Railmotors CPH 27 & 37

CPH class diesel railmotors

Built: 1924, 1927

Builder: New South Wales Railways, Eveleigh

Current status: Undergoing repairs

CPH’s 27 and 37 are members of a class of diesel railmotors introduced to overcome the growing financial struggles faced by the New South Wales Railways, which controlled dozens of branch lines, most of which were not financially viable. Steam traction was costly, time-consuming and labour-intensive, only exacerbating the unviability of these branch lines. With their lightweight wooden construction, minimal crew requirements, and cheap diesel engines, the CPH railmotors were an ideal solution. A total of 37 were built, and were used extensively across the network. So successful was the design that the last examples remained in service until 1985.

The CPH railmotors were a fixture of the Canberra branch, commonly seen on passenger duties to Cooma & Bombala. From its opening in 1940 to its cessation in 1960, the passenger services on the Captains Flat branch comprised of a CPH railmotor.

CPH 37 has historical significance as being one of the last two CPH’s withdrawn, ending its career operating between Wollongong and Moss Vale.