Commonwealth Railways D class

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Commonwealth Railways D Class
NSWGR Locomotive Q.158.jpg
A Commonwealth Railways D Class, as a NSWGR Q.158 class in its rebuilt tender form.
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder Beyer, Peacock and Company
Serial number1909–1914
Build date1880
Total produced6
Rebuild date1910
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-4-0T (as built)
4-4-0 (rebuilt)
   UIC 2′B n2
Gauge 4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
Driver dia.5 ft 0+12 in (1,537 mm)
Length46 ft 6 in (14,173 mm)
Loco weight58 long tons 18 cwt (59.8 t)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity4 long tons 10 cwt (4.6 t)
Water cap.2,000 imp gal (9,100 L; 2,400 US gal)
Firebox:
  Grate area14.75 sq ft (1.370 m2)
Boiler pressure150 lbf/in2 (1.03 MPa)
Cylinders Two, inside
Cylinder size 16 in × 24 in (406 mm × 610 mm)
Valve gear Stephenson
Performance figures
Tractive effort 12,290 lbf (54.67 kN)
Career
Operators New South Wales Government Railways (until 1913)
Commonwealth Railways (from 1912)
Delivered1880 (NSWGR)
October 1912 (CR)
Withdrawn1921–1943
Scrapped1958–1959
DispositionAll scrapped

The Commonwealth Railways D class were a class of 4-4-0 construction and shunting locomotives built in 1880 by Beyer, Peacock and Company originally for the New South Wales Government Railways as their Q.158 class, and later the Commonwealth Railways.

Contents

History

A Q.158 class in its original tank engine form. NSWGR Locomotive Q158.jpg
A Q.158 class in its original tank engine form.

Construction started on a new line which went from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta; however a need for more motive power was required and so the New South Wales Government Railways started negotiating with the Commonwealth Railways. The NSWGR had introduced their Q Class in 1880 originally as 4-4-0 side tank engines but due to excessive axle loads they were converted by the NSWGR into tender engines with 6 wheel tenders. There were 6 of them bought originally for suburban passenger work they were now surplus to requirements. So the Commonwealth Railways purchased 4 locomotives in October 1912 at the cost of £4,700. The remaining 2 were purchased soon after. All six locomotives were given automatic couplers prior to entering service but all retained their original NSWGR number. They were also reclassed as 'D'. In 1913 and 1914 the class had many problems with cracking gauge glasses and tubes blowing which slowed the progress of the construction of the Trans-Australian Line. Many more problems followed such as broken stays, side rod brasses, axle box brasses and the need for many of the class to be re-tubed this resulted in most of that class spending a lot of time in the workshops at Port Augusta. When the G/GA class was introduced the D class were relegated to shunting duties. [1]

Withdrawal

In the 1920s, all the D class were withdrawn but not scrapped except for D162, which was withdrawn in July 1943. The D class started being scrapped in 1958, with the last D class number 163 being scrapped on 26 March 1959. [1]

Class list

NSW / CR
number
BP
Works
number
In serviceWithdrawnNotes
15819098 July 19131926
159191014 June 19131921
160191121 April 19131926
161191214 June 19131926
162191314 June 1913July 1943
16319146 May 1913July 1926

References

  1. 1 2 Fluck, Ron; Marshall, Barry; John, Wilson (1996). Locomotives and Railcars of the Commonwealth Railways. Welland, South Australia: Gresley Publications. pp. 22–23. ISBN   1876216018.