New Zealand Diesel and Electric Traction: RM (Vulcan)

New Zealand Diesel and Electric Traction

RM (Vulcan)

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Type	Diesel-Mechanical Railcar (48 passengers)
Introduced	1940 - 42
Number in class	9
Manufacturer	Vulcan Foundry, UK
Gauge	1067 mm
Axles	A1A - 2
Length	21.5 m
Weight in working order	36 t; adhesive weight 15.5 t
Engine	Frichs 6185CA; inline 6 cyl; bore 185 mm, stroke 260 mm;
Transmission	Diesel mechanical through gearbox
Power	185 kW / 250 hp
Continuous tractive effort
Speed	120 km/h

Ten of these railcars were built by the Vulcan Foundry in 1940 and 1941 for service in the South Island. Only nine reached New Zealand as the ship carrying one of the railcars was torpedoed during World War II. Class leader RM 50 set the official NZ speed record of 125 km/h on a demonstration run on 25 October 1940. The Vulcans were used on various services based from Christchurch and Dunedin, including the Otago Central Branch where they were the last passenger trains when withdrawn in 1976. The last Vulcan services ran in September 1978. Four were sold for preservation of which one is owned by the Federation of Rail Societies NZ and three by individual societies, the three to Ferrymead being delivered by rail over a temporary track connection. In 1990, RM 51 and RM 56 travelled from Christchurch to Picton and to the West Coast on a 50th anniversary commemorative tour.

ROAD NO.	NOTES
RM 50	Preserved by Plains Railway
RM 51	Preserved by Ferrymead Railway, operating since 1978. Dedicated to the late G K Jory
RM 52
RM 53	Christchurch airport fire training.
RM 54
RM 55
RM 56	Owned by FRONZ. Preserved by Ferrymead Railway, operating since 1978.
RM 57	Preserved by Ferrymead Railway (stored).
RM 58


G K Jory plaque RM 51	RM 51 at Ferrymead	RM 51 at Ferrymead Easter 2000	RM 51 drivers controls	RM 51 engine

RM 51 interior view	RM 51 on 1990 tour	RM 57	Sound recording RM 51

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