THE Tasmanian Transport Museum Society (TTMS) in Tasmania’s capital Hobart has been given the final English Electric (EE) loco to be built in Australia – which was also the last English Electric built locomotive ever.
ZA Class Co-Co No. 2118 was the last of six locos built for Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) by English Electric (by then known as GEC Australia) at its Rocklea plant in Brisbane in 1976, originally numbered ZA6 (works number A279) but since renumbered No. 2118. Fitted with a 1,752kW 12CSVT Mk.3 engine, similar to that used for BR Class 37s, the locos were based on Queensland Railways Class 2350 and originally bought for timber traffic.