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The Y class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways between 1963 and 1968.
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The Y class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways between 1963 and 1968.
In 1963, the first of 25 general purpose diesel-electric locomotives was delivered by Clyde Engineering. As a cost saving measure, they were built with bogies and motors retrieved from scrapped Swing Door electric suburban train sets; the re-use of these components reduced the unit cost of the Y class locomotive from around £52,000 ($104,000) to £40,000 ($80,000). [1] Two further orders saw the class total 75 by 1968.
Although built to dieselise Victoria's shunting operations and replace steam locomotives on branch line services, they were also used on mainline goods and passenger services, including between Spencer Street and Werribee. [2]
After closure of branch lines across the state and the end of short pick-up goods trains, use of the class dropped. [3]
In the 1980s, it is thought that four Y Class locomotives were on standard gauge, typically Nos 101–104.
Withdrawals commenced from 1985 and large-scale scrappings commenced during 1991 and 1992. [3]
After the mass-withdrawals of the Y fleet up to 1992, engines 101, 102, 104, 150 and 151 were on standard gauge, as 103 had been withdrawn in the late 1980s. Y101 followed in the early '90s after suffering a collision, but it was not directly replaced.
From 1995, under the newly formed V/Line Freight division, engines Y115, Y151, Y152 and Y169 were running trains on standard gauge, and locomotives Y124 and Y142 were confined to shunting at South Dynon. Within a few years Y150 had replaced Y115 on standard gauge, with the latter engine shifting to Ballarat as a yard pilot. Around the same time, Y169 replaced Y102, and Y152 replaced Y104. These two engines were stored at Newport workshops, then transferred to South Dynon's "rotten row" where they sat for about a decade.
Only two engines—Y152 and Y165—were repainted into the V/Line Freight scheme, which was essentially the same as previous with a new decal and a lighter grey.
The 1999 sale of V/Line Freight to Freight Victoria included engines 110, 113, 115, 118–119, 121–122, 138, 150–152, 157, 165, 169, 171 and 174. [4] Some of these were upgraded by 2002 using traction motors and gear sets cascaded from the Freight Australia A and X Class locomotive upgrades, permitting operation at 80 km/h. This required replacing the original plain whitemetal axle boxes; in the short term they were modified but eventually they were all replaced with custom units, obviating the need for fortnightly lubrication of the bearings. Air conditioning was also fitted. [5]
Today, four are in service with V/Line as carriage yard shunters and fitted with low speed controls, [6] with others owned by freight operator Pacific National. [7] [8] [9] Seventeen units are officially preserved, though only a handful of those are operational.
| Key: | In Service | Stored | Preserved | Scrapped | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locomotive | Entered service | Current status | Name | Owner(s) | Notes |
| Y101 (1st order) | Tuesday, 17 September 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y102 | Tuesday, 17 September 1963 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), SRHC (2015) | ||
| Y103 | Wednesday, 25 September 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y104 | Wednesday, 25 September 1963 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), SRHC (2015) | ||
| Y105 | Friday, 4 October 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y106 | Friday, 4 October 1963 | Scrapped – 1991 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y107 | Tuesday, 15 October 1963 | Scrapped – 1991 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y108 | Tuesday, 15 October 1963 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), 707 Operations (2015) | ||
| Y109 (as Y145) | Friday, 25 October 1963 | Preserved | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), 707 Operations (1996), [10] [11] El Zorro (2005), Yarra Valley Tourist Railway (2014) | ||
| Y110 | Friday, 25 October 1963 | Scrapped – 2011 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y111 | Wednesday, 6 November 1963 | Scrapped – 1991 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | As per all VR locos that ever carried the number "111" was known as "Lord Nelson" by Drivers and Fitters (1 x eye; 1 x arm; 1 x bottom). Had A7-EL Automatic Brake handle in cab (instead of No.4; Independent was a Westinghouse "W" type self lapping brake as per other Y class) but did NOT have full A7EL brake equipment. | |
| Y112 | Wednesday, 6 November 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y113 | Tuesday, 19 November 1963 | Scrapped – 2011 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y114 | Tuesday, 19 November 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y115 | Thursday, 28 November 1963 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), Ettamogah Rail Hub (2015) | ||
| Y116 | Thursday, 28 November 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y117 | Tuesday, 10 December 1963 | Scrapped – 1991 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y118 | Tuesday, 10 December 1963 | Scrapped – 2015 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y119 | Thursday, 19 December 1963 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), Ettamogah Rail Hub (2015) | Used as a shunter at SRHC. | |
| Y120 | Thursday, 19 December 1963 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y121 | Tuesday, 7 January 1964 | Scrapped – 2011 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y122 | Tuesday, 7 January 1964 | Scrapped – 2015 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y123 | Friday, 17 January 1964 | Scrapped – 1991 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | FIRST Diesel-Electric Commissioners' Locomotive. Only geared as standard for 40 M.P.H. / 65 km/h. Interior of cab painted non-standard plain white for Commissioners' Train use. Replaced steam locomotive D3 639 (really D3 658) until arrival of 60 M.P.H. geared Y 175 in August 1968. Commissioners' Driver at change-over from steam to diesel was Tommy Donnelly. | |
| Y124 | Friday, 17 January 1964 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y125 | Monday, 10 February 1964 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), DERMPAV (2015) | ||
| Y126 (2nd order) | Tuesday, 4 May 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y127 | Tuesday, 4 May 1965 | Preserved – Operational | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), 707 Operations (????) | Repainted into V/Line orange & grey 2021 | |
| Y128 | Saturday, 22 May 1965 | Scrapped – 1988 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y129 | Saturday, 22 May 1965 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), V/Line Passenger (1995) | PTV livery. Southern Cross and Geelong Yard pilot | |
| Y130 | Saturday, 22 May 1965 | Scrapped – 2011 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y131 | Friday, 4 June 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y132 | Friday, 4 June 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y133 | Thursday, 17 June 1965 | Preserved – Operational | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), VicTrack Heritage (????). | Allocated to the Victorian Goldfields Railway | |
| Y134 | Thursday, 17 June 1965 | In Service | Yoda (unofficial) | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), Progress-Rail Cardiff | Was EDi / Downer pilot at Cardiff. Now Progress Rail pilot at Cardiff, not used, in storage. |
| Y135 | Sunday, 27 June 1965 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), South Gippsland Railway (????), Yarra Valley Railway (2016) [12] | ||
| Y136 | Sunday, 27 June 1965 | In Service | James W Ryan (preserved) | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), EDI-Rail (????) | Newport Workshops pilot |
| Y137 | Saturday, 10 July 1965 | Preserved – Static | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), VicTrack Heritage (????) | Allocated to Newport Railway Museum | |
| Y138 | Saturday, 10 July 1965 | Scrapped – 2011 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y139 | Wednesday, 21 July 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y140 | Wednesday, 21 July 1965 | Scrapped – 1996 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y141 | Saturday, 31 July 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y142 | Saturday, 31 July 1965 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), ERH (201?) | Leased to the VGR IN 2019. | |
| Y143 | Thursday, 12 August 1965 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), 707 Operations (2015) | ||
| Y144 | Thursday, 12 August 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y145 | Thursday, 26 August 1965 | Scrapped – 2014 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983); Great Northern Rail Services (1994 – frame only), El Zorro (2003) | ||
| Y146 | Thursday, 26 August 1965 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y147 | Thursday, 16 September 1965 | In Service | Leased to the VGR IN 2019. | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), ERH (201?) | |
| Y148 | Thursday, 16 September 1965 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), BlueScope Steel (????) | Long Island pilot | |
| Y149 | Saturday, 2 October 1965 | Scrapped – 1996 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y150 | Saturday, 2 October 1965 | Scrapped – 2011 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004) | ||
| Y151 (3rd order) | Thursday, 21 December 1967 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), Ettamogah Rail Hub (2015) | ||
| Y152 | Thursday, 21 December 1967 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), VicTrack Heritage (2009) | Stored Seymour. | |
| Y153 | Saturday, 13 January 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y154 | Saturday, 13 January 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y155 | Wednesday, 31 January 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y156 | Friday, 23 February 1968 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), V/Line Passenger (1995) | PTV livery. Southern Cross and Geelong yard pilot | |
| Y157 | Wednesday, 28 February 1968 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), ERH (201?) | Used as a shunter at SSR Bendigo Workshops. Leased to the VGR IN 2019. | |
| Y158 | Thursday, 14 March 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y159 | Thursday, 14 March 1968 | Preserved – Operational | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), Daylesford Spa Country Railway (????) | ||
| Y160 | Wednesday, 3 April 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y161 | Wednesday, 3 April 1968 | In Service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), V/Line Passenger (1995) | PTV Livery. based at Southern Cross or Geelong Yards as yard pilot | |
| Y162 | Saturday, 27 April 1968 | Scrapped – 1988 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y163 | Saturday, 27 April 1968 | In service | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), V/Line Passenger (1995) | PTV Livery. Southern Cross and Geelong Yard Pilot | |
| Y164 | Saturday, 18 May 1968 | Preserved – Operational | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), VicTrack Heritage (1991) | Allocated to Steamrail Victoria. Currently Newport Workshops West Block pilot. | |
| Y165 | Saturday, 18 May 1968 | Scrapped (Jan 2020) | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004–2020) | ||
| Y166 | Wednesday, 5 June 1968 | Scrapped – 1991 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y167 | Wednesday, 5 June 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y168 | Tuesday, 18 June 1968 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), DERMPAV (????) | ||
| Y169 | Tuesday, 18 June 1968 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), Ettamogah Rail Hub (2015) | ||
| Y170 | Saturday, 13 July 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y171 | Saturday, 13 July 1968 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), Ettamogah Rail Hub (2015) | ||
| Y172 | Thursday, 25 July 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983) | ||
| Y173 | Thursday, 25 July 1968 | Scrapped – 1996 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), Australian Paper Mills (may have been leased only; was painted yellow) | ||
| Y174 | Thursday, 8 August 1968 | Stored | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983), FV/FA (1999/2000), PN (2004), Ettamogah Rail Hub (2015) | ||
| Y175 | Thursday, 8 August 1968 | Scrapped – 1992 | VR (Built), VicRail (1976), V/Line (1983). | Downgraded to "standard" Y class 65 km/h gearing circa 1980 when T class locomotives (399, 400, 403, 406, 410) took over Commissioners' Train role. Was only Y fitted with a 64 Volt power outlet (above main reservoir on Driver's side) for powering batteries on Norman Car on Commissioners' Train overnight). |
A switcher locomotive or shunter locomotive, is a small locomotive used for maneuvering railway vehicles over short distances. Switchers do not usually move trains over long distances, instead they typically assemble trains in order for another locomotive to take over. Switchers often operate in a railyard or make short transfer runs. They may serve as the primary motive power on short branch lines or switching and terminal railroads.
Rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. The network consists of 2,357 km of Victorian broad gauge lines, and 1,912 km of standard gauge freight and interstate lines; the latter increasing with gauge conversion of the former. Historically, a few experimental 762 mm gauge lines were built, along with various private logging, mining and industrial railways. The rail network radiates from the state capital, Melbourne, with main interstate links to Sydney and to Adelaide, as well as major lines running to regional centres, upgraded as part of the Regional Fast Rail project.
The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations. Most of the lines operated by the Victorian Railways were of 5 ft 3 in. However, the railways also operated up to five 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge lines between 1898 and 1962, and a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 instandard gauge line between Albury and Melbourne from 1961.
The F Class are a class of diesel locomotive shunters built by Dick Kerr Works for the Victorian Railways between 1951 and 1953. They are similar to the British Rail Class 11 and NS Class 600 shunting locomotives also built by English Electric during this period, but modified for use on the VR's 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge.
The National Rail Corporation was an Australian rail operator established by the Federal, New South Wales and Victorian governments in February 1992. In February 2002, National Rail was sold to a Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings consortium and rebranded Pacific National.
The Victorian Railways X class was a mainline goods locomotive of the 2-8-2 'Mikado' type operated by the Victorian Railways (VR) between 1929 and 1960. They were the most powerful goods locomotive on the VR, aside from the single H class, H220, which was confined to the North East line, until the advent of diesel-electric traction, and operated over the key Bendigo, Wodonga, and Gippsland mainlines.
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 R class was an express passenger steam locomotive that ran on Australia's Victorian Railways (VR) from 1951 to 1974. A long overdue replacement for the 1907-era A2 class 4-6-0, their development and construction was repeatedly delayed due to financial constraints caused by the Great Depression and later the manpower and materials shortages of World War II and the immediate postwar period.
The Victorian Railways J class was a branch line steam locomotive operated by the Victorian Railways (VR) between 1954 and 1972. A development of the successful Victorian Railways K class 2-8-0, it was the last new class of steam locomotive introduced on the VR. Introduced almost concurrently with the diesel-electric locomotives that ultimately superseded them, the locomotives were only in service for a relatively short time.
The N Class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Somerton for V/Line between 1985 and 1987.
The A class are a class of diesel locomotives rebuilt from Victorian Railways B class locomotives by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater in South Australia for V/Line in 1984–1985.
The B class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways in 1952–1953. Ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways, they initiated the dieselisation of the system and saw use on both passenger and freight services, with many remaining in service today, both in preserved and revenue service. Some were rebuilt as the V/Line A class, while others have been scrapped.
The C Class are a class of diesel locomotive built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater for the Victorian Railways in 1977–1978.
The H class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways in 1968–1969.
The S class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways between 1957 and 1961.
The X class are a class of mainline diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville and Rosewater for the Victorian Railways between 1966 and 1976.
The G Class are a class of diesel locomotive built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater and Somerton for V/Line between 1984 and 1989.
The Victorian Railways E class was a class of electric locomotive that ran on the Victorian Railways (VR) from 1923 until 1984. Introduced shortly after the electrification of the suburban rail system in Melbourne, Australia, and based on the same electrical and traction equipment as Melbourne's early suburban electric multiple unit fleet, they provided power for suburban goods services and shunting for six decades.
The W class are a diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotive ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways of Australia.
South Dynon Locomotive Depot is an Australian locomotive depot in Melbourne, purpose built for the servicing of diesel and electric locomotives by the Victorian Railways opening in July 1961.
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