BHP Port Kembla D1 class
| Industry | Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1921 |
| Headquarters | Granville , Australia |
The D1 class diesel-electric locomotives were constructed by Commonwealth Engineering at their Granville facility during the years 1950 and 1951. Powered by English Electric diesel engines, these units were utilized by Australian Iron & Steel at the Port Kembla steelworks, primarily for heavy-duty industrial rail tasks. A total of eight locomotives were manufactured, with three preserved and the remainder retired by 2004.
History
In May 1950, the D1 locomotive marked a milestone as the first diesel engine to run on an Australian mainline, operating trains for Australian Iron & Steel at Port Kembla. The fleet of eight D class locomotives remained in service until the early 1980s when a decline in operations led to the withdrawal of most units. Subsequently, D6 and D7 were brought back into service, with D6 continuing operations until 2004.
Preservation efforts have saved three locomotives:
- D1 is housed at the NSW Rail Museum in Thirlmere.
- D6 is held by the Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway and is currently stored at Port Kembla.
- D7 belongs to the former ARHS ACT Division based in Canberra.
References
Railway Transportation, November 1951, 'D-E locos and 60-ton cars boost operations for AI&S'