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Newsroom
Electric locomotive fleet’s significance honoured

October 24, 2025

Electric locomotive fleet’s significance honoured

Electric overhead lines

KiwiRail’s EF class locomotive has received international recognition for its distinctive engineering significance and enduring contribution to New Zealand’s rail infrastructure.

The Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) formally recognised KiwiRail’s EF class locomotives with an Engineering Heritage Award at a ceremony in Palmerston North earlier today.

“Designed in the 1980s to meet a unique requirement for a heavy-duty electric locomotive powered by renewable energy, the EF class represents a fusion of local need and UK engineering expertise,” said Chair of IMechE’s International Strategy Board Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam.

In 2018, KiwiRail's shareholding Ministers, including now Rail Minister Winston Peters, provided a $35 million Government investment, which along with additional funding from KiwiRail's rolling stock programme, has allowed all 15 EFs to be upgraded and their lives extended for another decade.

Upgrades to some of the locomotive’s aging electronic systems was undertaken by Waikato-based Loop Technologies.

KiwiRail Chief Metro and Capital Programme Officer David Gordon says the EF fleet’s robust design, along with a strong commitment to maintenance, has enabled KiwiRail to extend the service life to over four decades.

“The expansion reflects KiwiRail's confidence in the environmental and operational benefits of the upgraded fleet, including significant carbon reduction.”

Refurbished in KiwiRail’s Hutt Workshops and recommissioned in our Palmerston North depot, the locomotives have undergone several changes, including an upgrade to the regenerative brake system which returns electricity to the national grid. Work on 12 EFs is complete, with the full fleet to be completed in late 2025.

The Engineering Heritage Award, established in 1984 by the IMechE, recognises excellence in mechanical engineering and highlights significant engineering achievements that have shaped society.

To commemorate the recognition, a copy of the award plaque will be mounted onto each EF loco. The plaque was presented in person by Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam to KiwiRail General Manager Engineering & Asset Services Ben Taylor.

Media release
fleet