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Broken Hill Proprietary Company

Narrow Gauge

 

Class operators: Broken Hill Proprietary Company

Condition: Fair

Entered service: October 1928

Entered the museum: 1999

Length (over coupling points): 28’ (8.53m)

Number in class: 8

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd

Total Weight: 25 tons (25.50 tonnes)

Wheel Arrangement: Bo-Bo

Withdrawn: 12 July 1968

 

This electric locomotive was the first of eight operated by the Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited on two little known quarry railways, at Iron Knob and Iron Monarch in the north of South Australia and at Rapid Bay, south of Adelaide.

All of these locomotives were 3’6’’ gauge (1067mm), weighed 25 tons, and operated from 600 volts direct current.

Introduced at the iron stone quarries at Iron Knob in 1928, the three original locomotives E1-E3 built by Metropolitan Vickers Electrical Co. Ltd. of Manchester and Sheffield, England were joined by a fourth locomotive, E4, from the same manufacturer in 1935. These locomotives were used at Iron Knob to haul ore wagons from the quarry face to the crusher at the Iron Monarch quarries.

During the Second World War, the company commenced quarrying for limestone at Rapid Bay and two similar locomotives, E5 and E6, were subsequently supplied to the original design by Perry Engineering Co. Ltd. of Mile End, South Australia in 1942. This company built another two locomotives, E7 and E8, to work at Iron Knob and Iron Monarch in 1954.

Two methods of current collection were used on these vehicles. In the quarries where the wagons were loaded by overhead shovels, side bow collectors were used whilst a conventional pantograph was used on the main line to the crusher.

The locomotives were usually operated in pairs and hauled ten 25 ton ore wagons between them. They were powered by four 35 horsepower motors and geared down to a maximum speed of 11 miles per hour.

After the company replaced the railway systems in its quarries with road transport most of the locomotives were cut up for scrap. No. E1 was withdrawn from service on 12 July 1968 and donated to the Tramway Museum at St. Kilda, South Australia by BHP.

It was transferred to the National Railway Museum in 1999.

Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Broad Gauge

 

Class operators: State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide/Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Model: 2100 Class

Built by: Comeng

Number in class: 18

Number series: 2101 to 2118

Height: 4.27m

Length (over coupling points): 25.5m

Width: 3.18m

Total Weight: 42 tonnes (39 to 41 long tons; 44 to 46 short tons) empty

Entered service: 17th November 1980

Maximum Speed: 140 km/h (87 mph) (conservative) but limited to 90 km/h (56 mph) in service

Provenance: DPTI

Seating capacity: Passenger seating capacity: 98 (90 in 2112)

Withdrawn: August 2015

Condemned: August 2015

Entered the museum: 10th July 2016

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

 

The 2000 - 2100 class are diesel hydraulic railcars and trailers that were built for the then State Transport Authority (STA) by Comeng, for use on the Adelaide metropolitan rail network. The 2000- 2100 class railcars were the first modern suburban railcars in South Australia and the second in Australia to feature air conditioning, semi-automatic side doors and a PA address system. They were also the last diesel hydraulic railcars built for a railway operating in South Australia.

The stainless steel body shell of the 2000 - 2100 class railcars was based on the American Budd SPV-2000, Metroliner and Amfleet car designs. The body shells were built by Comeng, in Granville New South Wales, and were railed to the Adelaide plant at Dry Creek for fitting out internally, except for cars 2001 and 2101 which were completed in New South Wales. The first two trailer cars 2101 and 2102 entered service on the 22nd of February 1980, with the last trailer car 2118 entering service on the 18th of August 1981.

The class was dubbed ‘Supertrains’ by the media and the general public but most railway staff and railway enthusiasts were quick to give them their more iconic nickname ‘Jumbos’. The 2000 - 2100 class railcars earnt this nickname due to their unique raised driving cab, which was very similar in principle to a Boeing 747 Jumbo aircraft.

The 18 2100 class trailer cars have to be operated with a power car, as they are not fitted with diesel motors or any source of electrical power. They were usually operated in two-car set (power car-trailer car) or three-car set (trailer car-power car-trailer car) configurations.

In the mid to late 2000s three 2100 class trailer cars (2103, 2112 and 2116) were refurbished internally and mechanically. From 2010 onwards a large percentage of the 2100 class trailer cars received the new Adelaide Metro Livery.

In February 2014 the 2000 and 2100 class railcars were no longer permitted to operate on the Belair and Seaford lines due to clearances as a result of the electrification of the Seaford line. The 2000-2100 class railcars were retired in August 2015 and were sent to scrap in June 2016, with two power cars and two trailers being preserved.

Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Broad Gauge

 

Class operators: State Transport Authority/TransAdelaide/Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure

Model: 2000 Class

Built by: Comeng

Number in class: 12

Number series: 2001 to 2012

Height: 4.27m

Length (over coupling points): 25.5m

Width: 3.18m

Engine type: 2x turbocharged Cummins six cylinder underfloor diesel engines

Horsepower: 390 kW (520 horsepower) per engine

Total Weight: 68 tonnes (67 long tons; 75 short tons)

Entered service: 17th November 1980

Maximum Speed: 140 km/h (87 mph) (conservative) but limited to 90 km/h (56 mph) in service

Provenance: DPTI

Seating capacity: 64

Withdrawn: August 2015

Condemned: August 2015

Entered the museum: 10th July 2016

Condition: Excellent

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

 

The 2000 - 2100 class are diesel hydraulic railcars and trailer cars that were built for the then State Transport Authority (STA) by Comeng, for use on the Adelaide metropolitan rail network. The 2000- 2100 class railcars were the first modern suburban railcars in South Australia, and the second in Australia to feature air conditioning, semi-automatic side doors and a PA address system. They were also the last diesel hydraulic type railcars built for a railway operating in South Australia.

The stainless steel body shell of the 2000 - 2100 class railcars was based on the American Budd SPV-2000, Metroliner and Amfleet car designs. The body shells were built by Comeng, in Granville New South Wales, and were railed to their Adelaide plant at Dry Creek for fitting out internally, except for prototype cars 2001 and 2101 which were completed in New South Wales.

The first power car (2001) entered service on the 22nd February 1980 and the last power car (2012) entered service on the 18th August 1981.

The class was dubbed ‘Supertrains’ by the media and the general public, but most railway staff and railway enthusiasts were quick to give them their more iconic nickname ‘Jumbos’. The 2000 - 2100 class railcars earnt this nickname due to their unique raised driving cab, which was very similar in principle to a Boeing 747 Jumbo aircraft.

The 12 2000 class power cars were originally built with two V12 MAN turbocharged diesel engines. These original diesel engines proved to be poor performers and were replaced by two Cummins turbocharged six cylinder diesel engines. The railcars were usually operated a two-car set (power car-trailer car) or three-car set (trailer car-power car-trailer car) configurations.

In the mid to late 2000s two 2000 class power cars (2003 and 2006) were refurbished internally and mechanically. From 2010 onwards a large percentage of the 2000 class power cars received the new Adelaide Metro Livery. In February 2014 the 2000 and 2100 railcars were no longer permitted to operate on the Belair and Seaford lines due to electrification of that part of the system. They were formally retired in August 2015. Two power cars and two trailers were preserved, with the remainder of the fleet being scrapped in June 2016.

2000 class power car 2006 entered service on the 17th November 1980 and was withdrawn from service in 2015. During 2007 power car 2006 was refurbished inside and out, and was one of two power cars to be so treated. In June 2016 the Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) kindly donated cars 2006 and 2112 to the Museum.

Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Standard Gauge

 

Class operators: Australian National Railways/Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Built by: Toyota Motor Corporation/Aries Rail

Condition: Very Good

Entered service: 1996 / 1997

Withdrawn: December 2016

Entered the museum: 07.12.2016

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

 

A hi-rail vehicle is basically a road vehicle that can operate on rail track and road. Hi-rail is an amalgam of the words Highway and Railway.

Hi-rail vehicles are converted road vehicles, which retain their normal road wheels, but are fitted with additional flanged steel wheels for running on rails. Propulsion is transferred to the head of the rail through the conventional road tyres with the rail wheels used to guide the vehicle along the track. The rail wheels can be lowered or raised by hydraulics, to suit the method needed.

This particular vehicle was built by the Toyota Motor Corporation in its Honsha plant, Japan in 1996 and exported to Australia. Upon entering Australia the vehicle was purchased by Australian National Railways and was converted to a hi-rail, and was used for track inspections.

With the sale of Australian National Railways in 1997, ownership of this vehicle was transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia. Between 2001 and 2004 this vehicle was used for inspections during the construction of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway. Between 2004 and 2016 this vehicle was used around Genesee & Wyoming Australia’s broad and standard gauge tracks in South Australia.

In December 2016 this vehicle was retired by Genesee & Wyoming Australia and generously donated to the NRM.

Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Broad Gauge

 

Class operators: South Australian Railways/Australian National Railways/Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Bogie centres: 6.25

Built by: SAR Islington Railway Workshops

Condition: Good

Cylinders: 4 in line

Designer: SAR Islington

Engine type: English Electric Model 4 SRKT

Entered service: 23.02.1967

Entered the museum: 2013

Fuel capacity: 3180 Litres

Gear Ratio: 72:15

Height: 3.98 meters

Class Builders: SAR Islington Railway Workshops

Horsepower: 500hp

Length (over coupling points): 12.6 meters

Maximum Axle Load: 14.2t

Maximum Speed: 64 kmph

Model: 500 Class

Number in class: 34

Number series: 500 - 533

Ownership: Port Dock Station Railway Trust

Provenance: Genesee and Wyoming Australia

Total Weight: 56.8t

Traction Motors: 4

Tractive Effort (continuous): 133 kn at 6 km /h

Tractive Effort (starting): 139 kn

Wheel Arrangement: Bo-Bo

Width: 2.84 meters

Condemmed: 19 December 2013

Withdrawn: 19 December 2013

Mileage: 203,312 KM

 

The 500-class locomotives became the South Australian Railways shunting locomotives. Thirty-four were built at the Islington Workshops between 1964 and 1969 using English Electric engines and electrical components, and could be found working over virtually all of the broad and standard gauge systems.

Rated at 500 horsepower they proved ideal for use at smaller depots and over the lighter plant found on many branch lines. As their allocation to various depots proceeded they displaced more and more of the older steam locomotives, particularly the F and Rx classes, resulting in their removal from the SAR roster.

The 500s were quite distinctive machines, their most outstanding features being their roof-mounted bells and distinctive cabs, reminiscent of those on some steam locomotives.

Locomotive 517 was donated to the Museum by Genesee & Wyoming Australia in 2013, and will take over the role as broad gauge shunter at the Museum.

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