Victorian Railways B class (diesel)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The B class are a class of diesel locomotives built by
Clyde Engineering Clyde Engineering was an Australian manufacturer of locomotives, rolling stock, and other industrial products. It was founded in September 1898 by a syndicate of Sydney businessmen buying the Granville factory of timber merchants Huds ...
, Granville for the
Victorian Railways The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companie ...
in 1952–1953. Ordered and operated by the
Victorian Railways The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companie ...
, they initiated the
dieselisation Dieselisation (US: dieselization) is the process of equipping vehicles with a diesel engine or diesel engines. It can involve replacing an internal combustion engine powered by petrol (gasoline) fuel with an engine powered by diesel fuel, as o ...
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 The A class are a class of diesel locomotives rebuilt from Victorian Railways B class locomotives by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater in South Australia for V/Line in 1984–1985. History The class were rebuilt from B class locomotives original ...
, while others have been scrapped.


History

The B class were the first mainline diesel locomotives built for the
Victorian Railways The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companie ...
. The design was based on the successful
Electro-Motive Diesel Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its sub ...
F-unit locomotives with the distinctive
bulldog nose "Bulldog nose" is the nickname given, due to their appearance, to several diesel locomotives manufactured by GM-EMD and its licensees from 1939 to 1970. The term originated with EMD F-units, as well as later E-unit models such as the E7, E8, an ...
. They were unusual in having a streamlined drivers cab at each end.


Inception

After
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the
Victorian Railways The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companie ...
was run down from years of Depression-era under-investment and wartime over-utilisation. 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 Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its sub ...
at
La Grange, Illinois ''(the barn)'' , nickname = , motto = ''Tradition & Pride – Moving Forward'' , anthem = ''My La Grange'' by Jimmy Dunne , image_map = File:Cook County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas La Grange Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 26 ...
turning out modern E and F-units diesels. However the EMD units
axle load An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearing ...
was too heavy for the Victorian tracks, and the
Commonwealth Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian 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. By 1949, the head of
Electro-Motive Diesel Progress Rail Locomotives, doing business as Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD), is an American manufacturer of diesel-electric locomotives, locomotive products and diesel engines for the rail industry. The company is owned by Caterpillar through its sub ...
Dick Dilworth was convinced that lighter axle load locomotives would be popular in Australia and other foreign countries. Frank Shea of
Clyde Engineering Clyde Engineering was an Australian manufacturer of locomotives, rolling stock, and other industrial products. It was founded in September 1898 by a syndicate of Sydney businessmen buying the Granville factory of timber merchants Huds ...
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 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. The visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1954 saw her ride behind B60 on a
special train An excursion train is a chartered train run for a special event or purpose. Examples are trains to major sporting event, trains run for railfans or tourists, and special trains operated by the railway company for employees and prominent customer ...
. 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 (US: dieselization) is the process of equipping vehicles with a diesel engine or diesel engines. It can involve replacing an internal combustion engine powered by petrol (gasoline) fuel with an engine powered by diesel fuel, as o ...
, with the delivery of the T class branch line units from 1955, and the single ended S class mainline units from 1957.


Demise, reactivation and preservation

As part of the 1980s
New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States between 1933 and 1939. Major federal programs agencies included the Civilian Cons ...
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 Clyde Engineering was an Australian manufacturer of locomotives, rolling stock, and other industrial products. It was founded in September 1898 by a syndicate of Sydney businessmen buying the Granville factory of timber merchants Huds ...
,
Rosewater Rose water ( fa, گلاب) is a flavoured water made by steeping rose petals in water. It is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals, a by-product of the production of rose oil for use in perfume. Rose water is also used to flavour ...
, 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. At the same time newer high power locomotives had been delivered, including the N class passenger units and the more numerous
G class G class or Class G may refer to: Locomotives * NZR G class (1928), a type of steam locomotive used in New Zealand * Tasmanian Government Railways G class, a class of 0-4-2T steam locomotive used in Australia * V/Line G class, a class of diese ...
freight locomotives. The B class gradually retired by
V/Line V/Line is a statutory authority that operates regional passenger train and coach services in Victoria, Australia. It provides passenger train services on five commuter lines and eight long-distance routes from its major hub at Southern Cross ...
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. While running with West Coast Railway, units B61 and B76 had dual marker lights and ditch lights fitted at the No.1 end. They also received shunter's steps at each end, in late 2001 or early 2002. B65 was painted in the simplified West Coast Railway "freight" livery, and did not receive any of these upgrades. 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 Southern Shorthaul Railroad is an Australian rail freight services operator in New South Wales and Victoria. The company also provides workshop services, such as rolling stock manufacturing and wagon and locomotive maintenance. History Sout ...
. This saw some converted to standard gauge and their sphere of operation increased to include
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
.
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
have B74 preserved in operating condition and is the only preserved locomotive in operation.


Fleet summary


Models

N Scale Gopher Models have released N Scale Models of the B Class Locomotives, featuring B60 & B61. OO Gauge Tri-ang manufactured an
OO gauge OO gauge or OO scale (also, 00 gauge and 00 scale) is the most popular standard-gauge model railway standard in the United Kingdom, outside of which it is virtually unknown. OO gauge is one of several 4 mm-scale standards (4 mm to 1 foot, ...
version of the B Class in the 1960s, albeit with four-wheeled bogies. This model is not compatible with modern OO gauge/HO scale track (such as code 100), as the flanges are designed for early Tri-Ang rails, which are roughly twice the size of modern rails. HO Scale The first HO scale B Class models were manufactured by
Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
in the 1970s through to the 1990s. One such example is B80 in V/Line orange and grey livery. These models have European hook-and-loop couplers integrated into the bogies and a transverse pancake motor driving one bogie, similar in design to the
Hornby Hornby may refer to: Places In England * Hornby, Lancashire * Hornby, Hambleton, village in North Yorkshire * Hornby, Richmondshire, village in North Yorkshire Elsewhere * Hornby, Ontario, community in the town of Halton Hills, Ontario, Canad ...
Ringfield motor. As the bogies and couplers are one piece, the pilot is also attached to the bogie rather than the body. As of October 2009, only HO scale plastic models of the B Class are available produced by Auscision Models. Some are being rerun in 2020 with the option of having DCC with sound already fitted with new liveries being added that weren't in the original run. 2020 Rerun as follows: B60 "Sir Harold W. Clapp" (VR Original), B62 (VR Original with 1 Million Miles Plate), B84 (V/Line All Orange), B80 (Murraylander), B61 (SSR), B65 (Auscision Models), B60 "Sir Harold W. Clapp" (VR Modified), B71 (VR Original), B78 (VR Original), B63 (VR Modified), B70 (VR Modified), B74 (VR As Preserved), B64 (VicRail Teacup), B69 (V/Line Orange and Grey), B83 (V/Line Orange and Grey), B76 (West Coast Rail), B65 (West Coast Rail Austeriety), B61 (Streamliners 2016), B80 (Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia with Metro Trains Stickers) and B75 (Consolidate Rail Leasing). 2009 Original Run as follows: B60 "Sir Harold W. Clapp" (VR Original), B62 (VR Original with 1 Million Miles Plate), B74 (VR Original), B85 (VR Original), B67 (VR Modified), B72 (VR Modified), B75 (VR Modified), B68 (VicRail Teacup), B83 (VicRail Teacup), B84 (V/Line All Orange), B63 (V/Line Orange and Grey), B74 (V/Line Orange and Grey), B82 (V/Line Orange and Grey), B61 (West Coast Rail), B80 (Murraylander), B61 (SSR), B76 (Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia), B65 (Auscision Models) (was a Limited Edition of 300 units) and B60 "Sir Harlod W. Clapp" (VR Modified).


Gallery

File:Steamrail's B72.jpg,
Steamrail Victoria Steamrail Victoria is a not-for-profit volunteer group established in 1965 to restore and operate historic locomotives and rolling stock used on the Rail transport in Victoria, railways in Victoria, Australia. The main depot of the group is at ...
's B72 under going long term Restoration at Newport work shops File:ARHS B83.jpg,
Australian Railway Historical Society Museum The Newport Railway Museum is located on Champion Road, Newport, Victoria, near the North Williamstown station. History The museum opened on 10 November 1962, after the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS) Victorian Division was allocat ...
's B83 cosmetically preserved at the North Williamstown museum File:SSR B61 with GM10.jpg,
Southern Shorthaul Railroad Southern Shorthaul Railroad is an Australian rail freight services operator in New South Wales and Victoria. The company also provides workshop services, such as rolling stock manufacturing and wagon and locomotive maintenance. History Sout ...
's B61 in a unique "Streamliners 2016" livery to promote the event in
Goulburn Goulburn ( ) is a regional city in the Southern Tablelands of the Australian state of New South Wales, approximately south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Canberra. It was proclaimed as Australia's first inland city through letters pate ...
File:B74 trailing B80 and a G.jpg, Double B's trailing a G exiting Bunbury Street tunnel File:B74 leading T357 and X31.jpg, B74 leading T357 and X31 on
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
's charter to Geelong celebrating B74's 65th anniversary on entering service File:B61 at South Dynon SG Turntable.jpg, B61 resting at the South Dynon Standard Gauge Turntable File:B74 leading X31 on a LXRA special.jpg, B74 leading X31 on a
Level Crossing Removal Authority The Level Crossing Removal Project (LXRP) is a program of the Government of Victoria, Australia, to remove 110 level crossings and rebuild 51 railway stations in Melbourne. After pledging the removal of 50 level crossings at the 2014 Victor ...
special shuttle charter between Caulfield and Dandenong stations File:B80 running light engine.jpg, B80 running Light Engine from Seymour to Dynon after dropping off
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
's S303 File:B80 on a Metro works train.jpg, B80 on a works train at Camberwell File:B80 on a Metro works train at Hawthorn.jpg, B80 on a works train at Hawthorn File:B74 leading S303 on a Royal Train trial.jpg, B74 leading S303 on a Royal Train trial at Castlemaine File:B80 on a Metro works.jpg, B80 on a works train at Flinders Street File:B75 with S317 at the Kensington Mill.jpg, B75 with S317 at the Kensington Mill File:B74 leading T378 on the Tocumwal Market Special at Numurkah.jpg, B74 leading T378 on the
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
Tocumwal Market Special at Numurkah File:B74 leading T378 on the Tocumwal Market Special at Strathmerton.jpg, B74 leading T378 on the
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
Tocumwal Market Special at Strathmerton File:B74 leading T378 on the Tocumwal Market Special.jpg, B74 leading T378 on the
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
Tocumwal Market Special File:B74 with T378 at Tocumwal.jpg, B74 with T378 at Tocumwal after running around from doing the
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
Tocumwal Market Tour File:B74 with T378 at Seymour Rail Heritage Centre.jpg, B74 hooked up with T378 at
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre (SRHC) is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 as the Seymour Loco Steam Preservation Group to restore ...
File:HO Scale Auscision Mobels B Class.jpg, HO Scale version of B83 in the 1981 to 1983 Vicrail "Teacup" Livery by Auscision Models File:B72 freshly painted into the VicRail teacup livery.jpg, B72 with new paint job in the VicRail teacup livery
Steamrail Victoria Steamrail Victoria is a not-for-profit volunteer group established in 1965 to restore and operate historic locomotives and rolling stock used on the Rail transport in Victoria, railways in Victoria, Australia. The main depot of the group is at ...


References


Further reading

* {{VRLocos, state=collapsed Clyde Engineering locomotives Co-Co locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1952 B class Broad gauge locomotives in Australia Standard gauge locomotives of Australia Diesel-electric locomotives of Australia Streamlined diesel locomotives