Tasmanian Government Railway No. M6 is an M class 4-6-2 "Pacific" Type steam locomotive built in 1951 by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn for the Tasmanian Government Railway as their builder's number 7429, becoming ninth of ten members the Tasmanian Government Railways' M-class 4-6-2 locomotives.
It was originally numbered M9 prior to the 1957-58 rebuilding by the Tasmanian Government Railways of four "M" class members to "MA" class; the whole M/MA re-numbering hinged on this one change as it meant simply inverting the 9 to become a 6.
M6 is now preserved as an operational member of the Bellarine Railway locomotive fleet and was used to haul the tourist train.
Today it's still at the Bellarine Railway but as at 2023, M6 was in undercover storage at Lakers Siding awaiting firebox and mechanical repairs before return to service.
Trivia[]
- These locomotives were built to the proven design of Indian Railways' metre-gauge YB class pacifics.
- By July 2006, M6 was out of service and awaiting overhaul at Queenscliff.