New South Wales 70 class locomotive
| Industry | Locomotive manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Granville , Australia |
| Products | Diesel-hydraulic locomotives (70 class for New South Wales Department of Railways) |
The 70 class consisted of ten diesel-hydraulic locomotives constructed by Commonwealth Engineering, Granville for the New South Wales Department of Railways during 1960 and 1961. Their primary purpose was to replace steam engines operating at Port Kembla.
Delivery
Known as the 70-class, the inaugural locomotive arrived on 15 August 1960. After being weighed, it pulled a 400-ton test load to Botany the following day. Due to incomplete servicing facilities at Port Kembla, unit 7001 was temporarily stationed at Delec Locomotive Depot to perform local duties. On 28 September 1960, it led its first passenger service, transporting railway staff from Sydney Central to Chullora Railway Workshops.
By the close of 1960, an additional three locomotives had been delivered. In 1961, unit 7003 briefly operated on the Richmond line, running an afternoon passenger train originating from the Abattoirs line. While most of the fleet was received by May 1961, unit 7007 was not accepted until February 1962. The class frequently worked on the Camden railway line, hauling coal trains from Narellan prior to the line’s closure.
Modifications
By late 1962, issues arose with coupling rods breaking at higher speeds. To address this, heavier-duty side rods were installed starting February 1963. Additionally, original side cab windows were replaced beginning January 1963, and exhaust stacks underwent modifications from January 1967 onward.
The Snowy Mountains Connection
A distinctive deployment occurred in late 1963 when the class hauled the Interstate Profile train from Sydney to Albury, continuing on to Cooma, Tumut, via the Picton-Mittagong Loop, Moss Vale, and Unanderra, then returning to Sydney before proceeding to Casino. The inclusion of Tumut and Cooma was due to frequent heavy profile loads associated with construction work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Move to Port Kembla
By July 1963, three locomotives were stationed at Thirroul Railway Depot for crew instruction, performing transfer runs within the Illawarra region and shunting duties at Port Kembla North.
Training sessions commenced at Port Kembla in December 1963 using two carriages. Starting from 27 December, four units were assigned to shunting tasks across wharves and commercial zones. On 1 January 1964, unit 7003 became the first locomotive to enter the new Port Kembla depot; by the end of that month all ten units had been delivered. Typically, seven locomotives operated simultaneously with spare units loaned to Thirroul as required.
Work at Port Kembla
Following the completion of the Inner Harbour and its branch line from Coniston in October 1953, coal loading operations shifted there. Early in 1964, activity on older commercial lines diminished.
The 70 class expanded their responsibilities to include shunting duties within Port Kembla North Yard, transfer runs to the Australian Iron & Steel Exchange sidings at Cringila, as well as shunting passenger coaches at Wollongong station.
Varied Colours
Initially, all locomotives arrived painted in the customary Indian Red featuring chrome accents. In July 1982, number 7006 was briefly repainted using an inverted colour scheme, and subsequently, in April 1983, 7007 received the candy-coloured livery.
Demise
By the beginning of 1984, the necessity for the 70 class locomotives on the Port Kembla industrial network had significantly diminished, with only a handful required for daytime shifts, shunting operations at Port Kembla North, and transfer assignments.
Between February and August 1984, locomotives 7009, 7008, and 7002 were retired and transported to Eveleigh Railway Workshops. After a failure in September 1984, 7007 was taken out of service, followed by 7010 in June 1985. Subsequently, 7003 was also withdrawn due to a wheel defect.
In 1985, locomotive 7008 was purchased by the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum, whereas units 7002 and 7009 were dismantled at Sims Metal in Mascot. On 12 November 1984, the more modern 73 class assumed all shunting and transfer responsibilities at Port Kembla. By September 1986, only two locomotives—7006 and 7010—remained in operation; their final runs occurred on the 10th and 11th of September respectively.
The remaining units—7001, 7004, and 7005—were sold for scrapping to Sims Metal. Locomotive 7003 was acquired by the Emu Bay Railway for spare parts; meanwhile, the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum obtained both 7007 and 7010. The Illawarra branch of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum purchased 7006, which had previously been loaned to the Powerhouse Museum and now functions as a shunter at Thirlmere following refurbishment.