NZR RM class (Midland)
| NZR RM class Midland | |
|---|---|
RM 20 in 1936 | |
| In service | 1936–1941 |
| Manufacturer | New Zealand Railways |
| Built at | Hutt Workshops |
| Constructed | 1936 |
| Entered service | 3 August 1936 |
| Scrapped | 1942 |
| Number built | 2 |
| Number in service | None |
| Number preserved | None |
| Fleet numbers | RM 20 and RM 21 |
| Capacity | 19 passengers; or 8 passengers and 1 ton newspapers |
| Operator | New Zealand Railways |
| Lines served | Midland Line, Hokitika Branch, Stillwater–Westport Line |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 26 ft 1 in (7.95 m) overall |
| Width | 8 ft 9.5 in (2.68 m) |
| Maximum speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Weight | 7.81 long tons (7.94 tonnes; 8.75 short tons) |
| Prime movers | Leyland 8.6 litre (525 cu) 6-cylinder diesel engine |
| Power output | 98 hp (73 kW) |
| Transmission | Lysholm-Smith Fluid Torque Converter |
| UIC classification | 1-A |
| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
The NZR RM class Midland railcar (or Leyland diesel railcar) was the first successful railcar, and first diesel-powered vehicle, to enter revenue service in New Zealand. Two were built, RM 20 and RM 21, and they ran for five years from 1936 to 1941 before being replaced by larger Vulcan railcars. They operated primarily on the Midland Line and the Greymouth-Hokitika portion of the Ross Branch
These kinds of vehicles were known in some other countries by a variety of other names, including "railbuses" and "railmotors". However, such self-propelled passenger vehicles were known in New Zealand as "railcars" from the late-1920s onwards.