They had a wheel arrangement of (2′Co)(Co2′) under the UIC classification system, generated 1120 kW (1500 hp) of power, and could achieve a maximum speed of 97 km/h. They started the process of displacing steam motive power from main lines in New Zealand, but were soon displaced themselves by the DA class of 1955.
Initially, 31 DF locomotives were ordered, but this order was amended to ten DFs and 42 DG class locomotives,[2] which in appearance was essentially half a DF but with a similar bulldog nose cab design. The DF locomotives were heavier than the latter and slightly less powerful DAs and were used to haul freight trains on the North Auckland and East Coast Main Trunk lines in Northland and the Bay of Plenty from which the DAs were prohibited by dint of the higher axle loading of the DA class. Their axle loading was 12.2 tonnes (12.0 long tons; 13.4 short tons).[3]
The DF class were confined to the North Island, although they did all visit Dunedin for overhaul at Hillside Workshops. The locomotives did not run in service during their journeys to and from Hillside, instead, they were towed. They were allowed to move under their own power once there and haul transfer freight trains to and from Port Chalmers and Mosgiel as part of tests before returning to service.
On the arrival of the Phase III DA class locomotives in 1964, the DF class was renumbered from the 1500 series to the 1300 series in November 1965 in order to free up the 1500-series numbers for the new DA locomotives.[4]
Withdrawaledit
The DFs were unreliable and needed frequent repairs.[5] This contributed to their short lifespan; withdrawal began in 1972 and the last, DF 1301, was withdrawn in June 1975. A plan to shift the whole fleet to the South Island to join their smaller but more versatile DG siblings was proposed. They were to operate on the hilly Dunedin to Oamaru section of the Main South Line but a new locomotive type was chosen in the DJ class.
Preserved locomotiveedit
DF 1301, the first locomotive built, was donated to the National Federation of Rail Societies NZ (now Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand) in 1975. It was placed on static display at Sim Pacific Metals Limited in Auckland, replacing K 900. As part of this it was renumbered to its original number of 1501, but with V-shaped nose stripes in place of the original wing-shaped ones. Initially displayed in the open, a limited shelter was built over the locomotive at a later date although this did not halt the progressive deterioration of the locomotive. Various proposals were put forward for the restoration of the locomotive, but did not amount to anything.
In 2007, with Sims Pacific requiring the area where the DF was located for redevelopment, owners Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand concluded an agreement with the Diesel Traction Group (DTG) to have the locomotive moved to their premises for restoration. The first stage of this relocation took place in August 2008 when 1501 was re-railed and then was towed to Westfield Depot for assessment. In January 2009, members of the Group accompanied the locomotive on a three-day 1,100 km trip to Christchurch, from where it moved to their Ferrymead Railway base a few days later.
Following the completion of DI 1102 in late 2018, 1501 is now currently undergoing a restoration to mainline condition by the members of the DTG.
Referencesedit
Citationsedit
^"New Zealand Railways Rolling Stock Lists - Class DF (1954)".
^"The DG class". New Zealand Railfan. Triple M Productions. 5 (4).
New Zealand Railways Rolling Stock Lists - Class DF (1954)
General Arrangement
December 14, 2023
class, 1954, zealand, class, locomotive, 1954, first, class, mainline, diesel, electric, locomotives, built, zealand, national, railway, network, built, english, electric, should, confused, with, general, motors, electro, motive, division, class, 1979, zealand. The New Zealand DF class locomotive of 1954 was the first class of mainline diesel electric locomotives built for New Zealand s national railway network 1 built by English Electric It should not be confused with General Motors Electro Motive Division DF class of 1979 New Zealand DF class English Electric English Electric DF 1501 on display outside Sims PMI in Otahuhu Auckland The locomotive has since moved to the Diesel Traction Group Ferrymead Historic Park Type and originPower typeDiesel electricBuilderEnglish Electric United KingdomBuild date1954SpecificationsConfiguration AAR2C C2 UIC 2 Co Co2 Commonwealth2Co Co2Gauge3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm Wheel diameter3 ft 1 in 0 940 m Minimum curve297 ft 90 526 m Wheelbase52 ft 0 in 15 850 m total 12 ft 0 in 3 658 m rigidLength58 ft 0 in 17 678 m over headstocksWidth8 ft 4 in 2 540 m Height11 ft 6 in 3 505 m Axle load11 3 4 long tons 11 9 t 13 2 short tons Adhesive weight69 long tons 70 t Loco weight105 long tons 107 t 118 short tons Fuel typeDieselFuel capacity600 imp gal 2 700 L Prime moverEnglish Electric 12SVT Mk 2RPM range750 850 rpmEngine typefour stroke four valves per cylinderAspirationTurbochargedGeneratorEnglish Electric 828ATraction motorsSix English Electric 525 2ACylinders12 veeCylinder size10 in 12 in 254 mm 305 mm MU working110V 10 notch electro magnetic controlLoco brakeair dynamicTrain brakesairPerformance figuresMaximum speed60 mph 97 km h Power output1 500 hp 1 100 kW gross 1 370 hp 1 020 kW netTractive effort38 500 lbf 171 3 kN at 25 adhesion starting 27 700 lbf 123 2 kN at 16 mph 30 km h continuousCareerNumber in class10Numbers1500 1509 1954 to 1965 1300 1309 1965 to 1975 LocaleNorth IslandFirst runJuly 1954Last run21 June 1975Disposition9 scrapped1 preserved Contents 1 Introduction 2 Withdrawal 3 Preserved locomotive 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksIntroduction editThey had a wheel arrangement of 2 Co Co2 under the UIC classification system generated 1120 kW 1500 hp of power and could achieve a maximum speed of 97 km h They started the process of displacing steam motive power from main lines in New Zealand but were soon displaced themselves by the DA class of 1955 Initially 31 DF locomotives were ordered but this order was amended to ten DFs and 42 DG class locomotives 2 which in appearance was essentially half a DF but with a similar bulldog nose cab design The DF locomotives were heavier than the latter and slightly less powerful DAs and were used to haul freight trains on the North Auckland and East Coast Main Trunk lines in Northland and the Bay of Plenty from which the DAs were prohibited by dint of the higher axle loading of the DA class Their axle loading was 12 2 tonnes 12 0 long tons 13 4 short tons 3 The DF class were confined to the North Island although they did all visit Dunedin for overhaul at Hillside Workshops The locomotives did not run in service during their journeys to and from Hillside instead they were towed They were allowed to move under their own power once there and haul transfer freight trains to and from Port Chalmers and Mosgiel as part of tests before returning to service On the arrival of the Phase III DA class locomotives in 1964 the DF class was renumbered from the 1500 series to the 1300 series in November 1965 in order to free up the 1500 series numbers for the new DA locomotives 4 Withdrawal editThe DFs were unreliable and needed frequent repairs 5 This contributed to their short lifespan withdrawal began in 1972 and the last DF 1301 was withdrawn in June 1975 A plan to shift the whole fleet to the South Island to join their smaller but more versatile DG siblings was proposed They were to operate on the hilly Dunedin to Oamaru section of the Main South Line but a new locomotive type was chosen in the DJ class Preserved locomotive editDF 1301 the first locomotive built was donated to the National Federation of Rail Societies NZ now Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand in 1975 It was placed on static display at Sim Pacific Metals Limited in Auckland replacing K 900 As part of this it was renumbered to its original number of 1501 but with V shaped nose stripes in place of the original wing shaped ones Initially displayed in the open a limited shelter was built over the locomotive at a later date although this did not halt the progressive deterioration of the locomotive Various proposals were put forward for the restoration of the locomotive but did not amount to anything In 2007 with Sims Pacific requiring the area where the DF was located for redevelopment owners Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand concluded an agreement with the Diesel Traction Group DTG to have the locomotive moved to their premises for restoration The first stage of this relocation took place in August 2008 when 1501 was re railed and then was towed to Westfield Depot for assessment In January 2009 members of the Group accompanied the locomotive on a three day 1 100 km trip to Christchurch from where it moved to their Ferrymead Railway base a few days later Following the completion of DI 1102 in late 2018 1501 is now currently undergoing a restoration to mainline condition by the members of the DTG References editCitations edit New Zealand Railways Rolling Stock Lists Class DF 1954 The DG class New Zealand Railfan Triple M Productions 5 4 McClare 1980 p 14 Df class of 1954 English Electric Railway Traction in New Zealand Retrieved 14 April 2017 Palmer amp Stewart 1965 p 152 Bibliography edit McGavin T A 1983 NZR Locomotives and Railcars 1983 8th ed Wellington New Zealand New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society McClare E J 1980 New Zealand Railway Diesels Wellington New Zealand Southern Press ISBN 9780907769286 Palmer A N Stewart W W 1965 Cavalcade of New Zealand Locomotives Wellington A H amp A W Reed ISBN 978 0 207 94500 7 External links editNew Zealand Railways Rolling Stock Lists Class DF 1954 General Arrangement Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title NZR DF class 1954 amp oldid 1186904134, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
