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NZR DM class (Electric Multiple Unit)
Encyclopedia
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
.
, 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.
The multiple units were known as the 36, 42 and 46 stock from the year that they were ordered.
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 Those in service are the 46 stock introduced in 1949 to 1954 - the 36 and 42 stock were withdrawn in the early 1980s.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).
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:
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.
In February 2007, overcrowding of Wellington trains resulted in the recommendation by the Greater Wellington Regional Council to re-introduce five DM/D cars, three Tranz Metro units being used for spares and two from the Ferrymead Railway
. These units entered service from October 2008. Six ex-British Rail carriages top-and-tailed by EO
locomotives were also used.
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.
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.
New Zealand Railways Department
The New Zealand Railways Department, NZR or NZGR and often known as the "Railways", was a government department charged with owning and maintaining New Zealand's railway infrastructure and operating the railway system. The Department was created in 1880 and was reformed in 1981 into the New...
DM/D class is a type of electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
used on the rail passenger network of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
formed of DM power cars and D trailers. They are owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and operated by Tranz Metro
Tranz Metro
Tranz Metro, part of KiwiRail, is the operator of Metlink suburban trains owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in the Wellington Region of New Zealand....
, a division of national railway operator KiwiRail
KiwiRail
KiwiRail Holdings Limited is the rail operations subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which trades as KiwiRail. Headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, KiwiRail is the largest rail transport operator in New Zealand. Since July 2010 John Spencer has been the Chairman...
.
Introduction
Built by English ElectricEnglish Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
, they were introduced in 1938 following the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation
Tawa Flat deviation
The Tawa Flat deviation is a double-track section of the North Island Main Trunk Railway just north of Wellington, New Zealand. It includes two tunnels, Tawa No. 1 and Tawa No. 2 , separated by the Ngauranga Gorge. No. 2 tunnel passes under Newlands and comes out at Glenside, on the way to Tawa...
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
Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt is a satellite city of Wellington. It is New Zealand's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington.-Geography:Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington...
line. They were supplied from 1949 and were used on the Wellington - Paekakariki
Paekakariki
Paekakariki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It is 22 km north of Porirua and 45 km north-east of Wellington, the nation's capital city....
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.
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 weightTare weightTare , from the Middle French word tare "wastage in goods, deficiency, imperfection" , from Italian tara, from Arabic tarah, lit. "thing deducted or rejected," from taraha "to reject" weight, sometimes called unladen weight, is the weight of an empty vehicle or container...
of 69.7 tTonneThe tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
, 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 StationWellington Railway StationWellington Railway Station is the southern terminus of New Zealand's North Island Main Trunk railway, Wairarapa Line and Johnsonville Line. In terms of number of services and in passenger numbers, it is New Zealand's busiest railway station.-Development:...
to TaitaTaita, New ZealandTaitā is one of the easternmost suburbs of Lower Hutt City in New Zealand, situated toward the northern end of the city...
and Wellington to MellingMelling, New ZealandMelling is a suburb of Lower Hutt, to the north of Wellington in the North Island of New Zealand. It is on the west bank of the Hutt River, on State Highway 2, the Wellington-Hutt main road, and directly across the river from the centre of Lower Hutt...
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 classNZR EM class (Electric Multiple Unit)
The NZR EM/ET class is a type of electric multiple unit used on suburban services in Wellington, New Zealand. They are owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and operated by Tranz Metro, a division of national railway operator KiwiRail....
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, three Tranz Metro units being used for spares and two from the Ferrymead Railway
Ferrymead Railway
The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealand's first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. On the opening of the line to Lyttelton on 9 December 1867, the Ferrymead Railway became the Ferrymead Branch and...
. These units entered service from October 2008. Six ex-British Rail carriages top-and-tailed by EO
NZR EA class
The NZR Ea class were used by New Zealand Railways between 1968 and 1997 on the OtiraArthur's Pass section of the Midland line in the South Island, through the Otira Tunnel...
locomotives were also used.
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
MAXX Blue (livery)
thumb|Passengers board a MAXX branded Northern Express operated by [[Ritchies Coachlines]] on the [[Northern Busway, Auckland|Northern Busway]]....
, 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
New Zealand Department of Conservation
The Department of Conservation , commonly known by its acronym, "DOC", is the state sector organisation which deals with the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage...
and the Wellington Conservation Board in 2006.
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 CoastHibiscus Coast
The Hibiscus Coast is a stretch of the Hauraki Gulf coast located in New Zealand's Rodney District, 10 minutes north of the former North Shore City by car. It contains the northernmost part of the Auckland metropolitan area....
north of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
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.
Class register
| TMS No. | Original No. | Introduced | Withdrawn | Current status | Current livery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DM55 | Dm 1 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM61 | Dm 2 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM78 | Dm 3 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM84 | Dm 4 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM90 | Dm 5 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM101 | Dm 6 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM118 | Dm 7 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM124 | Dm 8 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM130 | Dm 9 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM147 | Dm 10 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| DM153 | Dm 11 | out of service | Tranz Metro Blue | 3-car set | ||
| DM176 | Dm 12 | Scrapped | ||||
| Dm 13 | Scrapped | |||||
| DM182 | Dm 14 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| DM199 | Dm 15 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM216 | Dm 16 | 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 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM239 | Dm 18 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM245 | Dm 19 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM251 | Dm 20 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | 3-car set | ||
| DM268 | Dm 21 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM274 | Dm 22 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM280 | Dm 23 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM297 | Dm 24 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| DM308 | Dm 25 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM314 | Dm 26 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM320 | Dm 27 | In service | NZR Midland Red | Preserved Ferrymead Railway Ferrymead Railway The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealand's first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. On the opening of the line to Lyttelton on 9 December 1867, the Ferrymead Railway became the Ferrymead Branch and... , Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... , returned to service October 2008 and reverted to Dm 27/D 163. It will return to Ferrymead in 2011/2012. |
||
| DM337 | Dm 28 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM343 | Dm 29 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM366 | Dm 30 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| DM372 | Dm 31 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM389 | Dm 32 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM395 | Dm 33 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM406 | Dm 34 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM412 | Dm 35 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM429 | Dm 36 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| DM435 | Dm 37 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM441 | Dm 38 | 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 Hutt Workshops The Hutt Railway Workshops is a major railway engineering facility in the Lower Hutt suburb of Gracefield in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island... for overhaul and repair. Re-entered service 2 February 2011. |
||
| DM458 | Dm 39 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM464 | Dm 40 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM470 | Dm 41 | Out of service | Tranz Metro Blue | Control fault - as of August 22, 2011 no decision was made on repair. | ||
| DM487 | Dm 42 | Scrapped | Withdrawal date unknown | |||
| DM493 | Dm 43 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM504 | Dm 44 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | 3-car set | ||
| DM510 | Dm 45 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| DM527 | Dm 46 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | 3-car set | ||
| DM533 | Dm 47 | Scrapped | ||||
| DM556 | Dm 48 | In service | NZR Midland Red | "Cyclops", refurbished 3-car set | ||
| DM562 | Dm 49 | In service | Tranz Metro Blue | |||
| D2438 | D 139 | Preserved | Private residence, Hibiscus Coast. | |||
| D2751 | D 169 | Preserved | Private residence, Hibiscus Coast. |
External links
- NZ History - Johnsonville Line opening day cover.
- Canterbury Rail Society - inside a DM class EMU