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The 900 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1951 and 1953.
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The 900 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1951 and 1953.
The 900 class were the first mainline diesels operated by the South Australian Railways. Ten were built at Islington Railway Workshops to replace steam locomotives on the heavily graded Mount Lofty Ranges. They operated both heavy freight trains and passenger services including The Overland . After the arrival of more powerful diesel, they were concentrated on the easier-graded lines from Adelaide to Port Pirie and Peterborough. [1]
In March 1978, all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. Withdrawals commenced in May 1979 [1] with the last two withdrawn on 18 June 1985 after operating a cement train from Angaston to Dry Creek. [2] [3] Three have been preserved with the other seven scrapped. [4]
Three units have been preserved:
Tailem Bend is a rural town in South Australia, 85 kilometres south-east of the state capital of Adelaide. It is located on the lower reaches of the River Murray, near where the river flows into Lake Alexandrina. It is linear in layout since it is constrained by river cliffs on its western side and the Adelaide–Melbourne railway line is dominant on its eastern side. The town grew and consolidated through being a large railway centre between the 1890s and 1990s; now it continues to service regional rural communities. In the 2021 census, Tailem Bend and the surrounding area had a population of 1,705.
The Overland is an interstate passenger train service in Australia, travelling between the state capitals of Melbourne and Adelaide, a distance of 828 km (515 mi). It first ran in 1887 as the Adelaide Express, known by South Australians as the Melbourne Express. It was given its current name in 1936. Now operated by private company Journey Beyond, the train undertakes two return trips a week. Originally an overnight train that stopped at large intermediate stations, it now operates during the day, stopping less frequently.
South Australian Railways (SAR) was the statutory corporation through which the Government of South Australia built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 until March 1978, when its non-urban railways were incorporated into Australian National, and its Adelaide urban lines were transferred to the State Transport Authority.
The N class was a branch line steam locomotive that ran on the Victorian Railways (VR) from 1925 to 1966. A development of the successful K class 2-8-0, it was the first VR locomotive class designed for possible conversion from 5 ft 3 in to 4 ft 8+1⁄2 instandard gauge.
The South Australian Railways 620 class was a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
The South Australian Railways 520 class, also known as "The Whispering Giants", is a class of streamliner 4-8-4 'Northern' type steam locomotive operated by the former South Australian Railways. The 520 class is one of the fastest Australian-built steam locomotives, with engine 520 holding a verified speed record of over 78mph on the Port Pirie line on the 10th of November, 1943.
The C Class are a class of diesel locomotive built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater for the Victorian Railways in 1977–1978.
The Eyre Peninsula Railway is a 1,067 mm gauge railway on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. Radiating out from the ports at Port Lincoln and Thevenard, it is isolated from the rest of the South Australian railway network. It peaked at 777 kilometres in 1950; today only a 60 kilometre section remains open. It is currently operated by Aurizon.
The 830 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the South Australian Railways between 1959 and 1966. The New South Wales 48 class and Silverton Rail 48s class are of a very similar design.
The South Australian Railways 930 class was a class of diesel-electric locomotives built for the South Australian Railways between 1955 and 1967 by AE Goodwin, Auburn, New South Wales, the Australian licensee of the American Locomotive Company (Alco). Based on the Alco DL500B World series model, they were fitted with Alco 12-251B four-stroke V12 turbocharged diesel engines that developed 1600 horsepower for traction. The first six of the class had a driving cab at one end only; the remaining 31 locomotives had two. The latter series, up-rated, were the basis of the almost identical New South Wales 44 class, of which 100 were built from 1957.
The 500 class were a class of South Australian Railways diesel shunter locomotives built at Islington Railway Workshops between 1964 and 1969.
The Silverton Tramway 48s class are a class of diesel locomotives built by AE Goodwin, Auburn for the Silverton Tramway in 1960–1961. The State Rail Authority 48 class and South Australian Railways 830 class are of a very similar design.
The 700 class is a class of six diesel-electric locomotives based on the Alco DL500G model, built by AE Goodwin, Auburn, New South Wales for the South Australian Railways. They are virtually identical to the New South Wales 442 class locomotive.
The Bluebird railcars were a class of self-propelled diesel-hydraulic railcar built by the South Australian Railways' Islington Railway Workshops between 1954 and 1959.
The South Australian Railways T class was a class of seventy-eight 1067 mm narrow-gauge 4-8-0 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways. Several were sold to the Tasmanian Government Railways; some others operated on the Commonwealth Railways. Four were converted to operate on 1600 mm broad-gauge lines.
The South Australian Railways 700 class was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
The South Australian Railways 710 class was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways.
The South Australian Railways R class engine, later upgraded to Rx Class engine is a class of 4-6-0 steam engines operated by the South Australian Railways.
Between 1936 and 1942, South Australian Railways built 36 steel carriages at its Islington Railway Workshops. All were painted cream and green being repainted maroon and silver in the 1960s. Aside from a few written off after accidents, all passed to Australian National in March 1978.
Eighteen South Australian Railways K class (broad-gauge) locomotives were built by Beyer, Peacock and Company for the South Australian Railways (SAR) between 1878 and 1884. They had a fundamental design flaw that affected their original role as light-line passenger locomotives, relegating them eventually to shunting duties exclusively. They operated for six decades.
English Electric brochure TD120 https://www.flickr.com/photos/29903115@N06/6747430491
