The Tasmanian Government Railways M class was a class of 4-4-2+2-4-4

Garratt locomotive A Garratt locomotive is a type of articulated steam locomotive invented by the engineer Herbert William Garratt that is articulated into three parts. Its boiler, firebox, and cab are mounted on a centre frame or "bridge". The two other p ...

s operated by the

Tasmanian Government Railways The Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) was the former operator of the mainline railways in Tasmania, Australia. Formed in 1872, the railway company was managed by the Government of Tasmania, and existed until absorption into the Australian Nat ...

History

In 1912, the

took delivery of two 4-4-2+2-4-4

s from

Beyer, Peacock & Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English general engineering company and railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson founded the company in 1854. The company close ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

. They were designed to haul express passenger trains between Launceston and

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

. With the introduction of the

R class R class or Class R may refer to: Rail transport *LCDR R class, a British steam locomotive class *NER Class R, a British steam locomotive class *NZR R class, a type of New Zealand steam locomotive *Rhymney Railway R class, class of tank locomotive * ...

, M1 was withdrawn in 1923 and sold to the

Mount Lyell Mining & Railway Company Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company was a Tasmanian mining company formed on 29 March 1893, most commonly referred to as ''Mount Lyell''. Mount Lyell was the dominant copper mining company of the West Coast, Tasmania, West Coast from 1893 to 1 ...

while M2 was withdrawn in 1931 and scrapped in 1953.Steam Locomotives of the Tasmanian Government Railways and its Constituents ''

Australian Railway History ''Australian Railway History'' is a monthly magazine covering railway history in Australia, published by the New South Wales Division of the Australian Railway Historical Society on behalf of its state and territory Divisions. History and prof ...

'' issue 917 March 2014 page 9

Namesake

The M class designation was reused by the M class that was introduced in 1952.

References

{{Reflist Beyer, Peacock locomotives Garratt locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1912 Steam locomotives of Tasmania 3 ft 6 in gauge locomotives of Australia Scrapped locomotives