The Section Car Pages

Fairmont M15B-Z42


 This is an M15B-Z42, and the photo shows the first Fairmont I ever saw, and ever rode in at.Peelinna Creek, near Cummins, 1985

The M15Bs were built by Tutts with Fairmont bits and pieces. According to the info from Tutts they knocked these out from 1965 through to 1981, building a total of 281 units. Tutts also built two MT15BS cars. This suggests a car powered by a Briggs Motor, with a two speed gearbox.

It has been suggested that the M15s were developed by Fairmont in 1959. Tutts, or one of its many variations, may well have built the M15's earlier than 1965.

Queensland Rail ran them, often with a magneto, and so did Commonwealth Railways (some of theirs had electric start). Many of the QR cars have been preserved - see Kens Section Car Shed.

This car is M116, last used out of Port Lincoln.

I found a letter from QR that suggests that they had 152 of these in service in 1987.


QR modified a number of their cars to run with a Briggs and Stratton motor, and an infinately variable belt drive.

Some of these cars were built by a company known as Fessl, and are thus known as "Fessl" cars.


M15 Cab Designs
Section Car Page

© Nic Doncaster September 2002, Page updated August 2, 2007