BHP Newcastle 32 class
Encyclopedia
The BHP Newcastle 32 class was a class of diesel locomotive
s used for shunting within the BHP
steelworks at Newcastle, New South Wales
, Australia
. They were assembled by A. Goninan & Co, Newcastle with the order placed with Australian General Electric Pty Ltd. The design was based on the GE 70-ton switcher
.
There were several modifications form the standard US design. One is the alteration to the bogie pivot pin from the usual centre position to a point 18 inches towards the buffer beam. The alteration enabled the locos to travel the tight curves found in the works, and also reduced excessive buffer and coupler misalignment. Deep buffer beams were fitted with a 3½ inch rail clearance, to minimise damage during derailments. To reduce excessive body roll due to poor track conditions, extra bearing pads were fitted to the outside of the bogie frame and the main frame. The fitting of large 64 cubic feet (1,812.3 l) capacity air reservoirs on each side enabled the locos to be used with 6 of the pneumatic dump cars in use at the steelworks. Also as the standard US design did not have buffers fitted, the BHP locos were fitted with buffers with oversized buffer heads, necessary for the tight curves and BHP’s own internal rolling stock.
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s used for shunting within the BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
steelworks at Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They were assembled by A. Goninan & Co, Newcastle with the order placed with Australian General Electric Pty Ltd. The design was based on the GE 70-ton switcher
GE 70-ton switcher
The GE 70-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between about 1942 and 1955. It is classified as a B-B type locomotive. The first series of "70 tonners" were a group of seven center cab locomotives built for the New York Central Railroad in November, 1942. These...
.
There were several modifications form the standard US design. One is the alteration to the bogie pivot pin from the usual centre position to a point 18 inches towards the buffer beam. The alteration enabled the locos to travel the tight curves found in the works, and also reduced excessive buffer and coupler misalignment. Deep buffer beams were fitted with a 3½ inch rail clearance, to minimise damage during derailments. To reduce excessive body roll due to poor track conditions, extra bearing pads were fitted to the outside of the bogie frame and the main frame. The fitting of large 64 cubic feet (1,812.3 l) capacity air reservoirs on each side enabled the locos to be used with 6 of the pneumatic dump cars in use at the steelworks. Also as the standard US design did not have buffers fitted, the BHP locos were fitted with buffers with oversized buffer heads, necessary for the tight curves and BHP’s own internal rolling stock.
Class list
| Locomotive | Builder's No. | Entered service | Withdrawn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 1/S0001 | 7/1954 | 8/1986 | - |
| 33 | 2/S0002 | 8/1954 | 2/1987 | - |
| 34 | 3/S0003 | 12/1954 | 1/1990 | - |
| 35 | 10/S3006 | 12/1956 | 8/1988 | - |
| 36 | 11/S3007 | 12/1956 | 6/1985 | - |
Preservation
- 32 is preserved on static display at the Former BHP Site at Newcastle
- 34 is Preserved on the Richmond Vale Railway