South Australian Railways 900 class
| South Australian Railways 900 class | |
|---|---|
|
900 Lady Norrie | |
| Type and origin | |
| Power type | Diesel-electric |
| Builder | Islington Railway Workshops |
| Total produced | 10 |
| Specifications | |
| UIC classification | A1A-A1A |
| Gauge | 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) |
| Wheel diameter | 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in) |
| Length |
Over coupler pulling faces: 20.17 m (66 ft 2 in) |
| Axle load | 21.3 tonnes (20.96 long tons; 23.48 short tons) |
| Locomotive weight | 128 tonnes (125.98 long tons; 141.10 short tons) |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| Fuel capacity | 4,550 litres (1,000 imp gal; 1,200 US gal) |
| Prime mover | English Electric 16SVT |
| Engine type | Four-stroke V16 diesel |
| Aspiration | Turbocharged |
| Traction motors | 4 |
| Cylinders | 16 |
| Cylinder size | ? x ? |
| Performance figures | |
| Maximum speed | 119 km/h (74 mph) |
| Power output | Gross: 1,185 kW (1,590 hp) |
| Tractive effort |
Continuous: 151.00 kN (33,946 lbf) at 23.6 km/h (14.7 mph), Starting: 279.00 kN (62,722 lbf) |
| Career | |
| Operator(s) | South Australian Railways |
| Number in class | 10 |
| Number(s) | 900-909 |
| First run | 10 September 1951 |
| Last run | 18 June 1985 |
| Preserved | 900, 907, 909 |
| Disposition | 3 preserved, 7 scrapped |
The 900 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1951 and 1953.
History
The 900 class were the first main line 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 diesels, 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 Withdrawals commenced in May 1979[1] with the last two withdrawn on 18 June 1985 after operating a cement train from Angaston to Dry Creek.[2][3] Three have been preserved with the other seven scrapped.[4]
Preserved
Three units have been preserved:
- 900 Lady Norrie resides at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide[5]
- 907 resides in Tailem Bend under private ownership in derelict condition[6]
- 909 resides in Tailem Bend under private ownership being standard gauge converted[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850's - 1980's. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 190. ISBN 0 730100 05 7.
- ↑ "South Australia" Railway Digest August 1985 page 247
- ↑ Broad Gauge 900-class diesel locomotives Chris' Commonwealth Railway Pages
- ↑ 900 Class Railpage
- ↑ Lady Norrie National Railway Museum
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Tailem Bend Train Graveyard Weekend Notes 10 February 2013
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