Victorian Railways W class
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Locomotive manufacturing |
| Headquarters | Rhodes, New South Wales , Australia |
| Products | Diesel-hydraulic locomotives |
The W class locomotives are diesel-hydraulic shunters commissioned and managed by the Victorian Railways in Australia.
History
In the middle of 1957, Victorian Railways placed an order for 25 diesel-hydraulic locomotives with a power output of . The contract was awarded to Tulloch Limited based in Rhodes, New South Wales, who delivered a design inspired by West German models. These units were equipped with a Mercedes V12 diesel engine generating , linked to a Krupp hydraulic transmission that powered the central axle, with side rods transmitting motion to the remaining axles. All 25 locomotives were introduced into service starting December 1959.
Expecting an additional order of 25 units, Tulloch constructed a standard gauge demonstrator numbered 7101 intended for New South Wales Railways. After NSW declined the design, this locomotive was sold to Victorian Railways for use on construction trains along the Albury-Melbourne standard gauge route and later assigned to shunting duties between South Dynon and Spencer Street stations. The last locomotive built, W267, was produced in preparation for the anticipated follow-up order that never occurred; it was converted to standard gauge and operated alongside W266.
Originally, these locomotives featured dual-sided controls on the central console, but this setup was soon discontinued. They were trialed on local passenger routes but proved unable to maintain schedules due to low maximum speeds and insufficient power.
The class suffered from numerous reliability problems including poor ride comfort, frequent hydraulic transmission breakdowns, oil leaks creating safety hazards, and engine block failures. The high gear range was eliminated early in their service life, limiting their use mainly to shunting operations. Crew visibility within yards was compromised, and the cabs offered inadequate protection.
Between 1973 and 1977, at least ten units underwent engine replacements where the original Mercedes engines were swapped for General Motors diesels. These modifications were identifiable by an additional exhaust stack and an engine hood raised by 208mm; however, the original transmissions remained intact.
Primarily, the W class was stationed at Ballarat, Geelong, and Melbourne for short-distance shunting tasks. Single locomotives were also assigned to Ararat, Bendigo, and Seymour yards. Occasionally, W241 based in Seymour handled freight services extending to Shepparton and further reached Rushworth, Colbinabbin, and Benalla.
New South Wales 71 class locomotive
The 71 class refers to a diesel-hydraulic locomotive operated by the New South Wales Department of Railways in Australia.
Powertrain
This 0-6-0 wheel arrangement locomotive was equipped with a 12-cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine paired with a Krupp hydraulic transmission featuring a torque converter and axle gearing. The cooling system utilized Behr hydraulic components.
History
Following the production of 25 diesel-hydraulic shunters for Victorian Railways, Tulloch Limited proposed a comparable model to the NSW Department of Railways in 1960 for evaluation over twelve months. Accepted and designated as number 7101, it commenced service on 11 November 1960 at the Delec Locomotive Depot, with maintenance performed by Tulloch. It primarily served local transfer and shunting assignments within Sydney under operational conditions similar to those of the 70 class.
By mid-1961, operational difficulties led Tulloch to withdraw unit 7101 on 21 June. Subsequently sold to Victorian Railways, it began service from 4 July supporting construction efforts on the North East standard gauge line between Albury and Melbourne. The locomotive was repainted to align with broad gauge units and renumbered as W266.
Locomotives
The following table compiles information sourced from Newsrail, December 1982, page 311.
| Locomotive | Builder's Number | Name | Manufacturing Date | Service Entry Date | Engine Upgraded | Current or Last Owner | Status in 1982 | Present Condition | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W241 | 006 | Peter Steward | 1959 | 1959-12-21 | Yes | Mornington Railway | Undergoing repairs at Seymour | Preserved and operational | Delivered on 2015-09-20 |
| W242 | 007 | January 1960 | 1960-01-30 | No | Victorian Railways | Located at Ballarat | Dismantled | ||
| W243 | 008 | February 1960 | 1960-02-26 | No | Newport Railway Museum | Stationed at Ballarat | Preserved as static exhibit | Equipped with Mercedes engine. | |
| W244 | 009 | March 1960 | 1960-03-14 | Yes | Victrack | At Newport facility | Stored | Formerly part of 707 Operations; returned to Victrack after being surplus. | |
| W245 | 010 | March 1960 | 1960-04-01 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Scrapped as of September 30, 1982 | |||
| W246 | 011 | April 1960 | 1960-04-25 | No | Victorian Railways | Under repair at Ballarat Workshops | Scrapped | ||
| W247 | 012 | May 1960 | 1960-05-09 | No | Victorian Railways | Serving as workshops pilot at Ballarat | Scrapped in1987 | ||
| W248 | 013 | May1960 | 1960-05-22 | No | Victorian Railways | At Ballarat | Scrapped in1983 | ||
| W249 | 014 | May1960 | 1960-05-30 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Located at Bendigo | Scrapped in1987 | ||
| W250 | 015 | June1960 | 1960-06-10 | Yes | Yarra Valley Railway | Undergoing repairs at Ballarat | Preserved and operational | ||
| W251 | 016 | June1960 | 1960-06-20 | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1982 | ||||
| W252 | 017 | June1960 | 1960-06-30 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Under repair at Ballarat | Scrapped | ||
| W253 | 018 | July1960 | 1960-07-13 | No | Victorian Railways | Undergoing repairs at Ballarat Workshops | Scrapped | ||
| W254 | 019 | July1960 | 1960-07-23 | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1982 | ||||
| W255 | 020 | July1960 | 1960-08-02 | Yes | Newport Railway Museum | Used as pilot at Newport facility | Preserved as static exhibit | Fitted with General Motors engine. | |
| W256 | 022 | August1960 | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1982 | |||||
| W257 | 023 | August1960 | 1960-08-26 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Under repair at Ballarat Workshops | Scrapped | ||
| W258 | 024 | August1960 | Victorian Railways | Located at Geelong | Scrapped | ||||
| W259 | 025 | September1960 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Used as workshops pilot at Bendigo | Scrapped in1987 | |||
| W260 | 026 | September1960 | No | RLG | Scrapped in2010 at Seymour Rail Heritage Centre. Last unit with original Mercedes engine except for W243. Displayed at Tocumwal. | ||||
| W261 | 027 | October1960 | No | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1982 | ||||
| W262 | 029 | November1960 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Located at Geelong | Scrapped in1987 | |||
| W263 | 030 | November1960 | No | Victorian Railways | Stationed at Ararat | Scrapped in1987 | |||
| W264 | 032 | December1960 | No | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1982 | ||||
| W265 | 031 | December1960 | No | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1981 | ||||
| W266 | 028 | October1960 | Entered service on July6,1961 | Yes | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1982; standard gauge pilot, formerly NSW7101 | |||
| W267 | 036 | November1961 | Entered service on December18,1961 | No | Victorian Railways | Scrapped in1980; operated on broad gauge until early1962. |