Subscribe to download
MAXX Blue DB 1010 (unbranded)

(Requested by MattySplatty).

(In real life DB 1010 was rebuilt as DBR 1226, the only engine to never originally carry the MAXX logo despite being painted in MAXX blue. Two ex-Auckland DCs - 4663 and 4951 - are still in service, but they did carry the MAXX logo whilst in commuter service).

DB 1010 was one engine in a class of just 17. She was built by General Motors of London, Ontario, Canada in 1965, and entered service in December of that year. Please see my DB 1000 page for information on the differences between a DA (G12) and DB (G8):
(https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2361060764)

1978 saw DB 1010 renumbered as DB 1122. This was done to comply with the (then) new Traffic Monitoring System, which was introduced in the late 1970s. Incidentally DB 1122 didn’t last much longer as an original DB, for - in May 1980 - she was sent to Clyde Engineering in Australia and rebuilt as DBR 1226. The ‘R’ in DBR stands for ‘rebuilt’, and is also meant as an indication that the DB to DBR conversions were not as substantial as the DA to DC conversions. There were 10 DBRs overall, with seven DBs remaining as DBs.

DBR 1226 was brought back to New Zealand in December 1980, but didn’t re-enter service until 1982. As with her nine classmates, this engine was first out-shopped in the classic Fruit Salad livery, otherwise known as International Orange. Throughout her early post-rebuilt years, 1226 was a common sight on the Morrinsville to Thames branch. Sadly this line closed in 1991, and the DBRs were sent elsewhere (the last DBR to run to Thames wasn’t 1226, but rather 1239).

1226 had a fairly mundane career on freight trains until 2005, when she was taken to Hillside Workshops in Dunedin and repainted in the MAXX blue livery. Two other DBRs - 1199 and 1254 - had also received this livery, as they were refurbished for use on the ‘SX set’; a rake of ex-Queensland Rail coaches that were repurposed for Auckland commuter service. 1226 was only intended as a back-up for either 1199 or 1254 and - consequently - never carried the MAXX logo.

Following her MAXX repaint 1226 spent most of her time hauling freight trains around Auckland, specifically the shunts from Wiri and Westfield to the Port of Auckland. Even though she was the back-up engine for the SX set, sometimes DC locomotives were used on that train instead.

In July 2015, this DBR had a brief stint working the dairy shunt east of Hamilton. This was soon after the AM electric units had taken over all (previously) diesel-hauled services north of Papakura. 1226 was the last DBR to be withdrawn from service, not bowing out until April 2017.

Following her withdrawal, 1226 was stored at Hutt Workshops in Wellington. Late in 2017 she was sold to DBM Contracting - along with five other DBRs (Glenbrook bought 1254 and 1295) - and by 2019 she had been transferred to Steam Incorporated’s Paekakariki depot.

As of March 2021, DBR 1226 is still at Paekakariki facing an uncertain future. On a personal note, I ended up seeing 1226 during Steam Inc’s big open weekend in July 2020. That was the first time I ever got to sit in the cab of a DBR.