BHP Whyalla DE class
Class of diesel locomotives
4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Operators | BHP |
| Number in class | 9 |
| Numbers | DE01–DE09 |
| Delivered | 1956 |
| Current owner | Aurizon SCT Logistics |
| Disposition | 4 in service, 1 exported to South Africa, 3 scrapped |
The BHP Whyalla DE class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for BHP between 1956 and 1965.
History
In 1956, BHP purchased two Electro-Motive Diesel G8 locomotives from Clyde Engineering for use at its narrow gauge Iron Knob iron-ore quarry.[1]
In 1956, the first of four larger Electro-Motive Diesel G12 locomotives was delivered from Clyde Engineering for use on the narrow gauge BHP Whyalla Tramway, a fifth was delivered in June 1961.[1]
Following the construction of the 39.5 kilometre Coffin Bay Tramway standard gauge line between Proper Bay and Coffin Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, two standard gauge G12s were purchased in 1965.[1][2] Following the quarry railway being closed in 1968, the G8s were both transferred to the standard gauge railway.[1]
Between 1993 and 1995, six were remanufactured by Morrison-Knudsen Australia, at its Whyalla factory, receiving new cabs.[3][4][5]
In 2003, the Whyalla Steelworks became part of OneSteel and the rail operations transferred to Australian Railroad Group. The DEs were renumbered as the 1250 and 1300 classes.[6] With the split up of Australian Railroad Group in 2006, the four remaining rebuilt DE class transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia (later becoming One Rail Australia,) and were included in the sale of ORA's non-coal assets to Aurizon in 2022.
The sole unrebuilt DE class, 1251 was transferred to QR National and was later sold to Apex Industrial, which exported the locomotive to South Africa in 2015. It is now stored as a parts source at African Rail & Traction Services, Cor Delfos, Pretoria.
During the 1990s remanufacturing program, DE02 had been stripped as a source of parts. In 2005-2006 it was rebuilt at Islington Railway Workshops for SCT Logistics for use in Parkes. As it was very similar to the Victorian Railways T class, it was renumbered T414.[7]
Status table
| Locomotive | Model | In service | Owner | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE01 | EMD G8 | Oct 1956 | Aurizon | In service | Rebuilt as DE1 Feb 1994, renumbered 1301 |
| DE02 | EMD G8 | Nov 1956 | SCT Logistics | In service | Rebuilt by Islington Railway Workshops as T414 |
| DE03 | EMD G12 | Nov 1956 | Aurizon | In service | Rebuilt as DE3 Sep 1994, renumbered 1302 |
| DE04 | EMD G12 | Dec 1956 | Genesee & Wyoming Australia | In service | Rebuilt as DE4 Mar 1995, renumbered 1303 |
| DE05 | EMD G12 | May 1957 | African Rail & Traction Services | Stored | Renumbered 1251 |
| DE06 | EMD G12 | Aug 1957 | BHP | Scrapped Nov 1996 | |
| DE07 | EMD G12 | Jun 1961 | Aurizon | In service | Rebuilt as DE7 Mar 1994, renumbered 1304 |
| DE08 | EMD G12 | Nov 1965 | Australian Railroad Group | Scrapped Oct 2002 | Rebuilt as DE8 May 1994, destroyed in accident Apr 2002 [4] |
| DE09 | EMD G12 | Dec 1965 | Australian Railroad Group | Scrapped Oct 2002 | Rebuilt as DE9 May 1993, destroyed in accident Apr 2002[4] |
References
- ^ a b c d Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. pp. 221, 222, 224. ISBN 0-730100-05-7.
- ^ "Traffic" Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 754 August 2000 page 318
- ^ "Morrison Knudsen Australia and the CLPs" Railway Digest June 1994 page 18
- ^ a b c BHP / Onesteel / Arrium Whyalla Diesel Locomotives Minnipa Siding
- ^ DE Class (BHP Whyalla) Railpage
- ^ 1300 Class (ARG) Railpage
- ^ T Class (T414) Railpage
External links
- Rail Gallery
