The C Class are a class of diesel locomotive built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater for the Victorian Railways in 1977–1978.
History The C class were purchased by the Victorian Railways for heavy freight haulage. They are a variant of the WAGR L class (itself an Australianised EMD SD40) fitted with safety cabs. Initially, the first four were placed on the North East line to haul services from Melbourne to Albury while the latter six were put on the broad gauge to haul services on the Serviceton line. Following upgrades to the infrastructure, they were also able to operate on the Ballarat to Geelong line and from January 1982 through to Adelaide with the standard gauge units transferred to the broad gauge.
Prior to delivery the expectation was that the engines would be classed H220 to H229, corresponding to builders' numbers 76-824 through 76-833. The H class at this time would have been in homage to the Victorian Railways' largest steam locomotive, H220 "Heavy Harry", but the class letter would have conflicted with diesel engines H1-H5 which were designed for use on the Melbourne hump yard.
The locomotives were delivered from Adelaide to Melbourne on the broad gauge interstate line, with the first arriving on 14 May 1977. It was converted to standard gauge two days later, named "George Brown" at a ceremony at Spencer Street station on 17 May 1977, and entered service on 20 May 1977. The first few engines were intended for use on standard gauge goods trains, but occasionally were required to operate passenger trains like the Intercapital Daylight. In these cases their lower maximum speed limit of guaranteed late running.
The first four engines were converted to standard gauge within days of delivery, each slotting into the North Eastern roster and only briefly returning to broad gauge every few years, possibly for maintenance at South Dynon workshops (for example, C504 from 12 to 24 January 1978).
On 3 August 1979, engines C505 and 506 ran through to Adelaide for the first time as part of a trial of through-running, in place of the previous practice involving changing locomotives at the border. C505 led on the westbound trip with a trailing load of and 506 led on the eastbound with . A number of stop-and-start tests were undertaken on the Adelaide hills line to test the engines' ability to handle heavy loads, and running times were tested particularly between Tailem Bend and Mile End. New radio communication systems were also trialled between the driver and guard using fixed units in lieu of the earlier portable units. The trial was deemed a success, with through-running becoming a regular feature from 12 November. At the time a number of C Class engines were running on the standard gauge between Melbourne and Albury, and it was intended to recall these for broad gauge interstate work and have them replaced by GM class locomotives from Australian National Railways.Network, Railways of Australia, October 1979, Vol.16 No.8 pp. 13–14
Bau lists the engines being repainted from Victorian Railways' blue and gold livery to V/Line orange in the period July 1986 to June 1992. By 30 October 1987 engines C503, 507, 508, 509 and 510 were joined by C505 in the orange livery.
In September 1988, C504 and C505 were transferred back to the standard gauge and began to operate services through to Sydney."C Class" Railway Digest October 1988 page 378"C Class" Railway Digest November 1988 page 406
Following the Melbourne-Adelaide railway being closed for gauge conversion, the eight remaining broad gauge units were converted to standard gauge and operated services from Melbourne to Parkes until the converted line reopened in July 1995. All were transferred by V/Line to National Rail in June 1995.C Class diesel electric locomotives Mark Bau's VR website
Following the delivery of National Rail's NR class locomotives, the C class were put into storage at Junee Locomotive Depot in 1997 before being moved to Islington Railway Workshops, Adelaide.Railway Digest October 1998 page 41 Unlike the other locomotives National Rail initially used, ownership of the C class passed to National Rail."One Nation - A retrospective and perspective" Railway Digest August 1997 page 21 In August 1999 two were repainted in National Rail livery and returned to service as Melbourne shunters.Railway Digest October 1999 page 4
C501 was acquired by the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre and the other nine went to Allco Rail, with two leased to Pacific National and seven to Silverton Rail as the Cs class. Following the collapse of Allco Finance three were sold to Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and six to Greentrains in January 2008 with all resuming their original identities.C Class (C501 - C510) RailpageC Class Vicsig"The 80 Class in Private Operation" Motive Power issue 80 March 2012 page 33
In April 2016, the six Greentrains units were sold to Southern Shorthaul Railroad.Disposal of Greentrains rollingstock Engenco 28 April 2016"Greentrans rollingstock sold to Holdco Holdings" Railway Digest June 2016 page 6 Having been in store at South Dynon Locomotive Depot, all were taken to the Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway with the last returned to service in August 2016."SSR Report" Motive Power issue 107 September 2016 page 27 As of February 2024, all 10 class members are operational with C502 - C510 inclusive owned by SSR as of January 2025.
Class list Key:In ServiceStoredPreservedConvertedUnder OverhaulScrapped
LocomotiveNameEntered serviceOwnerOperatorLiveryStatusC501George Brown14 May 1977Seymour Railway Heritage CentreVR Blue & gold OperationalC50222 June 1977SSRCFCLA blue & yellowOperational C50319 July 1977SSRCFCLA blue & yellowOperationalC50418 August 1977SSRBlue & yellow (SSR & Raw Power logos)OperationalC505Rachel Bromwich13 September 1977SSRSSR Yellow and BlackOperationalC506Kara Nally6 October 1977SSRSSR Yellow and BlackOperationalC507Jo Ferguson4 November 1977SSRSSR Yellow and BlackOperationalC50816 December 1977SSRCFCLA blue & yellow Operational C509Derek Larnach10 March 1978SSRGreentrains green & yellow (SSR logos) OperationalC51011 July 1978SSRGreentrains green & yellow (SSR logos) Operational
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