The Turrella Tramway is proud to announce,
after much effort, the pending commissioning of its very own 48 Class
branchline diesel. The 48 Class has been a much admired and sought after
locomotive by the management of the TT for some time.
Ever since our close inspection of 4821 in the Roundhouse
at Goulburn (as seen by the pictures below) plans have been drawn up
to have a 48 on the Tramway.
The 48 Class are a diesel electric locomotive ordered
by the New South Wales Government Railways from 1959. Once the most
ubiquitous locomotive in New South Wales, the locomotives were built
by A. E. Goodwin, based on Alco frames and prime movers, using General
Electric (later AEI) electrical equipment. With 165 examples of the
type built over 11 years, the 48 Class was a common sight on lines all
over New South Wales. The South Australian Railways 830 class were of
a very similar design.
The 48 Class have an Alco 6-251B prime mover delivering
1,060 horsepower, and have a maximum speed of 120 km/h. They ride on
standard gauge Co-Co bogies, are 14.76 metres long, and weigh 75 t.
Delivered in four batches (broken down as follows), there are still
69 48 Class locomotives in operation, primarily with Pacific National.
Silverton Tramway and Railcorp also operate a few such locomotives.
Most others have been scrapped, stored, or purchased by heritage groups.
The four batches are as follows:
* Mark I: 4801 – 4845
* Mark II: 4846 – 4885
* Mark III: 4886 – 4899, 48100 – 48125
* Mark IV: 48126 – 48165.
Various members of the 48 Class have worn a total of six liveries over
their 40 years of service. On delivery they wore the standard NSWGR
Tuscan / Indian Red livery (to which some preserved locomotives have
been restored), but since then have worn the State Rail Authority’s
'Candy' scheme, along with FreightCorp's plain blue, in which most locomotives
remain. Some have gained Pacific National stickering.
Photo: Assistant
CME of the Turrella Tramway is 'sizing it up'
at Goulburn Roundhouse prior to 4821 being transferred
to the TT.
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Preservation:
Currently there are seven preserved locomotives, three
of them in operational status:
* 4801: State Rail Authority Heritage Unit,
Eveleigh
* 4803: New South Wales Rail Transport Museum,
Thirlmere, NSW. Operational.
* 4805: State Rail Authority Heritage Unit, Eveleigh.
Operational. - Visable between Netwton and Redfern in the sidings
* 4807: Australian Railway Historical Society
- Canberra Railway Museum. Operational.
* 4821: Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre Operational.
(Now seen on the TURRELLA TRAMWAY.)
* 4822: Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum.
* 4833: Privately owned. Operational.
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Builder: A. E. Goodwin under licence
from American Locomotive Company
Model ALCO RSD-8 or ALCO DL-531
Build date 1959–1970
Total production 165 (45 Mk I, 40 Mk II, 40 Mk
III, 40 Mk IV)
AAR wheel arr. Co-Co
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
Length 14.76 m (48 ft 5 in)
Locomotive weight 75 t (170,000 lb)
Prime mover Alco 6-251B
Generator Mk I: GE GT584
Mk II/III/IV: AEI 3602
Traction motors Mk I/II: GE 761
Mk III/IV: AEI 253CT
Cylinders 6
Top speed 120 km/h (75 mph)
Power output 790 kW (1,060 hp)
Tractive effort 234 kN (53,000 lbf)1 |
In the following photos we see 4821 on a Rail Preservation
Tour prior to transferring to the TT workshops for
its 'reincarnation' overhaul.
Now compare that with shots of 4821
