The D^F was the first class of diesel locomotives that the NZR procured for use on main lines. The engine used was the well-known turbo diesel from English Electric with twelve cylinders and an output of 1,500 hp. In order to be able to maintain an axle load of twelve long tons, the weight had to be distributed over ten axles. Thus there were a total of six powered axles in two bogies and one two-axle bogie at each end.

Originally 31 machines were ordered, but the order was subsequently reduced to ten. Instead of the remaining 21 D^F, 42 smaller D^G were ordered, which compared to the D^F had half the power and only one driver's cab. The ten locomotives were only used on the North Island and mostly in front of freight trains. They were mainly to be found on routes for which the slightly less powerful class D^A had too high an axle load. In 1964 they were renumbered from 1500 to 1509 to the new number range between 1300 and 1309. In the Seventies a transfer to the South Island was planned, but this did not take place due to the lighter class D^J.

Thus, all locomotives were retired between 1972 and 1975. A few years later, the class D^F was assigned to a new locomotive from General Motors Diesel. Today only the 1301 is preserved, which now carries the old number 1501 again. It stood outdoors for a long time and was soon in a corresponding state. In 2008 it was taken over by the Diesel Traction Group and is being restored since 2018.