last heritage-ride shuttle
AD60 class engine 6029 at the rear of 9L31 shuttle passing diverted interstate freight 7BM4 just outside Wollongong station.
A weekend of special passenger shuttles, hauled by restored large Beyer-Garratt steam engine 6029, were scheduled to operate out of Wollongong at short notice. The weekend of shuttles had been planned earlier in the year but it was subsequently cancelled.
Four return shuttles were run between Wollongong and Scarborough on both Saturday 12 November and Sunday 13 November 2016, and it was reported that they were well patronised. Sadly, the reason the shuttles were scheduled at short notice became evident on Monday 14 November, when the owner and operator of 6029, the Australian Railway Historical Society ACT division, announced that they would be closing and ceasing operations until further notice. Financial difficulties were given as the reason.
I was busy on the weekend, but seeing it was such a special operation I managed to get away to see the very last shuttle of the weekend. I am glad now that I did! While out I also photographed a few other trains!
A little history:
The AD60 class "Garratts" were the largest steam engines to operate on the NSW railway system. 50 were ordered in 1949 as part of a locomotive replacement program, and they were planned to operate feeder services on secondary main lines. A second phase would have seen even heavier engines obtained to haul trains over main lines from feeder junction depots. A problem arose however which prevented phase 2 - diesels! A locomotive shortage and visit by an Alco salesman resulted in the purchase of 20 almost off-the-shelf diesel locos (the 40 class, model RSC3) and with a short delivery lead time they had all entered service before the first AD60 Garratt in 1952! The NSW Railways quickly decided diesels were the way to go and attempted to cancel the remainder of the AD60 class contract. Following negotiation it was agreed that 42 would be built plus spare coomponents for several more.
Although heavy at 256 long tons gross, because of their planned usage they had a light axle load of only 16 tons, allowing them to operate on most lines on the NSW system, even some light "pioneer branch" lines.
Once in service it was soon realised that the Garratts would mostly be used on main lines, and so 30 were modified to raise the axle load to 18 long tons, increase cylinder diameter and increase their coal capacity from 14 to 18 tons. Gross weight was raised to 264 long tons (268 tonnes, 296 US tons). These were identified by a double “+” after their number. These 30 were also fitted with dual controls to enable operation in either direction, denoted by “DC” before their number.
last heritage-ride shuttle
AD60 class engine 6029 at the rear of 9L31 shuttle passing diverted interstate freight 7BM4 just outside Wollongong station.
A weekend of special passenger shuttles, hauled by restored large Beyer-Garratt steam engine 6029, were scheduled to operate out of Wollongong at short notice. The weekend of shuttles had been planned earlier in the year but it was subsequently cancelled.
Four return shuttles were run between Wollongong and Scarborough on both Saturday 12 November and Sunday 13 November 2016, and it was reported that they were well patronised. Sadly, the reason the shuttles were scheduled at short notice became evident on Monday 14 November, when the owner and operator of 6029, the Australian Railway Historical Society ACT division, announced that they would be closing and ceasing operations until further notice. Financial difficulties were given as the reason.
I was busy on the weekend, but seeing it was such a special operation I managed to get away to see the very last shuttle of the weekend. I am glad now that I did! While out I also photographed a few other trains!
A little history:
The AD60 class "Garratts" were the largest steam engines to operate on the NSW railway system. 50 were ordered in 1949 as part of a locomotive replacement program, and they were planned to operate feeder services on secondary main lines. A second phase would have seen even heavier engines obtained to haul trains over main lines from feeder junction depots. A problem arose however which prevented phase 2 - diesels! A locomotive shortage and visit by an Alco salesman resulted in the purchase of 20 almost off-the-shelf diesel locos (the 40 class, model RSC3) and with a short delivery lead time they had all entered service before the first AD60 Garratt in 1952! The NSW Railways quickly decided diesels were the way to go and attempted to cancel the remainder of the AD60 class contract. Following negotiation it was agreed that 42 would be built plus spare coomponents for several more.
Although heavy at 256 long tons gross, because of their planned usage they had a light axle load of only 16 tons, allowing them to operate on most lines on the NSW system, even some light "pioneer branch" lines.
Once in service it was soon realised that the Garratts would mostly be used on main lines, and so 30 were modified to raise the axle load to 18 long tons, increase cylinder diameter and increase their coal capacity from 14 to 18 tons. Gross weight was raised to 264 long tons (268 tonnes, 296 US tons). These were identified by a double “+” after their number. These 30 were also fitted with dual controls to enable operation in either direction, denoted by “DC” before their number.