CPH Railmotors

First hitting the tracks in 1927, the CPH railmotors were NSW’s first production foray into internal combustion traction. 37 were built with the purpose of replacing costly steam locomotives on branch lines that were struggling to make a profit, often where the passenger numbers were too low to justify a full train.

Canberra Railway Museum owns a pair of railmotors: CPH 27 & 37, the latter of which was the last of its kind withdrawn, as recently as 1985! CPH 27 is the more complete of the two, with CPH 37 still requiring mechanical work before it is fit to run.

Achievements thus far include:

• Repairing the radiator system on CPH 27
• Bringing CPH 27 to a nominally operable state
• Internal and external cleanup and repaint on both railmotors
• Lift and inspection of Bogies on CPH 37 has now been completed.

Current tasks include:

• Inspecting CPH 27’s mechanical condition and undergoing a lift inspection
• Assessing the installation of radio equipment

Future tasks include:

• Servicing of both railmotor engines
• Repairs to damaged seats and blinds