New South Wales Railways

42 Class

• 4201-4206 (6 units) built 1951-1952
• Model A7, 1,435mm-gauge, Co-Co diesel-electric, 1,600hp

During the mid-1950s the NSW Government Railways was still finding its way in terms of dieselisation of its network, and so invested in a number of small locomotive orders to try out different products. The six 42 Class were delivered into this climate, and while broadly similar to the GM12 Class locomotives that were then also being delivered by Clyde Engineering to the Commonwealth Railways, they were somewhat heavier at 120 tons versus the GM’s 114. They eventually came to call home the Main South and South Coast lines working passenger and goods loadings, however in 1976 they were banned from leading trains due to the condition of their crew cabs. 4201 was later upgraded to enable it to lead once again, however all six were displaced during the mid-1980s by the arrival of the 3,000hp 81 Class locomotives.

• 4201 – Transport Heritage NSW (preserved operational)
• 4203 – O'Donoghues, Emu Plains (formerly on display - removed and possibly scrapped)
• 4204 – Lachlan Valley Railway (stored awaiting repair)
• 4206 – Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum (stored at Dorrigo)
• 4202, 4205 – Scrapped

43 Class

• 4301-4306 (6 units) built 1956-1957
• Model UM-118T, 1,435mm-gauge, Co-Co diesel-electric, 1,600hp

The result of interesting industry partnerships, the six 43 Class were another of the NSW Government Railways tentative ‘diesel try out’ buys during the mid-1950s, but what made them really interesting was their pedigree. These were a General Electric model (built by A Goninan & Company), powered by an ALCo 244 engine. They were based on the1954-built UM20 four-unit demonstrator set of four locomotives that was ultimately leased to the Erie Railroad before being later sold to Union Pacific. The UM20 didn’t make it out of the 1960s but the 43s managed to enjoy stints on all major mainlines, even if they were few crews first choice to drive, before they were retired by the late 1970s. 4306 managed to survive and after a 16-year restoration, was returned to operation in 1996.

• 4306 – Transport Heritage NSW (preserved operational)
• 4301-4305 – Scrapped

44 Class

• 4401-44100 (100 units) built 1957-1968
• Model DL-500B, 1,435mm-gauge, Co-Co diesel-electric, 1,800hp

One of the most successful diesel types locomotives to ever run in NSW, the 44 Class were also one of the most numerous, numbering 100 units by 1967. The initial 44s were bought at a time when the NSW Government Railways were still trying a few products out before diving into serious dieselisation. Based on the dual-cabbed version of the 930 Class being delivered to the South Australian Railways, the NSWGR seemed to require little convincing of the virtues of the ‘World Series’ product demonstrated by the 44 Class, for they soon began ordering them in greater numbers. It could be reasonably argued that the 44 Class trod every corner of the NSWGR whose track was strong to carry their weight, and they were known to be as effective on express passenger trains as they were on heavy freight loads.

• 4401 – Transport Heritage NSW (display – Junee)
• 4403, 4490 – Transport Heritage NSW (preserved operational)
• 4420 – Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum (stored at Dorrigo)
• 4458, 4477, 4488 – QUBE (stored Junee)
• 4464, 4473, 4486 – Lachlan ALCo Group (preserved operational)
• 4465 – Privately owned (stored Werris Creek)
• 4468 – Privately owned (stored location unknown)
• 4472 – Hunter Valley Railway Trust (stored at Telarah)
• 4483 – QUBE (stored Minto)
• 4497 – QUBE (in service)
• 4402, 4404-4419, 4421-4457, 4459, 4460-4463, 4466, 4467, 4469, 4470, 4471, 4474-4476, 4478-4482, 4484, 4485, 4487, 4489, 4491-4496, 4498, 4499, 44100 – Scrapped

421 Class

• 42101-42110 (10 units) built 1965-1966
• Model AJ16C, 1,435mm-gauge, Co-Co diesel-electric, 1,800hp

A development of the 42 Class design, the 421s were lighter, fitted with a slightly more powerful engine and – most significantly – were equipped with a second full operators cab, built into the No.2 end, as pioneered by the Goodwin ALCo 930/44 Class. The class largely operated the same corridors and jobs as the 42 were rostered, with the exception of a stint spent working the Main Western Line west of Lithgow during the 1970s. The 421s outlived the 42s, but not by much with all withdrawn by 1987. 42107 was returned to service during the second half of 1989 but was withdrawn early the following year. Following that 42103, 42105, 42107 and 42109 were acquired by the start-up Northern Rivers Railroad based out of Casino in far north-eastern NSW. Along with Austrac, which was beginning operations out Junee around the same time, Northern Rivers was one of the pioneer small operators of the privatisation era.

• 42101 – Privately owned (preserved operational)
• 42102 – Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum (stored at Dorrigo)
• 42103 – Privately owned (preserved operational)
• 42105 – Privately owned (preserved operational, not yet in service)
• 42107 – Privately owned (preserved operational)
• 42104, 42106, 42108, 42109, 42110 – Scrapped

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Last updated 19 May 2023