N.S.W. 80 Class
8001 new
Photo by John Hurst
The Public
Transport Commission Of New South Wales (P.T.C.) had not received any new
locomotives since the delivery of the last 47 and 442 class units in late
1973. By 1977 they began to have severe shortages of locomotives
and had to hire in locomotives from other operators. The new Wran
Government had inherited a run down railway system that needed money spent
on it urgently. As such tenders were called for the supply of 30 new mainline
units that were to be of 2000hp and capable of multiple unit working .
The successful tenderer was Commonwealth Engineering (COMENG) of Granville
in Sydney.
COMENG proposed to build an updated version
of the 442 class with the newer Alco 12.251CE engine and Mitsubishi electrical
equipment. The first unit 8001
was ready for trails by September 1978 however due to several problems
including and industrial dispute and weight distribution problems the unit
did not perform a trial until 31/10/78 when it ran to Penrith . A
load trial then ran on 2/11/78 when the first unit ran to Broadmeadow .
By 29/11/78 the class leader was running on the Southern line training
crews. 8002 was
soon to join in crew training and by the end of the year a third unit had
been delivered. Deliveries continued throughout 1979 however there were
many failures and units were returning to Granville for modifications and
repairs during this period. The last of the order 8030
was delivered by July 1980 however the order had been extended by a further
20 units and these additional units began to be delivered by October 1981.
The final 20 were delivered in the reverse yellow livery unlike the first
group which were Indian red with yellow lining. The final unit 8050
was delivered on 3/3/83 and it is worth noting that deliveries of the new
81 class had started by October the previous year.
The 80 class
were then to be seen running over most main lines with regular working
to Broken Hill as these units were the first ever fitted with air conditioning
which soon became popular with crews west of Parkes. They were also regularly
used on Hunter Valley coal train workings. The unreliability of this class
by now had become well known and mechanical failures became common. Several
attempts were made to improve the reliability however these were relatively
unsuccessful and they became unpopular with crews who by now were happier
with the more reliable 81 class.
8034 in Candy livery & 8040 in bicentennial livery
Photos by David Johnson
Three members
of the class 8015,
8018 and 8034
were to be repainted into the Candy livery of the State Rail Authority
(SRA) and two others 8010
and 8040 were
chosen to be painted in the Bicentennial livery that was applied to several
locomotives to commemorate the Australian BiCentenary in 1988. By February
1991 8050 was
repainted into the then new Freightrail Blue and this repainting
is continuing today for Freightcorp with some units being recently repainted
at ANI Bradken at Braemar.
8037 in Freightrail Blue livery
Photo by Brad Peadon
With the setting up of the National Rail Corporation (NRC) in 1993 the
SRA had to make locomotives available on loan with others to be transferred
to NRC ownership. The 80 class were chosen amongst others to go to NRC
and until the delivery of NR class units began in 1996 all operable members
of this class were to be seen running on NRC trains. Whilst with NRC they
ran in multiples of 3 or 4 and at times ran in multiple with 422 and 82
class that were also with NRC at this time. The delivery of the NR class
was achieved in one year and as these units became available the loaned
units including the 80s were returned to Freightcorp with 8046 the last
to run with NRC. At this time Freighcorp had no work for the 80s as their
traffic had dropped with all interstate services then run by NRC. All of
the class went into storage as they were returned by NRC however by 1998
Freightcorp were again in need of locomotives with increased services and
the reintroduction of interstate services. 8004
was the first unit to return to service in the Sydney metrop area and was
initially used as a shunter in Enfield yard. There are numerous 80 class
units that have been returned to service and more are expected to follow.
A table below shows which are active at present.
80 class units on lease to BHP
Photo by Brad Peadon
For a brief period during 1997 two units were hired to BHP at Port Kembla.
8015 and 8039
were used while 8018
was sent to Port Kembla as a source of parts. The trial of these
units commenced on 19/9/97 was reported to have been followed up with as
many as 10 units going to BHP however the deal did not proceed and these
units were returned to Freightcorp with 8015
and 8039 that
had BHP strobe lights still fitted. At the time of writing it has
been suggested that as many as 30 units of this class will return to service
mainly for trip train working in the Sydney metrop area and their long
term future remains unknown as there are no new units on order at this
time. 5 units are based at Werris creek
and are used for bank engine duties over the Liverpool Ranges. The other
units running at present are based at Lithgow but are used in Sydney.
8013 leads a quad combination
Photo By David Johnson
|
UNIT NUMBER
|
DATE IN SERVICE |
STATUS
|
REMARKS
|
|
8001
|
02/11/78
|
stored
|
accident damaged |
|
8002
|
21/11/78
|
stored
|
accident damaged |
|
8003
|
11/12/78
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8004
|
15/02/79
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8005
|
11/01/79
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8006
|
29/01/79
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8007
|
12/02/79
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8008
|
23/02/79
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8009
|
21/03/79
|
condemned 18/9/96
|
Narromine crash 7/90 |
|
8010
|
30/04/79
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8011
|
22/05/79
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8012
|
27/06/79
|
in service
|
Werris Creek based |
|
8013
|
03/07/79
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8014
|
09/07/79
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8015
|
07/08/79
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8016
|
22/08/79
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8017
|
23/10/79
|
stored
|
Lithgow |
|
8018
|
16/10/79
|
stored
|
Port Kembla |
|
8019
|
20/11/79
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8020
|
18/12/79
|
condemned 18/9/96
|
scrapped |
|
8021
|
07/01/80
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8022
|
29/01/80
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8023
|
03/03/80
|
stored
|
Lithgow |
|
8024
|
11/03/80
|
stored
|
Werris Creek |
|
8025
|
31/03/80
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8026
|
14/04/80
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8027
|
06/05/80
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8028
|
12/05/80
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8029
|
13/06/80
|
stored
|
Delec crash 13/7/96 |
|
8030
|
04/07/80
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8031
|
14/10/81
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8032
|
27/11/81
|
in service
|
Werris Creek based |
|
8033
|
19/01/82
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8034
|
17/03/82
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8035
|
16/04/82
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8036
|
17/05/82
|
stored
|
Lithgow |
|
8037
|
07/06/82
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8038
|
16/06/82
|
in service
|
Werris Creek based |
|
8039
|
02/07/82
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8040
|
19/08/82
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8041
|
19/08/82
|
stored
|
Lithgow |
|
8042
|
26/08/82
|
in service
|
Werris Creek based |
|
8043
|
26/09/82
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8044
|
06/10/82
|
stored
|
Lithgow |
|
8045
|
21/10/82
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8046
|
06/12/82
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8047
|
27/01/83
|
in service
|
Lithgow based |
|
8048
|
24/12/82
|
stored
|
Delec |
|
8049
|
18/02/83
|
stored
|
Chullora |
|
8050
|
03/03/83
|
in service
|
Werris Creek based |
8033 in reverse yellow livery at Botany
Photo by Brad Peadon
Notable Points about the 80 class:
First locomotives in N.S.W.
to not have buffers fitted from new.
First N.S.W. locomotives
to work interstate on a regular basis.
First N.S.W. locomotive
with integral M.U. jumper cable.
First N.S.W. locomotives
to be painted in Polyurethane (2 pack) paint.
8050 was the last diesel
locomotive built by Comeng (Granville).
8050 was the last Alco
locomotive built in Australia (3-3-1983)
The last mainline Alco's
that remain in regular service with a Government railway in Australia.
