Sometimes the most treasured pieces of railway history arrive in unexpected ways.
During the recent Caravan, Camping & Outdoor Sale, we had a wonderful conversation with a visitor to our stand about South Australia's railway history. He later contacted us and kindly shared a memoir written by his late mother, Mrs C. M. Archer, recalling her childhood in Terowie during 1925.
Mrs Archer was just ten years old when her father, a Supervising Engineer with Thompson & Co. of Castlemaine, was sent to Terowie to oversee the assembly of the new NM class locomotives for the Commonwealth Railways. Through her eyes, we experience life in Terowie nearly 100 years ago—from staying at the Royal Hotel and attending the local school to witnessing one of Australia's most important railway towns during the break-of-gauge era.
We sincerely thank Mrs Archer's family for allowing us to share these remarkable memories with the wider community. We hope you enjoy reading them.
A personal memoir by Mrs C. M. Archer
"My Time in Terowie, Early in 1925 my Fathers employer Thompson and Co. of Castlemaine Victoria , our home town, sent him, as Supervising Engineer, to Terowie in S.A. where a big gantry (right) had been built to assemble 22 NM class locomotives for Commonwealth Railways. Terowie was the break of gauge for the Transcontinental line where passengers travelling between Perth and Sydney changed trains to complete the journey.
My mother and I went over in August and stayed for 5 months at the Royal Hotel. It was unusual for a 10-year-old girl to become boarder, and the proprietor Mrs Hayes and her 2 spinster daughters made great fuss of me. I attended the Terowie Public School (below right) and enjoyed yet another teaching experience. My father and Mr. C. Wright became friends, and Mum used to walk up to the school on most afternoons and enjoyed a cup of tea and a chat with Mrs Wright.
There were 3 children in the family, and Beryl 9, and I became good friends, and explored the flat dry country where we collected some interesting stones – garnets, low grade rubies, crystals and other samples. Dad had a tray made for me, which I kept under the bed with simple labels attached. In fact, the Commissioner of Railways, on one of his progress visits saw my collection, and on his next visit, whether from Perth or Adelaide, I’m not sure, brought a more sophisticated lot of stones and minerals to add to my display.
Terowie was hot, dry, dusty in December, so Mum and I returned to Castlemaine whilst Dad remained in S.A. for another 4 months.
Notes on the Commonwealth Railways NM Class Locomotives.
The NM class was a class of 22 narrow-gauge 4-8-0 steam locomotives built by Thompson & Co., Castlemaine, Victoria between 1925 and 1927 for the Commonwealth Railways.
They were designed along the lines of the Queensland Railways C17 class, but with larger tenders and vacuum brakes.
Purpose and Service The NM class was introduced to serve the Central Australia Railway (1,067 mm gauge) between Port Augusta, South Australia, and Alice Springs, a remote, arid route with challenging gradients, ie the Pichi Richi Pass.
They hauled both freight and passenger services, including the famous Ghan through the Pichi Richi Pass.
The locomotives were well-suited to the line’s demands, with a tractive effort of about 19,200 lbf (85 kN).
During the 1949 Australian coal strike, 18 were temporarily converted to burn oil.
Technical Specifications.
Wheel arrangement: 4-8-0 Gauge: 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Weight:~82 t
Boiler pressure: 160 psi (11 bar)
Cylinders: 17 in × 22 in (430 × 560 mm) Grate area: 18.5 ft² (1.7 m²)
Coal capacity:~6.5 t
Water capacity: ~13,600 L Operational History
First delivery: June 1925 Operators: Commonwealth Railways (NM15–NM28, NM31 NM38)
Withdrawal: 1954–1956, replaced by NSU-class diesel-electrics.
Notable use: NM34 was the last serviceable NM, making a ceremonial run in 1967. Preservation Two NM class locomotives survive:
NM25– Restored to operational condition by the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society, now hauling heritage “Old Ghan” trains. NM34– Preserved in static display at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide. Legacy The NM class remains a symbol of Australian narrow-gauge heritage, representing a period when steam power was vital for remote, arid rail lines. Their design was a pragmatic choice, adapting a proven state railway model to the unique demands of the Central Australia Railway Reproduced from my Mother’s notes by her son Warwick Archer, Brighton SA " .
We extend our sincere thanks to Mrs C. M. Archer's family for preserving and sharing these memories. If you have family stories, photographs or railway memories relating to Pichi Richi Railway, Terowie, Quorn or the former Commonwealth Railways, we'd love to hear from you. Please get in touch—we're always keen to help preserve South Australia's rich railway heritage for future generations.
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