New South Wales 49 class locomotive

The 49 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the New South Wales Department of Railways between 1960 and 1964.

New South Wales 49 class
4916 at Thirlmere in May 2010
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Granville Serial number 60-221 to 60-226 62-257 to 62-262 64-342 to 64-347 Model EMD G8C Build date 1960–1964 Total produced 18
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: 46 ft 3 in (14.10 m), Over coupler pulling faces: 50 ft 5 in (15.37 m) Width 9 ft 2 in (2.79 m) Height 13 ft 9 in (4.19 m) Axle load 13 long tons 6 cwt (29,800 lb or 13.5 t) Loco weight 80 long tons 0 cwt (179,200 lb or 81.3 t) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 690 imp gal (3,100 L; 830 US gal) Lubricant cap. 108 imp gal (490 L; 130 US gal) Coolant cap. 133 imp gal (600 L; 160 US gal) Sandbox cap. 12 cu ft (0.34 m3) Prime mover EMD 8-567C or 8-567CR RPM range 275–835 Engine type Two-stroke V8 diesel Aspiration Roots blower Generator EMD D25 Traction motors EMD D29, 6 of Cylinders 8 Cylinder size 8.5 in × 10 in (216 mm × 254 mm)
Performance figures Maximum speed 77 mph (124 km/h) Power output Gross: 950 hp (710 kW), For traction: 875 hp (650 kW) Tractive effort Continuous: 37,200 lbf (165.47 kN) at 6.3 mph (10.1 km/h)
Career Operators NSW Department of Railways Number in class 18 Numbers 4901–4918 First run 29 September 1960 Preserved 4903, 4906, 4916, 4918 Disposition 7 Operational, 5 Scrapped, 4 Preserved, 1 Stored, 1 Static

History

4908 when owned by 3801 Limited at Wagga Wagga in June 2006

The 49 class was ordered in three batches each of six locomotives. They entered service in the Western Region of New South Wales and hauled trains on all branchlines as well as mainlines west of Lithgow. They periodically travelled as far a field as Moree in the north-west and Cootamundra in the south-west.

Between July and November 1989, the whole class was transferred to Delec Locomotive Depot in Sydney. As well as metropolitan trip workings they were used on coal trains to Tahmoor on the Main South line. In January 1994, they began to operate on the Illawarra line to Bombo on ballast trains.

In June 1994, the Manildra Group leased 4907 from FreightCorp for use at its Gunnedah mill. Later in 1994, Manildra purchased 4907 along with 4913 and had them rebuilt by Clyde Engineering, Kelso with lower No.1 ends, the second being for use at their Manildra mill. To haul infrastructure trains in Victoria during the Melbourne-Adelaide railway standard gauge conversion project, 4903, 4912 and 4916 were leased to National Rail in late 1994.

In February 1995, the remaining examples still in service with FreightCorp were withdrawn. Most were returned to traffic later in 1995 before again being withdrawn in July 1997. In April 1998, 4910 was leased for seven months to Northern Rivers Railroad hauling services between Grafton and Murwillumbah.

By 1999, the 49s had begun to be sold with 3801 Limited, Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia, Consolidated Rail Leasing, Patrick Portlink and Southern Shorthaul Railroad among those to have operated them, with many having had more than one owner post FreightCorp. Northern Rivers Railroad purchased a number, although none entered service. They were either resold or stripped for spares with the bogies off some used to regauge Queensland Railways 1502 class locomotives when converted to the 423 class.

Today, Southern Shorthaul Railroad own and operate 4904, 4908, 4910, 4911 and 4917, as well as Manildra Group's MM02 (ex- 4913) being used on some grain trains. 4910 has been out of service following a level crossing collision at Rockview in 2023, between Junee and Marrar, during which it derailed and tipped over. It is currently stored at SSR's North Bendigo Workshops pending possible repairs.

4916 is owned by Transport Heritage NSW and can be regularly seen operating a variety of tourist trains around the state, or else stabled at the NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere.

Fleet status

NSW No	Serial No	Entered Service	Current/Last Owner	Livery	Status	Notes
4901	60-221	Sep 1960	Interail	Green & yellow	Scrapped
4902	60-222	Oct 1960	Private owner	Green & yellow	Scrapped	Was previously stored at Seymour Railway Heritage Centre but scrapped in 2014
4903	60-223	Nov 1960	Sydney Rail Services	Patrick Portlink red, yellow & black	Preserved, operational	ex Patrick Portlink ex Interail
4904	60-224	Dec 1960	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	SSR yellow & black	Operational	ex Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia
4905	60-225	Feb 1961	Traction Engineering	Traction Engineering orange	Static, Werris Creek
4906	60-226	Mar 1961	Lachlan Valley Railway	Patrick Portlink red, yellow & black	Preserved, operational	ex Patrick Portlink ex Interail
4907	62-257	Jun 1962	Manildra Group	Manildra blue & yellow	Operational	renumbered MM01
4908	62-258	Jul 1962	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	Greentrains green & yellow	Operational	ex Greentrains ex 3801 Limited
4909	62-259	Jul 1962	Interail	SRA candy	Scrapped
4910	62-260	Aug 1962	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	SSR yellow & black	Rebuilding Bendigo Workshops|ex Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia KL81
4911	62-261	Oct 1962	Consolidated Rail Leasing	CRL yellow, red & black	Operational	ex Manildra Group
4912	62-262	Nov 1962	Interail	SRA candy	Scrapped
4913	64-342	Jun 1964	Manildra Group	Manildra blue & yellow	Operational	renumbered MM02
4914	64-343	Jun 1964	Interail	SRA candy	Scrapped
4915	64-344	Jul 1964	State Rail Authority	Indian Red	Scrapped
4916	64-345	Aug 1964	Transport Heritage NSW	Tuscan	Preserved, operational
4917	64-346	Aug 1964	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	SSR yellow & black	Operational	ex Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia KL82
4918	64-347	Sep 1964	Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum	Tuscan	Preserved, operational

Further reading

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