The R class were built in 1968 by English Electric of Rocklea, Brisbane, Queensland essentially as a narrow gauge form of the K class diesels of 1966. A longer and more slender version of the R class was produced in 1972, becoming the Ra class, these lacked dynamic brakes.
The R class entered service on bauxite traffic, all were withdrawn by late 1991, and all but one were scrapped at Midland Railway Workshops in 1992. No. 1902 lasted until 2016 under Greentrains before being scrapped at Bellevue.
