Story: Railways

J-class locomotive

J-class locomotive

The J-class locomotive was introduced in 1939. This one, NZR No. 1200, 4-8-2 type, was built in Glasgow by the North British Locomotive Company in 1939 and went into service that October. It was converted to oil burning, as many K-class and J-class locomotives were, because of coal shortages after the Second World War, and was written off in July 1964. The sleek art-deco design was intended for greater speed, but it made the J class difficult to maintain and therefore impractical.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Albert Percy Godber Collection (PA-Group-00048)
Reference: APG-1353-1/2-F
Photograph by Albert Percy Godber

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Neill Atkinson, 'Railways - Steam locomotives', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/21392/j-class-locomotive (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Neill Atkinson, published 11 Mar 2010, reviewed & revised 11 Mar 2016