South Australian Railways 800 class

South Australian Railways 800 class

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder English Electric, Rocklea Build date 1956/57 Total produced 10

Specifications UIC class Bo-Bo Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in) Wheelbase Over coupler pulling faces: 13.67 m (44 ft 10 in) Axle load 18.3 tonnes (18.01 long tons; 20.17 short tons) Loco weight 73.2 tonnes (72.04 long tons; 80.69 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 3,180 l (700 imp gal; 840 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 6 SRKT Engine type In line 6 diesel engine Traction motors 526/539, 4 of Cylinders 6 Cylinder size ? x ?

Performance figures Maximum speed 97 km/h (60 mph) Power output Gross: 485 kW (650 hp) Tractive effort Continuous: 102.00 kN (22,931 lbf) at 14 km/h (8.7 mph) Starting: 179.00 kN (40,241 lbf)

Career Operators South Australian Railways Number in class 10 Numbers 800-809 First run 30 May 1956 Preserved 801 Disposition 1 preserved, 9 scrapped

The 800 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for the South Australian Railways in 1956/57.

History

The 800 class were diesel shunter locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways. Although built for shunting duties in Adelaide, they also operated trip workings between Dry Creek and Mile End, pick up trains around Port Adelaide and passenger services.^[1] In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National.

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former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 800 becoming 810.^[2] They were withdrawn in the early 1990s.^[3][4][5][6]

One has been preserved by the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide.^[7]

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s - 1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 231. ISBN 0 730100 05 7.
2. "Australian National Broken Hill Line Report" Railway Digest October 1986 page 314
3. Broad Gauge 800-class diesel locomotives Chris's Commonwealth Railways Pages
4. 800 Class Railpage
5. 800 Class Rail SA
6. 800 Class Vicsig
7. 801 National Railway Museum