NZR AB class

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NZR AB Class
NZR AB Class
The Kingston Flyer approaching the terminus at Fairlight.
Power type Steam
Builder NZGR Addington Workshops (38)
North British Locomotive Works, Scotland (83) A & G Price Limited, Thames (20)
Build date 1915 - 1925
Configuration 4-6-2
Length 62' 5" ft
Total weight 84.7 tons
Top speed 60 mph
Tractive effort 20030 lbf
Career NZGR
Number in class 141
Number 608 - 838
Locale All of New Zealand
Preserved 6 (608, 663, 699, 778, 795, 832 )
Current owner Kingston Flyer, Mainline Steam
Disposition Withdrawn, Preserved
The correct title of this article is NZR AB class. It features superscript or subscript characters that are substituted or omitted because of technical limitations.

The NZR AB class was a steam locomotive built to operate on New Zealand's national railway system. The first members of the class were constructed in 1915 as a development of the A class, and a total of 141 were built. This makes the AB class was the most numerous steam locomotive class in New Zealand's history, and the second most numerous class of any New Zealand locomotive, five behind the 146 of the DA class diesel-electrics. The AB class had a wheel arrangement of 4-6-2.

Efficient and versatile, the AB class was easy to maintain and operated on almost all parts of New Zealand's network, hauling just about any kind of train. The locomotives were suited to both passengers and freight, able to run passenger expresses at speeds of 100 km/h (60 mph) or goods trains of 700+ tonnes on easy grades. The AB was reputedly the first engine able to generate 1 horsepower for every 100 pounds of weight.

The AB class lasted until the end of steam in New Zealand (the final regular service hauled by a steam engine was headed by a member of the JA class on 26 October 1971) and two were retained to operate the Kingston Flyer, possibly New Zealand's most famous heritage railway. The Flyer has now passed into private ownership and it is still run by AB 778 and AB 795.

The WAB class of 1917 was a tank locomotive version of the AB class.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Heath, Eric, and Stott, Bob; Classic Steam Locomotives Of New Zealand, Grantham House, 1993
v • d • e
New Zealand Rail Locomotives
Battery electric locomotives
E - EB
Diesel locomotives
Electric locomotives
Electric Multiple Units
Railcars and Diesel Multiple Units
Steam locomotives
A of 1873 - A of 1906 (inc. Ad) - Aa - Ab - B of 1874 - B of 1899 - Ba - Bb - Bc - C of 1873 - C of 1930 - D of 1874 - D of 1929 - E of 1872-75 - E of 1906 - F - Fa (inc. Fb) - G of 1874 - G Garratt of 1928 (inc. Pacific rebuild) - H - J of 1874 - J of 1939 - Ja - Jb - K of 1877 - K of 1932 - Ka - Kb - L - La - M - N - Na - Nc - O - Oa - Ob - Oc - P of 1876 - P of 1885 - Q of 1878 - Q of 1901 - R - S - T - U - Ua - Ub - Uc - Ud - V - W - Wa - Wab (inc. Ws) - Wb - Wd - We - Wf - Wg - Wh - Wj - Ww - X - Y
See also: Motive power explanation; Multiple units and Railcars descriptions.