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M1 Formerly plinthed at Ross |
This old scanned photo of May 1993 shows green-liveried M1 plinthed at Ross.
This locomotive was built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns Ltd in 1951 as their builder's number 7427, becoming M7 among ten members the Tasmanian Government Railways' M-class 4-6-2 locomotives. These locomotives were built to the proven design of Indian Railways metre-gauge YB class pacifics. a, b
Both the Tasmanian Government Railways M & H-class locomotives were of modern design, featuring roller bearings on all axles and throughout the motion and the only Australian classes to be completely fitted-out with roller bearings. They were also fitted with Australian designed SCOA-P wheels which provided greater strength and lower weight; other Australian locomotives fitted with this design of wheel were the Victorian Railways' R & J classes and the Queensland Railway's BB18-1/4 class.
M7 was numbered to M1 following the Tasmanian Government Railways program to rebuild four "M" class members to "MA" class in 1957-58. The other class members were renumbered as per the following table:
| Original No. | RS&H Builder's No. | New No. a |
| M1 | 7421 | MA2 |
| M2 | 7422 | MA4 |
| M3 | 7423 | M3 |
| M4 | 7424 | M4 |
| M5 | 7425 | M5 |
| M6 | 7426 | MA3 |
| M7 | 7427 | M1 |
| M8 | 7428 | MA1 |
| M9 | 7429 | M6 |
| M10 | 7430 | M2 |
M1 was the first of Tasmanian Government Railways' modern post-war M & H-class locomotives to be disposed. It was originally offered to Westbury Municipality for display and towed there in February 1971. She was still untouched in the siding there in August 1971 and was soon after transferred to Ross where it was plinthed. d
M1 was subsequently acquired by the Derwent Valley Railway and moved to their New Norfolk depot in May 2000. My visit to New Norfolk in April 2003 found M1 is stored in the yard at New Norfolk.
References
| a | L. Oberg, 'Locomotives of Australia', published by J. W. Books Pty Ltd, Brookvale NSW. 1982 reprint. |
| b | Dix, A., Beck, D., and Dix M. 'Locomotives of the Tasmanian Transport Museum Glenorchy Tasmania', published by the Tasmanian Transport Museum Society, October 1991. |
| c | Cooper, G & Goss, G 'Tasmanian Railways 1871 - 1996, 125 Years - A Pictorial History' published by C G publishing Company. |
| d | Information provided by Melanie Dennis via email dated 14 July 2004. |
| e | Webmaster's observation or comment. |
Page updated: 1 July 2013