South Australian Railways 350 class

South Australian Railways 350 class

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Islington Railway Workshops Total produced 2

Specifications UIC class Bo-Bo Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 911 mm (3 ft 0 in) Length Over coupler pulling faces: 11.53 m (37 ft 10 in) Axle load 12.6 tonnes (12.40 long tons; 13.89 short tons) Loco weight 50.4 tonnes (49.60 long tons; 55.56 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 1,364 litres (300 imp gal; 360 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 6RKT Engine type Four-stroke 6 in line diesel Alternator English Electric EE506D Cylinders 6

Performance figures Maximum speed 28 km/h (17 mph) Power output Gross: 190 kW (250 hp) Tractive effort Continuous: 39.0 kN (8,768 lbf) at 12.7 km/h (7.9 mph) Starting: 104.1 kN (23,403 lbf)

Career Operators South Australian Railways Number in class 2 Numbers 350, 351 First run 7 June 1949 Preserved 350, 351 Disposition 2 preserved

The 350 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways in 1949.

History

The 350 were the first diesel locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways, entering service in June 1949.^[1][2][3][4] Built primarily for shunting duties they spent a large part of their service life working as shunters at Islington Railway Workshops, Mile End and Mount Gambier. In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National.

Both were withdrawn in 1979 with 350 sold to SteamRanger and 351 to a preservation group at Moonta for a proposed heritage railway operation but the venture did not continue and the Australian Railway Historical Society purchased the unit and restored the locomotive to operating condition at Dry Creek depot. The unit was then used on the Victor Harbor Tourist Railway and based at Goolwa, but due to mechanical issues it is no longer operational and is on display at the Port Milang Railway Museum where restoration is in progress.

References

1. Broad Gauge 350-class diesel locomotives Chris' Commonwealth Railways Pages
2. 350 Class Railpage
3. 350 Class Rail SA
4. 350 Class Vicsig