The Tasmanian Government Railways Y class is a class of diesel locomotives built by the Tasmanian Government Railways between 1961 and 1971.
History The Y class was designed by English Electric and constructed by the Tasmanian Government Railway's Launceston Railway Workshops. Eight were built as mainline freight and passenger locomotives between 1961 and 1971.TGR's New Higher Powered Diesels Railway Transportation November 1962 pages 36-3850 years of the Y class locomotive Tasmanian Rail News issue 249 January 2012 pages 9-19Y Class Rail Tasmania
Following the success of the X class, the TGR decided to order additional diesel locomotives.
English Electric submitted plans that were quite similar to the Jamaican Railways 81 class, South Australian Railways 800 class and Midland Railway of Western Australia F class but with a small power increase. They were slightly larger and more powerful than the X class. They had a similar layout to the X class, a long hood unit with the cab at one end.
Construction began at the TGR's Launceston Railway Workshops in 1961, and three of the planned eight were completed relatively quickly. However, construction of the other five was slow, with the last not being delivered until 1971, by which time the design had become dated.
Technical details The Y class was fitted with an English Electric 6SRKT Mark II (Mark III on last two) in-line six turbocharged diesel engine. They have a Bo-Bo wheel arrangement and end-platforms, making them visually different from the X class.
In line with standard TGR practice of the time, they were fitted with hook-and-link couplers and vacuum train brakes (air on locomotive). With a light tractive weight of only 58 tonnes, a reasonably powerful engine of and a fairly basic bogie design, gaining traction on long uphill grades was found to be difficult. They were noted to have a tendency to wheel-slip badly. Nevertheless, they were considered successful.
Later years In March 1978, the Y class was included in the transfer of the Tasmanian Government Railways to Australian National. With the new transfer of twenty 830 class locomotives from South Australia and later purchase of ZB class and ZC class locomotives from Queensland Rail, the Y class was made redundant.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, all members of the Y class was retrofitted with stronger automatic couplers, which had by then become standard equipment. Y1 and Y5 also received air train brakes in 1985,Tasmania Railway Digest August 1985 page 247Here & There Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin issue 576 October 1985 page 73 with the others withdrawn following the cessation of vacuum braked services in 1988. Most of these were being preserved at this stage. With Y2 going to Derwent Valley Railway, Y3 going to the Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston, Y4 to Tasmanian Transport Museum and finally Y6&8 to Don River Railway. Tasrail retained Y7 for parts.
In 2001, Y7 was rebuilt as a driving van for use on Railton to Devonport cement trains. With Y7 stored in 2017.DV1 Rail Tasmania Two members of the class remained in regular service with TasRail, renumbered as the 2150 class, until mid 2016 when stored out of use.Locomotive renumbering Railway Digest October 1998 page 36 In its twilight years, Y1 was modified with reinforced side windows, an extra window on the front door and sealed headlights, as well as a repaint into Tasrail yellow and grey. Y5 received much of the same modifications, except it retained its reverse AN yellow and green. The modifications to Y5 were reversed when the locomotive entered preservation.
In May 2022, Y1 (2150) & Y5 (2151) where donated for preservation to Derwent Valley Railway and Launceston & North East Railway respectively. Only leaving DV1, formally Y7, not preserved.
Status table Image Original no Final no Current livery Name Owner Status Y1 2150 Tasrail yellow and grey Derwent Valley Railway Preserved Y2 TGR red with white stripes Henry Baldwin Derwent Valley Railway Preserved, in early stages of overhaul Y3 TGR red with white stripes Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Launceston Preserved Y4 TGR red with white stripes Rowallan Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy Preserved, operationalExhibit – Y4 Rail Tasmania Y5 2151 AN/Tasrail reverse yellow and green Sir Charles Gairdner Launceston & North East Railway Preserved Y6 TGR yellow Don River Railway, Devonport Preserved, operationalLocomotives Don River Railway Y7 DV1 Tasrail yellow and grey TasRail Stored Y8 TGR yellow with ANR logos Don River Railway, Devonport Preserved, derelict
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