Victorian Railways T Class (diesel) - History

History

In July 1954 the Victorian Railways placed an order with Clyde Engineering for 25 (later extended to 27) diesel electric locomotives of their G8 type (based on the EMD GP-7/GP-9 general-purpose locomotive that was a massive sales success in the USA at the time) to partially dieselise country branch lines.

In June 1959 the first of an additional ten entered service. Although mechanically similar to the first batch they differed by having a cab raised above the hood line. A further ten entered service from December 1961.

In September 1965 the first of an order for 32 was delivered. These differed by having a lower nose. A final order for 19 was delivered from April 1967. The last five were built with an extra 10 tonnes of ballast weight for improved adhesion and low speed controls for use as shunting locomotives in Melbourne. These were reclassified as the H class shortly after being delivered.

In July 1969 an additional flat top unit was purchased second hand from Australian Portland Cement who had ordered it for use at its narrow gauge Fyansford Cement Works Railway, Geelong in 1956. Although outwardly similar to the original T class units it was fitted with dynamic brakes, and became a regular on the steeply graded Cudgewa line.

Although ordered as branch line locomotives, as branch lines began to close they were often used on main line services.

In 1984/85 Martin & King, Somerton rebuilt 13 flat tops as P class locomotives. This involved a new cab and carbody, replacing the EMD 8-567C engine with an EMD 8-645E, replacement of the main generator and traction motors, and provision of a separate head end power generator.

Many were withdrawn in the late 1980s with the arrival of the G class locomotives. In October 1992 six low nose locomotives were sold to Australian National with five entering service as the CK class as shunters and bankers in Adelaide. All were included in the sale of Australian National to Australian Southern Railroad in November 1997. One was resold to SCT Logistics with the remaining four operating on the narrow gauge Eyre Peninsula Railway as at February 2013.

Others were sold to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia, El Zorro, Great Northern Rail Services, SCT Logistics, Southern Shorthaul Railroad, and West Coast Railway. A number of T class have been preserved.

Those remaining with V/Line Freight were included in the sale to Freight Australia and in 2000 some stored examples were reactivated and fitted with standard gauge bogies to haul grain services in southern New South Wales. These passed with the Freight Australia business to Pacific National in August 2004 with twelve still in service in February 2013.