New South Wales C38 class locomotive
| Company type | Steam locomotive class |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | January 1943 |
| Founder | New South Wales Government Railways |
| Headquarters | New South Wales , Australia |
| Products | Steam locomotives (4-6-2 Pacific type) |
The New South Wales C38 class, frequently referred to as the 38 class and colloquially known as "Pacifics," represents a series of 4-6-2 steam locomotives designed for passenger service. These engines were constructed by Eveleigh Railway Workshops, Clyde Engineering, and Cardiff Locomotive Workshops under the commission of the New South Wales Government Railways in Australia.
Built over the period from January 1943 through November 1949, a total of 30 units were produced specifically to manage express passenger routes throughout New South Wales. They are distinguished as the sole NSW locomotives utilizing the Pacific 4-6-2 wheel arrangement and stand as the final steam locomotives manufactured in the state for passenger use, with later production shifting focus toward freight operations. Initially, these locomotives bore a grey and black Grey Nurse paint scheme before being repainted in bottle green.
Design
The concept for the 38 class originated during the 1930s with the goal of eliminating double-heading on high-speed intrastate passenger trains.
Its design was influenced by prevailing aerodynamic trends and drew inspiration from American models such as the Norfolk and Western class J and streamlined variants of the PRR K4. Under the guidance of Harold Young, Principal Design Engineer at NSWGR, the locomotive was engineered with six driving wheels arranged in a 'Pacific' 4-6-2 configuration to negotiate tight curves while maintaining high speeds. To simplify maintenance, a two-cylinder simple steam engine layout was selected.
Developed by the NSWGR Locomotive Section, this design integrated advanced technologies sourced both domestically and internationally, with an emphasis on Australian-produced parts. Similar to the earlier D57 class, it incorporated a cast steel frame, cast Boxpok driving wheels for enhanced balance, and a Delta-style trailing truck.
History
In May 1939, an initial order for five 38 class locomotives was placed with Clyde Engineering. Their production encountered delays caused by resource constraints linked to World War II and the economic impacts of the Great Depression. The first five units, manufactured by Clyde Engineering, featured a semi-streamlined boiler casing reminiscent of New Zealand’s J class. However, firemen found it challenging to sustain steam pressure within the 245 psi boiler—the highest pressure recorded on any Australian locomotive. Early testing identified that the blast pipe's design restricted efficient steam flow, which lessened suction through boiler tubes and complicated firing. After modifications to the blast pipe were implemented, the C38 class became recognized for its distinctive clear exhaust sound known as "bark."
Following completion of these initial five locomotives by 1945, an additional 25 units were commissioned. These were constructed without streamlining to facilitate easier upkeep—13 at the New South Wales Government Railways' Eveleigh Railway Workshops and 12 at Cardiff Locomotive Workshops.
The Clyde Engineering-built engines were initially delivered in wartime grey livery before being repainted green after World War II, aligning with the unstreamlined batch’s color scheme. By the 1950s, all but locomotive 3813 had been painted black; nonetheless, locomotives 3801 and 3830 had their green paint restored during the 1960s following advocacy from preservation groups.
At first, these locomotives operated major services such as the Central West Express, Newcastle Flyer, Melbourne Limited Express, Riverina Express, and South Coast Daylight Express, along with overnight mail runs. Their axle load restricted them to routes linking Sydney with Port Kembla, Albury, Dubbo, and Maitland; they also briefly served North Coast lines extending to Brisbane before track limitations curtailed their use there.
The introduction of diesel classes 42, 43, and 44 throughout the 1950s began supplanting some express passenger duties. Despite this transition, the 38 class continued to haul numerous passenger and freight services. Even after electrification reached Lithgow on the Main Western line in 1957 and Gosford on the Main North line in 1960—both serviced by 46 class electric locomotives—the 38 class remained active on routes such as the Central West Express between Lithgow and Orange into the 1960s and continued running the Newcastle Flyer between Gosford and Newcastle up until December 1970.
In April 1962, locomotives numbered 3830 and 3813 hauled the inaugural standard gauge run of the Spirit of Progress from Albury to Sydney. The first withdrawal from service occurred in 1961; by December 1970, all units had been retired.
In August 1970, locomotive 3801 led the Western Endeavour journey to Perth following conversion of the Sydney–Perth route to standard gauge, assisted by engine 3813 up to Port Pirie. Later in April 1988, during Australia's Bicentenary celebrations, locomotive 3801 again traveled to Perth.
Locomotive 3801 also gained significant recognition through its starring role in the acclaimed short film A Steam Train Passes released in 1974, widely regarded as Australia's premier railway motion picture.
Roster
| Streamlined | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locomotive | Manufacturer | Builder's Number | Date Built | Service Entry | Retirement Date | |||
| 3801 | Clyde Engineering | 463 | December 1942 | 22 January 1943 | 19 October 1965 | |||
| 3802 | Clyde Engineering | 464 | March 1943 | 8 April 1943 | 31 January 1967 | |||
| 3803 | Clyde Engineering | 465 | August 1943 | 9 September 1943 | 29 February 1968 | |||
| 3804 | Clyde Engineering | 466 | January 1944 | 10 February 1944 | 29 October 1965 | |||
| 3805 | Clyde Engineering | 467 | February 1945 | 2 March 1945 | December 1961 | |||
| Non-streamlined | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locomotive | Manufacturer | Builder's Number | Date Built | Retirement Date | ||||
| 3806 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 158 | 1945 | 1967 | ||||
| 3807 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 159 | 1946 | 28 September 1968 | ||||
| 3808 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 160 | 1946 | 1968 | ||||
| 3809 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 161 | 1946 | 1969 | ||||
| 3810 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 162 | 1946 | 1969 | ||||
| 3811 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 163 | 1946 | 1969 | ||||
| 3812 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 164 | 1946 | 1965 | ||||
| 3813 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 165 | 1946 | 12 September 1970 | ||||
| 3814 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 166 | 1946 | 1966 | ||||
| 3815 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 167 | 1947 | 1967 | ||||
| 3816 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 168 | 1947 | 1966 | ||||
| 3817 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 169 | 1947 | 1963 | ||||
| 3818 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 170 | 1947 | 1968 | ||||
| 3819 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 171 | 1947 | 1963 | ||||
| 3820 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 172 | 1947 | 29 December 1970 | ||||
| 3821 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 173 | 1948 | 1962 | ||||
| 3822 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 174 | 1947 | 1970 | ||||
| 3823 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 175 | 1948 | 1967 | ||||
| 3824 | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 176 | 1948 | 1969 | ||||
| 3825 | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 177 | 1948 | 1969 | ||||
Preservation
Out of the original 30 C38 class locomotives, four remain: numbers 3801, 3813, 3820, and 3830. Following a refurbishment in 1972, locomotive 3813 was dismantled as directed by the Public Transport Commission's commissioner; however, its parts were conserved and later entrusted to the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum for safekeeping. The other preserved locomotives are either operational or displayed by heritage groups.
| No. | Description | Builder | Year Built | Custodian | Location | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3801 | 4-6-2 express passenger locomotive | Clyde Engineering | 1943 | Transport Heritage NSW | Thirlmere, New South Wales | In service |
| 3813 | 4-6-2 express passenger locomotive | Cardiff Locomotive Workshops | 1946 | Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum | Dorrigo, New South Wales | Disassembled |
| 3820 | 4-6-2 express passenger locomotive | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 1947 | Transport Heritage NSW | Thirlmere, New South Wales | Static display |
| 3830 | 4-6-2 express passenger locomotive | Eveleigh Railway Workshops | 1949 | Powerhouse Museum | Thirlmere, New South Wales | In storage |