New South Wales 421 Class
42103 and GM22 lead the AK cars from Yelta to Ouyen at Mildura. This was the first visit of a 421 class, or indeed any 'Candy' liveried locomotive to Mildura.
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Granville Serial number 65-468, 66-469 to 66-477 Model EMD AJ16C Build date 1965–1966 Total produced 10
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Wheel diameter 40 in (1,016 mm) Length Over headstocks: 57 ft 10 in (17.63 m), Over coupler pulling faces: 62 ft 0+3⁄4 in (18.92 m) Width 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) Height 13 ft 10+1⁄2 in (4.23 m) Axle load 18 long tons 0 cwt (40,300 lb or 18.3 t) Loco weight 108 long tons 0 cwt (241,900 lb or 109.7 t) Fuel type Diesel fuel Fuel capacity 1,200 imp gal (5,500 L; 1,400 US gal) Lubricant cap. 166 imp gal (750 L; 199 US gal) Coolant cap. 175 imp gal (800 L; 210 US gal) Sandbox cap. 12 cu ft (0.34 m3) Prime mover EMD 16-567C RPM range 275–835 Engine type Two-stroke V16 diesel Aspiration Roots blower Generator EMD D32F Traction motors 6 x EMD D67 Cylinders 16 Cylinder size 8.5 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 71 mph (114 km/h) Power output Gross: 1,800 hp (1,340 kW), For traction: 1,800 hp (1,340 kW) Tractive effort Continuous: 70,900 lbf (315.38 kN) at 6.9 mph (11.1 km/h)
Career Operators Department of Railways New South Wales Public Transport Commission State Rail Authority Northern Rivers Railroad Interail Aurizon Number in class 10 Numbers 42101–42110 Nicknames Rocking Horses First run December 1965 Preserved 42101, 42102, 42103, 42105 Current owner Aurizon The Heritage Locomotive Company Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum Private Owner Disposition 1 stored, 4 preserved, 5 scrapped

The 421 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Department of Railways New South Wales in 1965/66. These mainline locomotives were a follow on from the 42 class. The 421s retained the classic bulldog nose as with the other Clyde built GM and S locomotives at one end, but featured a flat-cab at the other end. In this respect, they are unique amongst bulldog nose locomotives in the world.

History

The 421 class initially entered service on the Main South line before being transferred to Bathurst in 1970 to operate services on the Main Western line between Lithgow and Broken Hill including the new Indian Pacific service. However, due to their poor ride quality, they were returned to the Main South. In 1982, they were briefly used on through services to Melbourne.^[1]

All 10 were withdrawn from service in December 1986 and January 1987 and put in store at Junee Locomotive Depot, even though some had only recently been overhauled.^[2] In June 1989, two were moved to Cardiff Locomotive Workshops.^[3] One was resurrected from July 1989 until January 1990 before most were offered for sale in 1990.^[4][5]

Four locomotives were purchased by Northern Rivers Railroad.^[6] After undergoing some restoration work at Junee in October 1996, they worked to their new base at Casino where the work was completed ready for the commencement of operations in October 1997.^[7] Northern Rivers Railroad used them to haul the Ritz Rail tourist rail service from Casino to Murwillumbah on the Murwillumbah line and various freight and infrastructure trains on the North Coast line as a sub-contractor to FreightCorp. Northern Rivers Railroad purchased 42106 from a private owner, and moved it from storage at the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere to Casino in September 1998.^[8]

All were included in the sale from Interail to QR National in March 2002,^[9][10] who regularly operated them as far south as Melbourne. Three were withdrawn and placed in store in January 2013 with one remaining in service.

Two have been preserved. In December 2009, 42101 was transferred from the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre to Eveleigh Railway Workshops for restoration by 3801 Limited.^[11] After being fitted with refurbished traction motors at Chullora Railway Workshops in October 2011, it returned to Eveleigh to be restored back to operational condition in March 2012.^[12] It undertook its first trials on Cowan Bank on the evening of 25 October 2014 and was repainted in its original Indian red livery by UGL Rail, Auburn in January 2015.^[13]

In January 2011, 42102 moved from storage on Kooragang Island to the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum.^[14][15]

In mid 2016, units 42109 and 42106 were scrapped by Aurizon. 42109 had been in storage since 2011 due to an engine fire and 42106 was part way through a conversion to run on pulverised coal, before the conversion was stopped and the unit sat stored for several years.

In late 2017, 42103 and 42105 were bought by a private owner for preservation. This locomotive was reactivated and made its first trip to Rothbury in December 2017. 42103's first trip after reactivation was working Lachlan Valley Railway's Blue Seude Express to Parkes with 4204 & 4716 in January 2018. Since then, it worked the Australia Day Flyer to Kiama and has been seen running light engine in numerous locations. It has now been affectionately named “Chumster”.^[16][17]

Fleet Status

References

Further reading

• New South Wales Rail System Locomotives. Sydney: Archives Section, State Rail Authority of New South Wales. 1984.

External links

• Media related to New South Wales 421 class locomotive at Wikimedia Commons
• Flickr gallery