The 71 class is a class of diesel locomotive

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...

 operated by the New South Wales Government Railways

New South Wales Government Railways

The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...

 in 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...

.

History

Having just completed the construction of 25 broad gauge

Broad gauge

Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...

 650 hp diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives for the Victorian Railways

Victorian Railways

The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...

 (known as the W class

Victorian Railways W class (diesel-hydraulic)

The W class are a diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotive ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways of Australia. In 2006 locomotive W241 was used to haul the 4D train to the scrapyard, with W241 and W244 also operated in revenue service by El Zorro on works trains.-Locomotives:- References :* -...

), Tulloch Limited

Tulloch Limited

Tulloch Limited was a major Australian engineering and railway rolling stock manufacturer, located at Rhodes, New South Wales. It was founded by Robert Tulloch and began in 1913 as Tulloch's Phoenix Iron Works, which had been working at the Phoneix Iron Works, Pyrmont. During the Second World War,...

, with a view to receiving a contract for similar units, in 1960, offered the N.S.W.G.R.

New South Wales Government Railways

The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...

 a similar standard gauge

Standard gauge

The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...

 version for a 12-month testing period. The N.S.W.G.R. accepted the offer and the unit was taken into service on 11 November 1960. It was designated 7101. Although allocated to the Delec (Enfield

Enfield, New South Wales

Enfield is a suburb, in the Inner-West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Enfield is located 13 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of Burwood Council.-History:...

) depot, all servicing was done at Tulloch Limited.

The locomotive was of the 0-6-0 wheel arrangement, fitted with a 12-cylinder Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...

 engine, Krupp

Krupp

The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...

 hydraulic transmission and axle-gear and Behr

Behr

Behr is a surname and may refer to:* Barbara Behr, photographer, film director and magazine editor* Bernd Behr , German artist* Dani Behr Behr is a surname and may refer to:* Barbara Behr, photographer, film director and magazine editor* Bernd Behr (b. 1976), German artist* Dani Behr Behr is a...

 hydraulic cooling equipment. 7101 was used on local transfer and shunting trips in the Sydney metropolitan area. It operated under conditions similar to the 70-class

New South Wales 70 class locomotive

In January, 1959, a contract was placed by the New South Wales Government Railways with Commonwealth Engineering Limited of Granville for the construction of ten 550 hp 0-6-0 diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotives...

 then in operation.

In mid-1961, Tulloch Limited was experiencing operating difficulties and was unable to fulfil their obligations in regard to the hiring. 7101 was returned to them on 21 June 1961. The unit was sold to Victorian Railways, who used the locomotive from 4 July the same year on the construction of the North East standard gauge line between Albury

Albury, New South Wales

Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...

 and Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. It was repainted in the same colours as the 25 broad gauge units and renumbered W266.