The NZR DE class is a New Zealand class of shunting diesel-electric locomotives. The New Zealand Railways intended to replace steam locomotives for shunting duties with this class. They are physically similar to the Tasmanian Government Railways X class, which were also of English Electric design.

Introduction

A number of the DEs were used in pairs (each locomotive crewed) on the Royal Trains when Queen Elizabeth the Second visited New Zealand in 1953. The class was also used for suburban passenger trains in Auckland and Wellington.

The class was initially based in the North Island, but at four of the class were sent to the South Island in 1981. The class was slowly dispersed to secondary yards on the New Zealand network, such as Napier, Dunedin and Invercargill.

Withdrawal

As part of the New Zealand Railways Corporation plan to reduce the number of first-generation diesels in the late 1980s, a number of the class were scrapped or sold for preservation. Two locomotives have been preserved by the Diesel Traction Group at Ferrymead, two at Glenbrook Vintage Railway, and two at the Silver Stream Railway. One locomotive remains in service for the Taieri Gorge Railway in Dunedin.

List of locomotives in this class

Number	TMS number	In service	Current status	Notes
501	1308 (originally 1936)	Written off 1987. Scrapped in 1990.
502	1314	Written off 1986.
503	1320	Written off 1988.
504	1337	Written off 1989.	In service for the Taieri Gorge Railway
505	1343	Written off 1984.	Preserved by Silver Stream Railway
506	1366	Withdrawn 1980s. Scrapped in 1990.
507	1372 (originally 1994)	Written off 1988	Preserved by Glenbrook Vintage Railway
508	1389		Preserved by Silver Stream Railway.
509	1395	Written off 1988	Preserved by Glenbrook Vintage Railway
510	1406	Written off 1987.
511	1412	Written off 1987	Preserved by Diesel Traction Group, Ferrymead.
512	1429	Written off 1987.	Preserved by Diesel Traction Group, Ferrymead
513	1435	Written off 1987
514	1441	Written off 1984	Scrapped in 1990
515	1458	Written off 1989

External links

• New Zealand Diesel and Electric Traction - DE class
• Diesel Traction Group, Christchurch