Diesel Traction Group

The Diesel Traction Group (DTG) is the Christchurch-based operator of a fleet of ex-New Zealand Railways Department diesel-electric locomotives. The fleet represents a full collection of New Zealand locomotive classes built by the English Electric Company and is a historically significant collection of early New Zealand diesel traction. All of the DTG's locomotives are owned by individual members through the sale of shareholdings.

The DTG was formed in September 1983 to preserve one of the D^G class locomotives that were being withdrawn from service at the time. D^G 772 (TMS DG 2255) was purchased from NZR and moved to Ferrymead on 17 October 1983. During 1984, the DTG investigated purchasing a second DG, this time one of the ten that were fitted with a new cab during their last major overhaul in the early 1980s, but the proposal did not proceed.

In 1988, D^G 772 was upgraded to main line mechanical certification condition, repainted in its original colour scheme and used in the Ferrymead 125 celebrations, including a mainline excursion to Springfield. Further mainline charters to Dunedin, Clyde and Arthurs Pass followed.

The Group's second locomotive was Drewry T^R 22 (TMS TR 91), one of the early designs of the T^R class which entered service in 1939. It was offered for sale by tender and was delivered to Ferrymead in July 1985 without an engine or transmission. These vital items of equipment were purchased separately from NZR stores the following year and after installation into the locomotive, it was recommissioned into service a year after its arrival. T^R 22 was then placed on lease to the Ferrymead Railway as a light shunter, and was later sold to the railway's operators.

In November 1987, the Group's members purchased two D^E class locomotives, D^E's 511 and 512 (TMS DE 1412 and DE 1429), from Dunedin where they had been recently withdrawn from shunting duties. They were delivered to Ferrymead with other rolling stock the same month. D^E 511 was repainted in the original colours and certified to mainline mechanical standard for participation in the Ferrymead 125 event the following year, which included shared operation of the Springfield excursion with D^G 772. Following this, D^E 511 was used occasionally in service on the Ferrymead Railway. DE 1429 retained its latter-day TMS number and colours in preservation, and had its engine overhauled in 1989-1990. It is in regular use on a variety of duties at Ferrymead.

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