Victorian Railways B class
Encyclopedia
The B class was the first mainline diesel-electric locomotive
s in Victoria
, Australia
. The design was based on the successful General Motors
EMD F-unit
locomotives with the distinctive bulldog nose
. They are a double ended streamliner
locomotive, in contrast to North American practice. Ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways
, they started dieselisation
of the system and saw use on both passenger and freight services with many remaining in service today, both in preserved and revenue service. Some were rebuilt as the V/Line A class
, while others have been scrapped.
the Victorian Railways
was run down from years of Depression-era underinvestment and wartime overutilisation. Chief Mechanical Engineer Ahlston traveled the world studying railway rehabilitation. Britain leaned towards steam locomotives, while France was moving towards main line electrification. The United States was more divided, with General Motors' Electro-Motive Division at La Grange, Illinois
was turning out modern E
and F-units
diesels. However the EMD units axle load
was too heavy for the Victorian tracks, and the Commonwealth Government
would not allow the use of foreign currency to purchase United States diesels. As a result the £
80 million 'Operation Phoenix
' featured steam locomotives and electrification of the Gippsland line
, either locally built or imported from the United Kingdom
.
To achieve a lighter axle load a six axles / six motor Co-Co wheel arrangement was required, with the head of EMD, and by 1949 Dick Dilworth was convinced that lighter axle load locomotives would be popular in Australian and other foreign countries. Frank Shea
of Clyde Engineering
of Sydney
had also negotiated with EMD to build the new locomotive locally, in order to overcome the foreign exchange restrictions. The order was placed in 1951 and the first locomotive was delivered on 14 July 1952.
.
While costing £80 per horsepower compared to £60 for steam, the new locomotives ran 130,000 miles per year, compared to 35,000 and 60,000 miles per year for main line steam locomotives. The Chief Engineers Office found that one B class did the work of three steam locomotives. Their success led to further dieselisation
, with the delivery of the T class
branch line units from 1955, and the single ended S class
mainline units from 1957.
' reworking of country passenger services was carried out by VicRail. It was decided to rebuild the B class with new traction equipment, in what became known as the A class
. The rebuild contract was let in January 1983 to Clyde Engineering
in Rosewater, South Australia
, with the first unit entering service in May 1984. The project was abandoned in mid 1985 after rising costs due to structural fatigue, with the eleventh and final rebuild was delivered in August 1985.
At the same time newer high power locomotives had been delivered, including the N class
passenger units and the more numerous G class
freight locomotives. Some of the fleet were repainted into V/Line
tangerine and grey livery, while others were scrapped in the VR blue and gold livery. They were then retired by V/Line
, with a number purchased by West Coast Railway in the early 1990s for use on their Melbourne-Warrnambool passenger service.
In May 2004 the Victorian Department of Infrastructure issued an alert on cracks in the frames and bolsters of B and S class diesel electric locomotives, requiring their withdrawal from service. With the demise of WCR the locomotives were purchased by Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and refurbished. The majority of these locomotives have returned to service on standard gauge
in New South Wales
, painted into the silver CFCLA livery, or the yellow of Southern Shorthaul Railroad
. B65 was painted into a special livery promoting model railway
manufacturer Auscision Models. B74 is in the custody of the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
and is the only preserved locomotive in operation.
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s in Victoria
Rail transport in Victoria
Rail transport in Victoria, Australia, is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. Victorian lines use broad gauge, with the exception of a number of standard gauge freight and interstate lines, a few experimental narrow gauge lines, and...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The design was based on the successful General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
EMD F-unit
EMD F-unit
EMD F-units were a line of Diesel-electric locomotives produced between November 1939 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors-Diesel Division. Final assembly for all F-units was at the GM-EMD plant at La Grange, Illinois and the GMDD plant in London, Ontario...
locomotives with the distinctive bulldog nose
Bulldog nose
"Bulldog nose" is the nickname given, due to their appearance, to several diesel locomotives manufactured by GM-EMD and its licencees from 1939 to 1970...
. They are a double ended streamliner
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
locomotive, in contrast to North American practice. Ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
, they started dieselisation
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...
of the system and saw use on both passenger and freight services with many remaining in service today, both in preserved and revenue service. Some were rebuilt as the V/Line A class
V/Line A class
The A class are a group of bulldog nosed diesel electric locomotive delivered to V/Line between 1982 and 1984. Totalling 11, they are now divided up between passenger operator V/Line and freight operator Pacific National.-History:...
, while others have been scrapped.
Inception
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
was run down from years of Depression-era underinvestment and wartime overutilisation. Chief Mechanical Engineer Ahlston traveled the world studying railway rehabilitation. Britain leaned towards steam locomotives, while France was moving towards main line electrification. The United States was more divided, with General Motors' Electro-Motive Division at La Grange, Illinois
La Grange, Illinois
La Grange, a suburb of Chicago, is a village in Cook County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 15,608 at the 2000 census.-History:...
was turning out modern E
EMD E-unit
EMD E-units were a line of passenger train diesel locomotives built by the General Motors Electro-Motive Division and its predecessor the Electro-Motive Corporation . Final assembly for all E-units was in La Grange, Illinois. Production ran from May, 1937, to December, 1963. The name E-units...
and F-units
EMD F-unit
EMD F-units were a line of Diesel-electric locomotives produced between November 1939 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors-Diesel Division. Final assembly for all F-units was at the GM-EMD plant at La Grange, Illinois and the GMDD plant in London, Ontario...
diesels. However the EMD units axle load
Axle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
was too heavy for the Victorian tracks, and the Commonwealth Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
would not allow the use of foreign currency to purchase United States diesels. As a result the £
Australian pound
The pound was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 13 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. It was subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.- Earlier Australian currencies :...
80 million 'Operation Phoenix
Operation Phoenix (railway)
Operation Phoenix was a post World War II rehabilitation program carried out by the Victorian Railways in Australia. The program commenced in 1950 and was originally planned to take 10 years and cost £80 million pounds...
' featured steam locomotives and electrification of the Gippsland line
Orbost railway line
The Orbost railway line is a railway serving the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland regions of Victoria, Australia...
, either locally built or imported from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
To achieve a lighter axle load a six axles / six motor Co-Co wheel arrangement was required, with the head of EMD, and by 1949 Dick Dilworth was convinced that lighter axle load locomotives would be popular in Australian and other foreign countries. Frank Shea
Frank Shea
Frank J. Shea was an American track and field athlete. While competing for the University of Pittsburgh, he won the 440-yard dash competition at the Amateur Athletic Union championships in 1917, 1919 and 1920 and at the 1918 IC4A meet. He also won the 440-yard dash at the first NCAA track and...
of Clyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering was the name of part of the business now known as Downer EDI Rail. Clyde Engineering were involved in the construction of railway locomotives and rolling stock, as well as larger scale engineering projects on behalf of the governments of Australia...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
had also negotiated with EMD to build the new locomotive locally, in order to overcome the foreign exchange restrictions. The order was placed in 1951 and the first locomotive was delivered on 14 July 1952.
Into service
The 26 members of the class saw wide usage all over the state, working the majority of the important passenger trains, as well as fast freights. Many timetables were accelerated, and steam locomotives began to be scrapped in large numbers. The visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1954 saw her ride behind B60 on a special trainVictorian Railways Royal Train
The Victorian Railways operated Royal Trains to transport members of the Monarchy of Australia on their Royal visits to Australia. The same carriages were also used for a number of vice-regal trains for the Governor-General of Australia and the Governor of Victoria...
.
While costing £80 per horsepower compared to £60 for steam, the new locomotives ran 130,000 miles per year, compared to 35,000 and 60,000 miles per year for main line steam locomotives. The Chief Engineers Office found that one B class did the work of three steam locomotives. Their success led to further dieselisation
Dieselisation
Dieselisation or dieselization is a term generally used for the increasingly common use of diesel fuel in vehicles, as opposed to gasoline or steam engines.-Water Transport:...
, with the delivery of the T class
Victorian Railways T class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways T class diesel electric locomotive are a small branch line and shunting unit built by Clyde Engineering . They were the most numerous class of diesel locomotives in the state....
branch line units from 1955, and the single ended S class
Victorian Railways S class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways S class mainline diesel electric locomotive were built from 1957 by Clyde Engineering for the Victorian Railways of Australia...
mainline units from 1957.
Demise, reactivation and preservation
By 1981 the 'New DealNew Deal (railway)
The New Deal' for Country Passengers was a timetable introduced on 4 October 1981 in Victoria, Australia that revolutionised the provision of country passenger railway services. 35 little-used passenger stations were closed, rolling stock utilisation improved, and new rolling stock introduced...
' reworking of country passenger services was carried out by VicRail. It was decided to rebuild the B class with new traction equipment, in what became known as the A class
V/Line A class
The A class are a group of bulldog nosed diesel electric locomotive delivered to V/Line between 1982 and 1984. Totalling 11, they are now divided up between passenger operator V/Line and freight operator Pacific National.-History:...
. The rebuild contract was let in January 1983 to Clyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering
Clyde Engineering was the name of part of the business now known as Downer EDI Rail. Clyde Engineering were involved in the construction of railway locomotives and rolling stock, as well as larger scale engineering projects on behalf of the governments of Australia...
in Rosewater, South Australia
Rosewater, South Australia
Rosewater is one of the western suburbs of Adelaide and is located 10 km north-west of Adelaide's central business district . Although mainly residential, there are many shops along Grand Junction Road and the retired "Rosewater Loop" railway line runs through the suburb...
, with the first unit entering service in May 1984. The project was abandoned in mid 1985 after rising costs due to structural fatigue, with the eleventh and final rebuild was delivered in August 1985.
At the same time newer high power locomotives had been delivered, including the N class
V/Line N class
The N Class are a diesel locomotive operated by V/Line from 1985. They have formed the core of Victoria's passenger fleet since introduction, and are seen throughout the state. The N Class members are numbered N451 to N475 with all in service, and all but one have been named after rural cities in...
passenger units and the more numerous G class
V/Line G class
The V/Line G class are a mainline diesel electric locomotives built by Clyde Engineering from 1984, the last of 33 locomotives entering service in December 1989...
freight locomotives. Some of the fleet were repainted into V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
tangerine and grey livery, while others were scrapped in the VR blue and gold livery. They were then retired by V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
, with a number purchased by West Coast Railway in the early 1990s for use on their Melbourne-Warrnambool passenger service.
In May 2004 the Victorian Department of Infrastructure issued an alert on cracks in the frames and bolsters of B and S class diesel electric locomotives, requiring their withdrawal from service. With the demise of WCR the locomotives were purchased by Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and refurbished. The majority of these locomotives have returned to service on standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, painted into the silver CFCLA livery, or the yellow of Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Southern Shorthaul Railroad was established in December 2003, when the remains of Great Northern Rail Services were purchased from CFCL Australia Pty Ltd. Jason Ferguson was then the Fleet Manager for CFCL Australia, and this company was facing a $1.3M write-off of a bad-debt from the previous...
. B65 was painted into a special livery promoting model railway
Rail transport modelling
Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale...
manufacturer Auscision Models. B74 is in the custody of the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 to restore and preserve locomotives and rolling stock as used on the railways of Victoria.The group is an accredited...
and is the only preserved locomotive in operation.