BHP Whyalla DE class

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BHP Whyalla DE class
Type and origin
Power typeDiesel-electric
Builder Clyde Engineering
Granville
Model EMD G8
EMD G12
Build date1956–1965
Total produced9
Rebuilder Morrison-Knudsen Australia
Rebuild date1993–1995
Number rebuilt6
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  UIC Bo-Bo
Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Fuel typeDiesel
Prime mover EMD 567
Career
Operators BHP
Number in class9
NumbersDE01–DE09
Delivered1956
Current owner Aurizon
SCT Logistics
Disposition4 in service, 1 exported to South Africa, 3 scrapped

The BHP Whyalla DE class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for BHP between 1956 and 1965.

Contents

History

In 1956, BHP purchased two Electro-Motive Diesel G8 locomotives from Clyde Engineering for use at its narrow gauge Iron Knob iron-ore quarry. [1]

In 1956, the first of four larger Electro-Motive Diesel G12 locomotives was delivered from Clyde Engineering for use on the narrow gauge BHP Whyalla Tramway, a fifth was delivered in June 1961. [1]

Following the construction of the 39.5 kilometre Coffin Bay Tramway standard gauge line between Proper Bay and Coffin Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, two standard gauge G12s were purchased in 1965. [1] [2] Following the quarry railway being closed in 1968, the G8s were both transferred to the standard gauge railway. [1]

Between 1993 and 1995, six were remanufactured by Morrison-Knudsen Australia, at its Whyalla factory, receiving new cabs. [3] [4] [5]

In 2003, the Whyalla Steelworks became part of OneSteel and the rail operations transferred to Australian Railroad Group. The DEs were renumbered as the 1250 and 1300 classes. [6] With the split up of Australian Railroad Group in 2006, the four remaining rebuilt DE class transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia (later becoming One Rail Australia,) and were included in the sale of ORA's non-coal assets to Aurizon in 2022.

The sole unrebuilt G12 DE class, 1251 was transferred to QR National and was later sold to Apex Industrial, which exported the locomotive to South Africa in 2015. It is now stored as a parts source at African Rail & Traction Services, Cor Delfos, Pretoria.

During the 1990s remanufacturing program, DE02, the sole unrebuilt G8 DE class, had been stripped as a source of parts. In 2005-2006 it was rebuilt at Islington Railway Workshops for SCT Logistics for use in Parkes. As it was very similar to the Victorian Railways T class, it was renumbered T414. [7]

Status table

LocomotiveModelIn serviceOwnerStatusNotes
DE01 EMD G8 Oct 1956 Aurizon In serviceRebuilt as DE1 Feb 1994, renumbered 1301
DE02EMD G8Nov 1956 SCT Logistics In serviceRebuilt by Islington Railway Workshops as T414
DE03 EMD G12 Nov 1956AurizonIn serviceRebuilt as DE3 Sep 1994, renumbered 1302
DE04EMD G12Dec 1956Genesee & Wyoming AustraliaIn serviceRebuilt as DE4 Mar 1995, renumbered 1303
DE05EMD G12May 1957African Rail & Traction ServicesStoredRenumbered 1251
DE06EMD G12Aug 1957 BHP Scrapped Nov 1996
DE07EMD G12Jun 1961AurizonIn serviceRebuilt as DE7 Mar 1994, renumbered 1304
DE08EMD G12Nov 1965 Australian Railroad Group Scrapped Oct 2002Rebuilt as DE8 May 1994, destroyed in accident Apr 2002 [4]
DE09EMD G12Dec 1965Australian Railroad GroupScrapped Oct 2002Rebuilt as DE9 May 1993, destroyed in accident Apr 2002 [4]

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The Coffin Bay tramway was a 1,435 mm gauge railway located on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. Running for 40 kilometres from Coffin Bay to Billy Lights Point, Port Lincoln it was built and operated by BHP to carry lime sand for steelmaking at Whyalla, Port Kembla and Kwinana. Construction commenced in 1964 with the line opening in 1966.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. pp. 221, 222, 224. ISBN   0-730100-05-7.
  2. ↑ "Traffic" Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 754 August 2000 page 318
  3. ↑ "Morrison Knudsen Australia and the CLPs" Railway Digest June 1994 page 18
  4. 1 2 3 BHP / Onesteel / Arrium Whyalla Diesel Locomotives Minnipa Siding
  5. ↑ DE Class (BHP Whyalla) Railpage
  6. ↑ 1300 Class (ARG) Railpage
  7. ↑ T Class (T414) Railpage
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