Victorian Railways B class

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Victorian Railways B Class
Victorian Railways B Class
B74 as preserved by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre leading the 70th anniversary Spirit of Progress
Power type Diesel Electric
Builder Clyde Engineering
Granville, New South Wales
Model ML2
Build date 1951 - 1953
Total production 26
Gauge Broad (1600 mm, 5 ft 3 inch)
Length 18.70 m
Locomotive weight 114.00 tonne
Engine type EMD 16-567BC
Generator EMD D12
Traction motors EMD D27
Top speed 133 km/h (82.64 mi/h)
Power output 1,200 kW (1,630 hp)
Tractive effort Starting: 267 kN
Continuous: 178 kN at 18 km/h
Career 1952 -
Class B
Number in class 26
11 units rebuilt as A class
Number B60 - B85
Units B60, B62, B66 ,B70, B71, B73, B77, B78, B79, B81, B85 converted to A class
Locale Victoria
Delivered 1951
First run 14 July 1952
Retired Progressively from 1982
Preserved 5
In Service: B61, B65, B76
Preserved: B74, B83
Under Restoration: B72, B75
Stored: B63, B64, B80
Scrapped Progressively from 1982
Current owner Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia
Southern Railroad
Steamrail Victoria
SRHC
ARHS
(Private Owners)

The Victorian Railways B class was the first mainline diesel-electric locomotives in Victoria, Australia when they entered service in 1952.[1]

With two cabs and bulldog noses, the class remained in use until the mid 80s to early 90s with 11 of them being rebuilt into the A class in the early 1980s as part of the 'New Deal' reforms of passenger rail operations in Victoria. The remainder were retired by V/Line with the introduction of new locomotives, with a number purchased by West Coast Railway.

The existing locomotives in commercial use have been refurbished by Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and returned to service on standard gauge in New South Wales. B74 is the only locomotive in the custody of a preservation group in operation.

Class leader B60 beside one of the S class steam locomotives it replaced

B69 leading the Spirit of Progress in 1953

B76 now owned by Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia.

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Victorian Railways B class locomotive disposition
No. Name Entered service Withdrawn Current status km Owner
B60 Harold W Clapp 14 July 1952 11 February 1983 Converted - September 7, 1984 5,669,690 Victorian Railways
B61 18 August, 1952 In Service Southern Shorthaul Railroad
B62 8 September, 1952 28 October, 1983 Converted - July 17, 1984 5,541,730 Victorian Railways
B63 7 October, 1952 2 June 1988 Stored 5,918,480 Steamrail Victoria
B64 27 October, 1952 6 September 1992 Stored 5,989,509 Steamrail Victoria
B65 17 November, 1952 N/A In service Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia
B66 8 December, 1952 11 May, 1984 Converted - March 22, 1985 5,169,500 Victorian Railways
B67 22 December, 1952 18 October 1985 Scrapped - April, 1988 5,217,740 V/Line
B68 2 February 1953 19 November, 1985 Scrapped - April, 1988 5,283,950 V/Line
B69 2 February, 1953 May 1988 Scrapped - June, 1992 V/Line
B70 23 March, 1953 3 June, 1984 Converted - May 10, 1985 4,967,250 Victorian Railways
B71 13 April, 1953 July, 1982 Converted - March 20, 1984 4,754,520 Victorian Railways
B72 4 May, 1953 1 February, 1986 Under Restoration Steamrail Victoria
B73 25 May, 1953 17 November 1981 Converted - March 20, 1984 4,575,930 Victorian Railways
B74 J A Hearsch 15 June, 1953 May, 1988 Preserved - Operational Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
B75 6 July, 1953 October, 1992 Under Restoration Privately Owned
B76 27 July, 1953 In Service Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia
B77 17 August, 1953 17 September, 1982 Converted - May 17, 1984 4,808,610 Victorian Railways
B78 7 September, 1953 29 February, 1984 Converted - December 21, 1984 4,853,800 Victorian Railways
B79 28 September, 1953 18 June, 1984 Converted - June 22, 1985 4,992,440 Victorian Railways
B80 9 October, 1953 N/A Stored Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia
B81 9 November, 1953 15 August, 1984 Converted - August 15, 1985 4,944,760 V/Line
B82 30 November, 1953 23 May, 1988 Scrapped - August, 1996 V/Line
B83 21 December, 1953 May, 1988 Preserved - Static ARHS Victoria
B84 18 January 1954 23 May, 1988 Scrapped - May, 1992 V/Line
B85 22 February, 1954 13 March, 1983 Converted - June 5, 1984 4,610,040 Victorian Railways

[edit] References

  1. ^ Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN 0 949817 76 7. 
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