The NM class locomotives, 22 in number, were introduced in 1925 by the Commonwealth Railways in readiness for the extension of the Oodnadatta railway to Alice Springs. The design of the class was based on that of the Queensland Railways' C17 class. The NM class operated the Ghan and other services on the Central Australia Railway until replaced by diesel locomotives from 1954.
Technical specifications
| Wheel arrangement | 4-8-0 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 80 tons 19 cwt | 82.2 t |
| Length | 53 ft 0½ in | 16.17 m |
| Tractive effort | 19,200 lb | 85.4 kN |
| Boiler pressure | 160 psi | 1103 kPa |
| Driving wheels | 3 ft 9 in | 1.14 m |
| Cylinders | 17 x 22 in | 430 x 560 mm |
| Valve gear | Walshaerts | |
| Grate area | 18.5 ft² | 1.7 m² |
| Coal capacity | 6.5 tons | 6.6 t |
| Water capacity | 3,000 gal | 13600 L |
Representatives in the Pichi Richi Railway collection
NM25
For some years NM25 was the pilot engine based at Alice Springs (steam engines could go through deeper flood waters than diesels). It last ran about 1964. After storage in Port Augusta it was placed in Homestead Park at Port Augusta before the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society Inc. (PRRPS) obtained it in 1990. Restoration was carried out by PRRPS primarily with funds generously granted by the City of Port Augusta. Most of the restoration work was undertaken in Adelaide at Panorama Campus of Douglas Mawson Institute (TAFE SA). See the NM25 Restoration Project page for more information.
| Builder | Thompson Engineering and Pipe Co. Ltd |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 14 December 1925 |
| Builder’s number | 51 |
| Withdrawn from service | |
| Distance travelled in service | |
| Acquired by PRRPS | 1991 |
| Notes | Last used on mainline 29 March 1964 |
| PRRPS operational status | Operational |
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