New South Wales C36 class locomotive
| Company type | Steam locomotive class |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transportation |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Founder | Eveleigh Railway Workshops, Clyde Engineering |
| Headquarters | New South Wales , Australia |
| Products | Steam locomotives (4-6-0 wheel arrangement) |
The New South Wales C36 class comprises a fleet of two-cylinder, simple expansion, non-condensing, coal-burning steam locomotives with superheated boilers and a 4-6-0 wheel arrangement. These express passenger engines were manufactured by Eveleigh Railway Workshops and Clyde Engineering for the New South Wales Government Railways in Australia.
Commissioned in 1925, a total of 75 units became the dominant power for premier express services, facilitating quicker long-distance schedules and improving passenger service standards prior to World War II. They led express passenger operations for more than twenty years before being succeeded by the 38 class. Additionally, the C36 class served as a testbed for various performance assessments and engineering advancements.
Origins and development
The C36 class represented a refinement of the earlier 35 class, which debuted in 1914. The initial ten locomotives were constructed at Eveleigh Railway Workshops, while the subsequent 65 were produced by Clyde Engineering.
These locomotives were engineered to handle heavier express train loads and meet growing public expectations for reduced travel times. Furthermore, the design aimed to lower maintenance frequency and associated costs.
Boiler
From inception, all units featured superheated boilers. The original design incorporated a round-top boiler rather than the Belpaire style. During the early to mid-1950s, most were upgraded with all-steel Belpaire boilers along with redesigned cabs. Initially, riveted steel boilers contained copper inner fireboxes, fire-tubes, and superheater elements. The replacement Belpaire boilers adopted steel fireboxes, tubes, and flues, following American practice and later NSWGR guidelines. Although copper offers superior heat conduction, it can induce galvanic corrosion when in contact with steel parts such as crown stays and front tubeplates.
Valve gear
A distinctive aspect was their external Walschaerts valve gear, prized for straightforward lubrication and ease of upkeep. This marked the first mainline locomotive design in New South Wales to utilize this valve gear system, establishing a standard that later steam classes would adopt.
In service
Experienced engineers often asserted that the C36 class outpaced the later 38 class, reportedly achieving speeds exceeding .
These locomotives operated on express passenger routes initially assigned to the flagship Newcastle Flyer trains, later extending to Southern and Northern expresses as well as mail services. Early operational trials confirmed their capacity for extended runs without changing locomotives, such as continuous journeys from Sydney to Albury (approximately 400 miles). By the late 1920s, they regularly hauled the Melbourne Limited and Melbourne Express, completing trips with only four servicing stops along the way.
On the Main North, their reach extended as far as Armidale, while on the North Coast line they operated up to South Grafton. Following the opening of the Grafton Bridge over the Clarence River, these locomotives continued through to South Brisbane. When services like the Central West Express, Northern Tablelands Express, and Riverina Express commenced in 1941, the C36 class was assigned to these routes. By the 1950s, with major expresses transferred to the 38 class, C36 locomotives shifted focus to slower passenger trains and mail runs serving destinations such as Albury, Narrandera, Dubbo, Parkes, Thirroul, Armidale, South Brisbane, and local stops along the Short North corridor to Newcastle.
Following electrification of the Main Western line reaching Lithgow in 1957, several C36 units were stationed at Lithgow, Bathurst, and Parkes. With diesel locomotives entering service, their role shifted predominantly to freight haulage; however, they continued pulling the Central West Express west of Lithgow until at least 1963. This transition allowed many older Standard Goods engines to be retired. Withdrawals began in January 1959 as diesel traction expanded; some locomotives briefly returned in late 1966 to handle wheat trains after an exceptional harvest season. The final member of this class was withdrawn in September 1969.
Nicknamed 'Pigs' by railway workers—likely a reference to their large boiler and smokebox dimensions—the C36 class remains recognized for its sturdy construction and lengthy operational tenure.
Livery
At the outset, every unit was finished in a plain unlined black paint scheme. For the 1927 Royal Visit of the Duke and Duchess of York, locomotives 3602, 3615, 3616, and 3617 were adorned in Royal Blue with yellow and black lining. Later, in 1934, locomotive 3633 was given a green coat for the Southern Highlands Express, a treatment that was subsequently applied to an additional 28 engines.
During World War Two, austerity protocols required all locomotives to be repainted in simple black, a look they maintained until their retirement. Throughout their operational lifespan, some units also displayed black paint highlighted with red lining.
Currently, locomotive 3642 is painted green and holds the distinction of being the last functioning 36 class engine before its withdrawal in 2018.
Modifications
In 1957, locomotive 3616 had its blast-pipe and chimney replaced by a Giesl Oblong Ejector. Then, in 1964, six locomotives—3638, 3642, 3644, 3651, 3652, and 3654—were fitted with Franklin Precision power reverse gears to enhance their operational performance.
Preservation
| No. | Description | Manufacturer | Year | Current organisation | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3609 | 4-6-0 passenger | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 1928 | Transport Heritage NSW | Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum | Static display |
| 3616 | 4-6-0 passenger | Clyde Engineering | 1927 | Transport Heritage NSW | NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere | Stored |
| 3642 | 4-6-0 passenger | Clyde Engineering | 1926 | Transport Heritage NSW | NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere | Capable of operating light engine |