Conservation Board in 2006.[7]
Preserved units
DM320 and trailer D2695 (originally Dm 27, D 163), currently operating in Wellington, were preserved by the Ferrymead Railway and will return there. A D pair is used in the Hibiscus Coast north of Auckland as a private residence. Some of the Johnsonville trains will be preserved when replaced by Matangi units. The three-car DM556 "Cyclops" set is likely to be preserved.[citation needed]
Class register
Key: In service Out of service Auckland Transport service Preserved Overhaul Scrapped TMS No. Original No. Introduced Withdrawn Current status Current livery Notes DM55 Dm 1 June 1938 November 1981 Scrapped DM61 Dm 2 June 1938 September 1982 Scrapped DM78 Dm 3 June 1938 September 1982 Scrapped DM84 Dm 4 June 1938 April 1983 Scrapped DM90 Dm 5 June 1938 April 1983 Scrapped DM101 Dm 6 June 1938 April 1981 Scrapped DM118 Dm 7 October 1946 July 1983 Scrapped DM124 Dm 8 October 1946 July 1983 Scrapped DM130 Dm 9 December 1946 November 1981 Scrapped DM147 Dm 10 August 1949 In service Tranz Metro Blue DM153 Dm 11 September 1949 out of service Tranz Metro Blue 3-car set DM176 Dm 12 November 1949 October 1987 Scrapped Dm 13 October 1949 April 1978 Scrapped DM182 Dm 14 February 1950 In service Tranz Metro Blue DM199 Dm 15 December 1949 May 1986 Scrapped DM216 Dm 16 December 1949 In service NZR Midland Red (Also known as Phoenix) Withdrawn 2001, returned to service October 2008. Will return to Ferrymead in 2011/2012. DM222 Dm 17 December 1949 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM239 Dm 18 February 1950 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM245 Dm 19 April 1950 October 1986 Scrapped DM251 Dm 20 May 1950 In service Tranz Metro Blue 3-car set DM268 Dm 21 June 1950 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM274 Dm 22 June 1950 October 1986 Scrapped DM280 Dm 23 October 1950 February 1989 Scrapped DM297 Dm 24 September 1950 In service Tranz Metro Blue DM308 Dm 25 September 1950 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM314 Dm 26 December 1950 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM320 Dm 27 March 1951 June 1988 In service NZR Midland Red Preserved Ferrymead Railway, Christchurch, returned to service October 2008 and reverted to Dm 27/D 163. It will return to Ferrymead in 2011/2012. DM337 Dm 28 June 1951 February 1987 Scrapped DM343 Dm 29 November 1950 October 1986 Scrapped DM366 Dm 30 August 1951 In service Tranz Metro Blue DM372 Dm 31 September 1951 May 1988 Scrapped DM389 Dm 32 September 1951 March 1992 Scrapped DM395 Dm 33 September 1951 July 1985 Scrapped DM406 Dm 34 March 1952 October 1986 Scrapped DM412 Dm 35 July 1952 October 1986 Scrapped DM429 Dm 36 July 1952 In service Tranz Metro Blue DM435 Dm 37 October 1952 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM441 Dm 38 December 1952 In service Tranz Metro Blue Was out of service from 11 October 2010 until 27 January 2011, when it caught fire, banks burnt out and traction motor gears were noisy. Taken to Hutt Workshops for overhaul and repair. Re-entered service 2 February 2011. DM458 Dm 39 December 1952 May 1988 Scrapped DM464 Dm 40 February 1953 May 1992 Scrapped DM470 Dm 41 March 1953 Out of service Tranz Metro Blue Control fault - as of August 22, 2011 no decision was made on repair. DM487 Dm 42 March 1953 Scrapped Withdrawal date unknown DM493 Dm 43 April 1953 May 1986 Scrapped DM504 Dm 44 July 1953 In service Tranz Metro Blue 3-car set DM510 Dm 45 February 1954 In service Tranz Metro Blue DM527 Dm 46 April 1954 In service Tranz Metro Blue 3-car set DM533 Dm 47 December 1953 August 1982 Scrapped DM556 Dm 48 March 1954 In service NZR Midland Red "Cyclops", refurbished 3-car set DM562 Dm 49 March 1954 In service Tranz Metro Blue D2438 D 139 March 1951 January 1994 Preserved Private residence, Hibiscus Coast. D2751 D 169 August 1953 January 1994 Preserved Private residence, Hibiscus Coast. References
Citations
- ^ "$168m Wellington Rail Package Signed". The Dominion Post. 5 July 2011. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5236334/168m-Wellington-rail-package-signed.
- ^ Gregor page 33
- ^ Source
- ^ The Dominion Post Source
- ^ WILLIAMSON, KERRY (2008-09-06). "Museum-piece all ready to roll". The Dominion Post (Wellington: Fairfax New Zealand). http://www.stuff.co.nz/4682790a23918.html. Retrieved 2008-09-10.[dead link]
- ^ metlink wellington bus, train, ferry public transport timetables: Metlink News - Issue 2, May 2007
- ^ Awards honour efforts to protect our cultural and natural heritage: Media release
Bibliography
- Churchman, Geoffrey B. The Story of the Wellington to Johnsonville Railway (1988, Industrial Publishing Ltd, Wellington) ISBN 0-9597832-1-0
- Gregor, Alex W New suburban electric trains for Wellington (July 1981 NZIE (New Zealand Institution of Engineers) Transactions Vol. 8, No. 2/EMCh pp33–45)
- Hoy, D.G. Rails out of the Capital (NZRLS, 1970; Chapter 12 pp66–69 by K. J. Hoddinott on multiple-unit electric trains)
- Parsons, David - New Zealand Railway Motive Power 2002 [1]
External links
- NZ History - Johnsonville Line opening day cover.
- Canterbury Rail Society - inside a DM class EMU
Categories:- Locomotives of New Zealand
- English Electric locomotives
- English Electric multiple units
- Electric multiple units of New Zealand
- Cape gauge railway locomotives
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