page_title: NZR RM class (Standard)
section_title: Withdrawal and preservation
hierarchical_section_title: NZR RM class (Standard) / Withdrawal and preservation
caption_attribution_description: English: RM 31 (Tokomaru) going for a run through the Pahiatua station yard. Photographed by Matthew25187 on 2007-12-16.
context_page_description: The NZR RM class Standard railcars were a class of railcar operated by the New Zealand Railways Department in the North Island of New Zealand. Officially classified as RM like all other railcar classes in New Zealand, they acquired the designation of "Standard" to differentiate them from other railcar classes. They were introduced in 1938 and withdrawn in 1972.
context_section_description: The Standard railcars were withdrawn in December 1972, being replaced on the Wellington-New Plymouth service by 88-seater railcars upgraded as "Blue Streaks" and two-thirds of the class have been preserved.
  Two cars, RM 30 Aotea and RM 34 Tainui were purchased by the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society Wellington Branch in 1972 for their heritage project in the Hutt Valley, then located at Gracefield on the industrial branch line of the same name. RM 32 Pangatoru was purchased by the NZR&LS Waikato Branch and displayed at their Te Awamutu Railway Museum until 1991, when it moved to Te Rapa locomotive depot for a proposed overhaul that never eventuated.
  The late John Murphy purchased the other three cars - RM 31 Tokomaru, RM 33 Takitimu, and RM 35 Tikitere - in December 1972 for preservation, along with many spare parts and instruction manuals. Although he wanted to keep all three cars, he was later forced to scrap RM 33 and RM 35 as he was unable to look after them. Also, while RM 33 was still potentially operable, RM 35 had been involved in an accident during its last months of service, and its frame was bent in such a way that would have prevented it from running again; even if it was feasible to repair the damage, it would have been beyond John's means to repair it or pay for it to be repaired.
  Today, RM 30 and RM 34 reside on the Silver Stream Railway in Wellington. RM 30 is operable, while RM 34 is currently undergoing an overhaul to working order to allow it to run on the SSR during open days. RM 32 is now located at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway south of Auckland; the railcar moved there in 2001 after the proposed overhaul fell through and the Te Rapa loco depot was demolished, requiring it to find a new home.
  RM 31 was for a time held at Masterton but was later placed on loan to the Pahiatua Railcar Society at Pahiatua. When John died, the car was bequeathed to the PRS along with the manuals and spare parts, some of which came from RM 33 and RM 35, that John had accumulated. The car attended the 2008 North Island Main Trunk centenary celebrations, but at the time was not mainline certified. It was finally brought up to mainline standards in late 2011, and ditch lights mounted in the headstocks. The railcar then underwent mainline trials and crew training. Its first revenue run as a heritage rail vehicle took place on 12 February 2012.
  As part of the mainline qualifications, RM 31 has been fitted with an events recorder, train radio, and ditch lights at either end. These are recessed into the railcar's front fairings so as not to detract from the original character of the railcar.
caption: RM 31 (Tokomaru) at Pahiatua.
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