Data from Howell, Comparative Statistics of the Australasian Railways, Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, March 1899, pp. 98-99 and John Garner's [], last accessed 7 September 2008. See also Charles Rous-Marten, "New Zealand Railways: Their History, Engines and Work", The Railway Magazine (December 1899), pp. 567+.The list of British builders that contributed locomotives to this class includes: Avonside Engine Co., Bristol (26), Dubs & Co., Glasgow (21), Neilson & Company, Glasgow (12), Robert Stephenson & Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne (12), Yorkshire Engine Co, Sheffield (11), Vulcan Foundry Ltd., Newton-le-Willows (5), and Black Hawthorn & Co., Gateshead-on-Tyne (1).
See John Garner's "E Class Register" at [], last accessed 10 June 2025 for details for all 88 locomotives.
Garner notes that "Despite being a light engine,", [o]n level track, even an 800 ton load was not beyond their capabilities." Moreover, the small drivers churned up speeds of up to 40 mph (64 kph). Charles Rous-Marten saw them first-hand and characterized them as "Most sturdy and useful little chaps they were and are. I doubt if smarter or more capable 'servants of-all-work' were ever seen on any railways, within their limits of power. I have known church-Dunedin on its Palmerston-Dunedin stage-and skip along gleefully at 40 miles an hour; while up long steep banks, often 1 in 50 on the latter section they 'climbed like a cat,' to quote the expression of one driver. Also on their proper duty, hauling goods trains, they would walk away with such loads that I used simply to stare at them in blank astonishment."
Well-suited to a variety of demands, most of the class operated for decades and the last didn't retire until 1964.
| Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media | |
|---|---|
| Class | F |
| Locobase ID | 9570 |
| Railroad | New Zealand Railways |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Whyte | 0-6-0ST |
| Number in Class | 88 |
| Road Numbers | 1-14, 19-24, 34-41, 43-45, 72-80, 111 |
| Gauge | 3'6" |
| Number Built | 88 |
| Builder | several |
| Year | 1872 |
| Valve Gear | Stephenson |
| Locomotive Length and Weight | |
| Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) | 10.50 / 3.20 |
| Engine Wheelbase (ft / m) | 10.50 / 3.20 |
| Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase | 1 |
| Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m) | 10.50 / 3.20 |
| Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg) | |
| Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg) | 43,008 / 19,508 |
| Engine Weight (lbs / kg) | 43,008 / 19,508 |
| Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg) | |
| Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML) | 420 / 1.59 |
| Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT) | |
| Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m) | 24 / 12 |
| Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort | |
| Driver Diameter (in / mm) | 36.50 / 927 |
| Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa) | 160 / 1100 |
| High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm) | 10.5" x 18" / 267x457 |
| Tractive Effort (lbs / kg) | 7394 / 3353.87 |
| Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) | 5.82 |
| Heating Ability | |
| Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flues (number - dia) (in / mm) | |
| Flue/Tube length (ft / m) | |
| Firebox Area (sq ft / m2) | 45 / 4.18 |
| Grate Area (sq ft / m2) | 9 / 0.84 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 458 / 42.57 |
| Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2) | |
| Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2) | 458 / 42.57 |
| Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume | 253.89 |
| Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information) | |
| Robert LeMassena's Power Computation | 1440 |
| Same as above plus superheater percentage | 1440 |
| Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area | 7200 |
| Power L1 | 3685 |
| Power MT | 566.69 |