#2511
NZR RM class (Midland)
🇳🇿 New Zealand ·built by New Zealand Railways Department· from 1936· class of 2 New Zealand railcars
what is it?
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".
who runs it
base stats
Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.
fun facts
- First built 90 years ago, in 1936.
- Served for 6 years (1936–1942).
multiple unit: A self-propelled train: motors are spread under the passenger cars, so no separate locomotive.
spec sheet
- built
- 1936
- in service from
- 1936
- retired
- 1942
- status
- retired
- number built
- 2
- kind
- multiple unit
- traction
- diesel
- origin
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- builders
- New Zealand Railways Department, Hutt Workshops
- operators
- New Zealand Railways Department
- top speed
- 97 km/h
- power
- 73 kW
- gauge
- 1,067 mm Cape gauge
- wheel arrangement
- 1-A
- length
- 7.9 m
- capacity
- 19 passengers
From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q16927127, Wikipedia: NZR RM class (Midland) (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.