South Australian Railways 500 class (diesel)

South Australian Railways 500 class

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Type and origin
Power type Diesel-electric
Builder Islington Railway Workshops
Build date 1964-69
Total produced 34
Specifications
UIC class Bo-Bo
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in),
1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Width 2.84 m (9 ft 4 in)
Height 3.98 m (13 ft 1 in)
Loco weight 56.9 t (56.0 long tons; 62.7 short tons)
Fuel capacity 3,182 L (700 imp gal; 841 US gal)
Prime mover English Electric 4SRKT
Engine type I4 diesel engine
Generator English Electric 827-4C
Traction motors English Electric 548-2A
Cylinders 4
Performance figures
Maximum speed 64 km/h (40 mph)
Power output 327 kW (439 hp)
Career
Operators South Australian Railways
Number in class 34
Numbers 500-534
First run 25 April 1964
Preserved 507, 515, 517, 532
Current owner Bluebird Rail
Disposition 1 in service, 4 preserved, 4 stored, 25 scrapped

The 500 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1951 and 1953.

History

The 500 class were diesel shunter locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways. Thirty-four were built at Islington Railway Workshops. The first 27 were built with broad gauge bogies and the last seven equipped to operate on the standard gauge. They operated in yards at Gladstone, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Peterborough, Port Pirie, Tailem Bend and Wallaroo as well as being extensively used in Adelaide.[1]

In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. Some were transferred to Port Augusta. In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 500 becoming 534.[2]

Most were scrapped in the 1990s, and the remaining locomotives were included in the sale of Australian National's South Australian operations to Australian Southern Railroad in October 1997. Only 533 (now 53) remains in commercial operation.[3][4][5][6]

Surviving members

References

  1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s - 1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 250. ISBN 0 730100 05 7.
  2. "Australian National Broken Hill Line Report" Railway Digest October 1986 page 314
  3. Broad & Standard Gauge 500-class diesel electric locomotives Chris' Commonwealth Railways Pages
  4. 500 Class (diesel, South Australia) Railpage
  5. 500 Class Rail SA
  6. 500 Class Vicsig
  7. "Australia Wide Fleet List" Motive Power issue 96 November 2014 page 67
  8. 515 National Railway Museum
  9. HRSA November Meeting Report Heritage Rail South Australia November 2010
  10. Shunter returns home The Flinders News 21 July 2012
  11. Annual Report 2011/12 District Council of Peterborough
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