DP15
In July and August 1939 a new generation of diesel railcar, built by Waddingtons in New South Wales was introduced by the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR). This group consisted of four railcars with 100 horsepower Gardner 6LW engines (numbered DP11 to DP14) and two cars with 150 horsepower Gardner 6L3 engines (numbered DP15 and DP16), and two trailer cars (PT3 and PT4) to work with the latter pair of cars. They featured power bogies built by the Drewry Car Company in England, with the bodies being of aluminium construction.
DP15 was withdrawn from service by 1974 and was delivered to the museum on 19 October 1979. It was mainly used to shunt rolling stock around the yard until the arrival of the Ruston locomotive. DP15 now operates train services on the demonstration line and was painted in the green and cream livery in 2010.
Click on the link to see DP15 on the museum demonstration line here.
DP26
The third and final order of new railcars obtained by the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) was for six articulated cars built in 1950 by Commonwealth Engineering, numbered DP25 to DP30. These cars were similar mechanically to the other 150 hp railcars and were capable of working with them, but their body style was somewhat different. The design incorporated two body halves that shared a common middle bogie and flexible concertina, which meant each car was similar in size to an older DP and PT car coupled together. The bodies were of aluminium construction and were fitted out internally with wooden panelling. Following their introduction, the articulated DP cars were used to run a daily railcar service between Hobart, Launceston and Wynyard, which was later to be known as the Tasman Limited.
DP26 was withdrawn from service by 1978 and was also delivered to the museum on 19 October 1979. It was out of service for a number of years for engine repairs and external restoration but was returned to service and certified for main line use in June 2002, where it operated a number of mainline excursions throughout the state. DP26 is currently out of service awaiting mechanical repairs, repainting and drive axle wheel reprofiling.
Click on the link to see DP26 on the Tasrail mainline in 2003 here.
PT 4
Built by Waddingtons in New South Wales in 1939, PT 4 is currently under restoration, having been externally painted in March 2017 and will operate with DP15 once restoration is complete. PT4 was withdrawn from service by 1974 and was also delivered to the museum on 19 October 1979.
