Victorian Railways B class (diesel)

Victorian Railways B Class

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B74 hauling the 70th anniversary Spirit of Progress in November 2007

Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	Clyde Engineering, Granville
Model	Electro Motive Diesel ML2
Build date	1952/53
Total produced	26
Rebuilder	Clyde Engineering, Rosewater
Rebuild date	1984/85
Number rebuilt	11

Specifications
UIC class	Co-Co
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) standard gauge, 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in)
Length	18.70 m (61 ft 4 in)
Loco weight	114 t (112 long tons; 126 short tons)
Fuel type	Diesel
Prime mover	Electro-Motive Diesel 16-567BC
RPM range	950rpm max
Engine type	V16 diesel engine
Aspiration	Supercharged (Roots Blown)
Displacement	Total: 9072ci
Generator	Electro-Motive Diesel D12
Traction motors	Electro-Motive Diesel D27
Head end power	Nil
Cylinders	16
Cylinder size	567ci per cylinder
Transmission	Diesel electric
MU working	Capable of Multi unit
Loco brake	A7EL - Dynamic Brake
Train brakes	A7EL

Performance figures
Maximum speed	133 km/h (83 mph)
Power output	1,120 kW (1,500 hp)
Tractive effort	Starting: 267 kN (60,000 lbf) Continuous: 178 kN (40,000 lbf) at 18 km/h (11.2 mph)

Career
Operators	Victorian Railways (Vline), West Coast Railway, CFCLA, SSR, CRL,
Number in class	26
Numbers	B60-B85
First run	14 July 1952
Preserved	B72, B74, B83
Current owner	CFCL Australia Southern Shorthaul Railroad
Disposition	8 in service, 3 preserved, 9 stored, 6 scrapped

The B class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Victorian Railways in 1952/53. Ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways, they initiated the 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.

History

Clyde Engineering Builders plate on B85

Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia B76 in Melbourne in August 2006

The B class were the first mainline diesel locomotives built for the Victorian Railways. The design was based on the successful Electro-Motive Diesel F-unit locomotives with the distinctive bulldog nose. They were unusual in having a streamlined drivers cab at each end.

Inception

After World War II the Victorian Railways was run down from years of Depression-era underinvestment and wartime overutilisation.^[1] 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 turning out modern E and F-units diesels.^[2] 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.^[2]

To achieve a lighter axle load a six axles / six motor Co-Co wheel arrangement was required. By 1949, the head of Electro-Motive Diesel Dick Dilworth was convinced that lighter axle load locomotives would be popular in Australia and other foreign countries. Frank Shea of Clyde Engineering had also negotiated with EMD to build the new locomotive locally, in order to overcome the foreign exchange restrictions.^[2] The order was placed in 1951 and the first locomotive was delivered on 14 July 1952.^[3]

Into service

The 26 members of the class operated on broad gauge lines throughout Victoria, 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.^[2] The visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1954 saw her ride behind B60 on a special train.

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.^[4] 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.^[4]

Demise, reactivation and preservation

As part of the 1980s New Deal plan to reinvigorate country passenger services, it was decided to rebuild the B class with new traction equipment as the A class. The rebuild contract was let in January 1983 to Clyde Engineering, Rosewater, 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 delivered in August 1985.^[5]

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. The B class gradually retired by V/Line from 1982 with some scrapped. Six were purchased by West Coast Railway in the early 1990s for use on their Melbourne to Warrnambool passenger service.^[6]

In May 2004 the Victorian Department of Infrastructure issued an alert on stress cracks on the underframes of the B class locomotives, including the units owned by West Coast Railway. Following West Coast Railway's demise in August 2004 these were sold to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and refurbished with some being resold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad. This saw some converted to standard gauge and their sphere of operation increased to include New South Wales. Seymour Railway Heritage Centre have B74 preserved in operating condition and is the only preserved locomotive in operation.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Fleet summary

Key:	In Service	Withdrawn	Preserved	Converted	Scrapped

Number	Name	In service	Out of service	Km	Current owner	Status
B60	Harold W Clapp	000000001952-07-14-000014 July 1952	000000001983-02-11-000011 February 1983	5,669,690	V/Line Passenger	Converted to A60, renamed Sir Harold Clapp
B61	Bernie Baker	000000001952-08-18-000018 August 1952			Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service
B62		000000001952-09-08-00008 September 1952	000000001983-10-28-000028 October 1983	5,541,730	V/Line Passenger	Converted to A62
B63		000000001952-10-07-00007 October 1952		5,918,480	El Zorro	Stored
B64		000000001952-10-27-000027 October 1952		5,989,509	El Zorro	Stored, Bendigo
B65		000000001952-11-17-000017 November 1952			Southern Shorthaul Railroad	In service
B66		000000001952-12-08-00008 December 1952	000000001984-05-11-000011 May 1984	5,169,500	V/Line Passenger	Converted to A66
B67		000000001952-12-22-000022 December 1952	000000001984-10-18-000018 October 1984	5,217,740		Scrapped April 1988, one nose preserved privately
B68		000000001953-02-02-00002 February 1953	000000001985-11-19-000019 November 1985	5,217,740		Scrapped April 1988
B69		000000001953-02-22-000022 February 1953	000000001984-05-01-0000May 1984	5,283,950		Scrapped June 1992
B70		000000001953-03-23-000023 March 1953	000000001984-06-03-00003 June 1984	4,967,250	V/Line Passenger	Converted to A70
B71		000000001953-04-13-000013 April 1953	000000001984-07-01-0000July 1984	4,754,520	Pacific National	Converted to A71
B72		000000001953-05-14-000014 May 1953	000000001986-02-01-00001 February 1986	4,754,520	Steamrail Victoria	Under restoration
B73		000000001953-05-25-000025 May 1953	000000001981-11-17-000017 November 1981	4,575,930	Pacific National	Converted to A73
B74	J.A. Hearsch	000000001953-06-15-000015 June 1953	000000001988-05-01-0000May 1988	4,754,520	Seymour Railway Heritage Centre	Preserved operational, main line registered, name applied after preservation
B75		000000001953-07-06-00006 July 1953	000000001992-10-01-0000October 1992	4,754,520	Southern Shorthaul Railroad	Was privately owned for preservation, sold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad in 2011, under overhaul December 2012 Bendigo
B76		000000001955-07-27-000027 July 1955			CFCL Australia	In service
B77		000000001953-08-17-000017 August 1953	000000001982-09-17-000017 September 1982	4,808,610	Pacific National	Converted to A77
B78		000000001953-09-07-00007 September 1953	000000001984-02-29-000029 February 1984	4,853,800	Pacific National	Converted to A78
B79		000000001953-09-28-000028 September 1953	000000001984-06-18-000018 June 1984	4,992,440	Pacific National	Converted to A79
B80		000000001953-10-09-00009 October 1953		4,754,520	CFCL Australia	In service
B81		000000001953-11-09-00009 November 1953	000000001984-08-15-000015 August 1984	4,944,760	Pacific National	Converted to A81
B82		000000001953-11-30-000030 November 1953	000000001988-05-23-000023 May 1988			Scrapped August 1996
B83		000000001953-12-21-000021 December 1953	000000001988-05-01-0000May 1988		Australian Railway Historical Society	Preserved static at North Williamstown Railway Museum
B84		000000001954-01-18-000018 January 1954	000000001988-05-23-000023 May 1988			Scrapped May 1992
B85		000000001954-02-22-000022 February 1954	000000001983-03-13-000013 March 1983	4,610,040	Pacific National	Converted to A85

References

↑ "ARHS Railway Museum: History 1950 - 2000". Retrieved 31 December 2006.
1 2 3 4 Lee, Robert (2007). The Railways of Victoria 1854-2004. Melbourne University Publishing Ltd. pp. 211, 212, 216, 218. ISBN 978-0-522-85134-2.
↑ Railmac Publications (1992). Australian Fleetbooks: V/Line locomotives. Kitchner Press. ISBN 0-949817-76-7.
1 2 Lee, Robert (2007). The Railways of Victoria 1854-2004. Melbourne University Publishing Ltd. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-522-85134-2.
↑ Scott Martin & Chris Banger (October 2006). "New Deal for County Passengers - 25 years on". Newsrail (Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)). p. 319.
↑ Peter Attenborough (February 2004). "West Coast Railway". Australian Model Railway Magazine. pp. 32–34.
↑ B class diesel electric locomotives Mark Bau's VR website
↑ A Class (A60 - A85) Railpage
↑ B Class (B60 - B85) Railpage
↑ B Class Vicsig

Locomotives and rolling stock of the Victorian Railways, predecessors and successors

Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway Company	Pile Driver Engine (1854) First Engine - 2-2-2WT (1854) 2-4-0WT (1854) Pier Donkey No.5 - 0-4-0WT (1857) 2-4-0WT (1858), later N Class

Geelong & Melbourne Railway Company	Ariel - 0-4-0T (1855) Titania, Oberon, Typhoon & Sirocco - 2-2-2WT (1855) Hurricane & Cyclone - 2-4-0WT (1857) Goliath, Hercules, Smason & Tubal-Cain - 0-6-0WT (1855)

Melbourne & Suburban Railway Company	Hawthorn & Richmond - 2-4-0T (1860) Kew & BN#1378 - 2-4-0WT (1861)

Melbourne Railway Company	Windsor & Prahran - 2-4-0WT (1863)

Melbourne & Essendon Railway Company	Essendon (BN#458), BN#459 & BN#488 2-4-0T (1861), later SAR E Class

Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway Company	Toorak, Victoria, No.16 & No.19 - 2-4-0T (1865) 4-4-0WT (1871), later C Class Pier Donkey No.24 - 0-4-0WT (1875)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, F.C. Christy period (1858-1870)	No.1 (passenger) 2-2-2, later 2-4-0 (1857) 'Old' V class (goods) 0-6-0 (1857) P class 0-6-0 (1859) J class 2-2-2, later 2-4-0 (1859) B class 2-4-0 (1861) L class 2-4-0ST (1861) O class 0-6-0 (1861) G&MRC engines 19, 21, 34-44 evens only (1960's)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, W. Meikle period (1871-1877)	No.100 2-4-0 (1872) Q class 0-6-0 (1873) No.103, No.105 & U class 0-6-0 (1873) T class 0-6-0 (1874) F class 2-4-0 (1874), later 2-4-2T (1910) K class 2-4-0 (1874) G class 4-4-0 (1877) H class 4-4-0 (1877) No.162 & No.164 4-4-0 (1877)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, S. Mirls period (1878-1890)	M class 4-4-0T (1879), later ME class 4-4-2T (1901) 'Old' R class 0-6-0 (1879) W & S class 4-6-0 (1880) Pier locomotives 0-4-0WT (1880) 'Belgian' R class 0-6-0 (1883) Locomotives for Motor service - Rowan 0-4-0T (1883) 'Old' A class 4-4-0 (1884) X class 0-6-0 (1886) N class 2-4-0WT (1886) C Class 4-4-0WT (1886) D class 4-4-0 (1887) Y class 0-6-0 (1888) 'New' A class 4-4-0 (1889) 'New' R & R^Y class 0-6-0 (1889) E class 2-4-2T (1889)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, A.D. Smith period (1877, 1890-1893)	E^E class 0-6-2T (1893) Locomotives for Motor service - Z Class 2-4-0T & 0-6-0T (1893)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, T.H. Woodroffe period (1893-1912)	V class 2-8-0 (1899) A^A class 4-4-0 (1889) M class 4-4-0T (1879), later M^E class 4-4-2T (1901) D^D class 4-6-0 (1902), D^D_E later D⁴ class 4-6-2T (1908) A² class 4-6-0 (1907) Modified tank locomotives for Motor service - N class 2-4-0WT (1895), C Class 4-4-0WT (1904), F class 2-4-2T (1910) Modified tender locomotives for Motor service - H150 4-4-0 (1908), J4, J6 2-4-0 (1908)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, W.M. Shannon period (1912-1919)	C class 2-8-0 (1918)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, A.E. Smith period (1919-1928)	D¹ class 4-6-0 (1922) , D² class 4-6-0 (1922) K class 2-8-0 (1922) N class 2-8-2 (1925) S class 4-6-2 (1928)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, N.C. Harris period (1928-1933)	D³ class 4-6-0 (1929) X class 2-8-2 (1929)

Victorian Railways steam locomotives, A.C. Ahlston period (1933-1955)	H class 4-8-4 (1941) R class 4-6-4 (1951) J class 2-8-0 (1954)

Diesel-electric	A Class Co-Co (1983) B class Co-Co (1952) C class Co-Co (1977) F class 0-6-0 (1951) G class Co-Co (1984) H class Bo-Bo (1968) N class Co-Co (1985) P class Bo-Bo (1984) S class Co-Co (1957) T class Bo-Bo (1955) V class Co-Co (2002) X class Co-Co (1966) XR class Co-Co (2002) XRB class Co-Co (2005) Y class Bo-Bo (1963)

Diesel-hydraulic	M class 0-6-0 (1959) V class 0-4-0 (1959) W class 0-6-0 (1959) CS class CargoSprinter (2002)

Rail tractor	RT class 0-4-0 (1952) LT4 0-4-0

Electric	E class Bo-Bo (1923) L class Co-Co (1953)

Railmotors	Rowan Steam Car McKeen Kerr Stuart AEC Leyland (Double Ended) Brill DERM (PERM) Walker railmotors DRC railcar Sprinter DMU VLocity DMU Trailer cars

Road transferrable locomotives	RTL class

Suburban electric	Tait Swing Door Parcels Harris Hitachi Comeng Refurbished Harris 4D double deck X'Trapolis 100 Siemens Nexas

Passenger carriages	Fixed wheel types Wooden bogie cars Steel bogie carriages 44ft American Saloon types 45ft type 50ft 2in type ABCL cars E type carriages H type carriages G type carriages K type carriages C & L type carriages N type carriages O type carriages P type carriages PL type carriages R type carriages S type carriages V type carriages W & U type carriages Z type carriages Dining & Buffet cars Parlor, Lounge & Club cars Sleeping cars Joint and shared stock (SAR) Joint and shared stock (NSWGR)

Freight vehicles by type	Box vans Flat Wagons Hopper wagons Iced vans Louvre vans Open wagons Tank wagons

Freight vehicles by traffic	Ballast, Sleepers and Spoil Black Coal, Brown Coal & Briquettes Cement Powder Coiled & Slab Steel Corpses Dolomite Explosives Fertiliser Flour, Grain & Rice Gypsum Refrigerated Goods Lime Livestock Mail vans Bitumen, Oil & Petroleum Quarry products Perishables Sand Soda Ash Timber Vehicles & Vehicle Parts Water

Vans	Fixed-Wheel (D, Z vans) Power vans Bogie guards vans Mail vans

2 ft 6 in (762 mm) Narrow gauge	NA class 2-6-2T (1898) G class 2-6-0+0-6-2 (1925) Passenger carriages Freight vehicles Guards vans Other

Other	Rail tractors Crane locomotives Miscellaneous Special loads Way and Works stock Staff Accommodation

Named or significant trains	Albury Express Ambulance Train Better Farming Train The Boat Train Display (Arts) train Funeral Trains Fruit Flyer Geelong Flyer The Gippslander The Great Northern Limited Intercapital Daylight The Jubilee Train Train of Knowledge Melbourne Express The Mildura Sunlight The Northerner The Overland RAAF Recruiting Train Reso Train Rutherglen Red Southern Aurora Spirit of Progress State Cars & Royal Trains Sunraysia Express Sydney Express The Veteran Train The Vinelander The Vintage Train The WestCoaster Wirth's Circus Train

Rail transport in Victoria Railways in Melbourne Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways Victorian Railways V/Line Metro Trains Melbourne

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