The CL class is a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Commonwealth Railways in several batches between 1970 and 1972. The class was the last in the world to be built with the Electro-Motive Diesel bulldog nose but differed from previous builds in having a mansard roof.

Construction

In 1968, Commonwealth Railways placed an order for five 2237 kW locomotives with Clyde Engineering to operate services on the Trans-Australian Railway from Port Pirie to Kalgoorlie. They were mechanically similar to the Western Australian L class of 1967. The initial design was to have a Do-Do wheel arrangement and a USA style EMD FP45 cab. This was later changed to a streamlined carbody and conventional Co-Co wheel arrangement.

History The first locomotive was completed in January 1970, with two further orders resulting in 17 locomotives being built with the last delivered in October 1972. Their operating sphere was extended through to Perth on Indian Pacific services and for a time in the 1970s they operated through to Lithgow, New South Wales. In July 1975, all were included in the transfer of Commonwealth Railways to Australian National. The CLs began to operate to Alice Springs and Adelaide when these were converted to standard gauge in 1980 and 1983. In 2004, they began to operate to Darwin following this line opening.

Remanufacturing In August 1992, Australian National awarded Morrison Knudsen Australia a contract to remanufacture the CLs at its Whyalla factory."Morrison Knudsen Australia and the CLPs" Railway Digest June 1994 pages 16-23 As part of the deal, Morrison Knudsen purchased the locomotives and leased them back to Australian National for 12 years. Seven were rebuilt as CLFs to operate freight services and ten as CLPs with head end power to operate the Indian Pacific, Ghan, and Overland passenger services.

The rebuilding involved stripping back to the frame, with everything except for the nose section and monocoque frame removed. Changes included the EMD 645E3 engines being replaced with overhauled EMD 645E3C engines imported from Morrison Knudsen in the US, the original main alternators were rebuilt from AR10/A4-D14 to the AR10/A9-D14 type, refurbished D78 traction motors replaced the originals along with a new gear ratio, and new MK-LOC microprocessor controls were fitted. The cab was upgraded to modern standards, the brake setup was also changed from twin to single shoe per wheel, and a number of other small changes were made to assist maintenance.

After rebuilding, the locomotives did not retain their numbers, for example, the first locomotive converted was CL2 which emerged as CLF1. All were back in service by the end of 1993. The CLFs appeared in the standard Australian National green with yellow data panel, strip and B-end. The CLPs received a unique livery, with a lighter green nose, silver carbody, and a yellow stripe running from the nose to the rear.

In 1994, Australian National's interstate services were transferred to National Rail. The lease with Morrison Knudsen meant the locomotives could only be used on Australian National trains, or a higher lease fee would apply. As a result, the class were not seen on National Rail operated trains, and did not venture onto the wider national standard gauge network until Australian National won hook and pull contracts for private operator SCT Logistics.

From January 1994, CLPs began operating the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth, previously New South Wales and Western Australia used their own locomotives on the train when within their state borders."CLP Class Locos Take-Over Indian Pacific Workings" Railway Digest March 1994 page 7 On conversion to standard gauge in 1995, The Overland was also hauled by CLPs. The use of the CLPs on passenger trains came to an end in November 1997, when the passenger operations of Australian National were sold to Great Southern Rail, who contracted National Rail to haul their trains.

CLP15 was involved in the Mount Christie head-on collision in February 1997, being stored for several months before scrapping in November the same year.

Private ownership In November 1997, the CL class were sold to Australian Southern Railroad (later Australian Railroad Group) with Australian National's remaining freight operations. With the splitting up of the Australian Railroad Group in June 2006, the CL class was split between Genesee & Wyoming Australia (later One Rail Australia) and QR National (later Aurizon). The Genesee & Wyoming Australia fleet mostly continued in service, with some stored for periods of time due to fleet requirements and loco failures, whereas the Aurizon fleet were all stored by 2013 and mostly sold to Apex International. Most of the Aurizon fleet was moved to NSW for storage in 2013, while CLF7 remained at North Dynon as it was in poor condition, and was later scrapped in 2016.Standard Gauge CL Chris' Commonwealth Railways PagesCL Class RailpageCLF Class RailpageCLP Class Railpage

In mid-2017, a fund-raising campaign was started with the aim of purchasing CLP10 from Apex International and restoring it externally to its as-built condition as CL17. On 21 June 2018, it was announced that the campaign had been successful in raising the $150,000 required to purchase the locomotive for preservation.Last chance to Save CLP10 Last EMD Streamliner Built in Australia GoGetFundingStreamliners Australia rally to save unique Goulburn loco The Goulburn Post

In mid-2019, it was revealed that Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR) had purchased 4 locomotives from the Apex group. These included CLF1, CLF3, CLF4, CLP9 & CLP12, with 2204 (ex NSWGR 422 class locomotive 42216) also included in the sale. The locomotives were transferred from Goulburn to Cootamundra for reactivation, and they re-entered service between 2020 and 2023.

The remaining Apex group CLs were purchased by RailPower. These included CLF2, CLF4, CLP11, & CLP13. The CLFs were reactivated in 2020, CLP13 was reactivated in 2024, and CLP11 is yet to return to service.

On 8 March 2023, CLF1 and CLF4 were involved in a level crossing accident at Rockview, New South Wales. CLF1 was taken to SSR's workshops in Bendigo, Victoria and CLF4 was taken to MainTrain in Auburn, NSW. CLF1 was deemed economically irreparable, and is currently awaiting scrapping. As of 2026, CLF4 is still undergoing repairs at MainTrain.

The Genesee & Wyoming Australia CLs remained part of the company during its rebrand to One Rail Australia (ORA) in 2020, and an overhaul program commenced in the same year with CLP8, CLP14 and CLP16 receiving rust repairs, repaints and CCO's during this time. The CLs were included in Aurizon's purchase of ORA in 2022, and overhauls continued into the mid-2020s, with CLP17 becoming the first CL to appear in full Aurizon livery when released from repaint in 2025.

Class list Key:In serviceStoredPreservedUnder RestorationUnder RepairScrapped

+Class List. Original Number Entered service Renumbered As Rebuild Serial Name Current/Last Owner Livery StatusCL1February 1970CLP1593-AN-15John Gorton (formerly) KokathaAustralian NationalAN Green, Yellow and SilverScrappedCL2March 1970CLF193-AN-1City of Whyalla (formerly) Milton BromwichSouthern Shorthaul RailroadSouthern Shorthaul RailroadAccident Damaged, March 2023. Deemed beyond economical repair and is awaiting scrapping.CL3April 1970CLP1393-AN-13Nukunu (formerly) White KnightRailPowerPrimer White with RailPower LogosReactivated November 2024CL4May 1970CLP1493-AN-14BarngarlaAurizonORA Orange & Black with Aurizon Logos In serviceCL5July 1970CLF493-AN-4Southern Sorthaul RailroadUndercoatAccident Damaged, March 2023. Under Repair CL6November 1970CLF693-AN-6AurizonOverhaul into Aurizon CanaryOut of serviceCL7November 1970CLF393-AN-3Space Ghost (formerly) Jason FergusonSouthern Shorthaul RailroadSSR Black and SilverIn serviceCL8January 1971CLP1793-AN-17ArabanaAurizonAurizon Yellow with Black RoofIn ServiceCL9March 1971CLP893-AN-8Gough Whitlam (formerly) City of Port AugustaAurizonORA Orange & Black with Aurizon LogosIn serviceCL10April 1971CLP1693-AN-16MurunitjaAurizonORA Orange & Black with Aurizon LogosIn serviceCL11June 1971CLF293-AN-2RailPowerARG Orange and Black with Railpower LogosIn serviceCL12July 1971CLF593-AN-5AurizonGWA Orange & Black In serviceCL13August 1971CLP993-AN-9Peter WilksSouthern Shorthaul RailroadAuscision ModelsIn service CL14December 1971CLP1193-AN-11Charlie Jones (formerly) KaurnaRailPowerQRN - Maroon, Yellow and BlackStored (Goulburn)CL15January 1972CLP1293-AN-12Ngadjuri (formerly) CasperSouthern Shorthaul RailroadPrimer White with SSR LogosIn serviceCL16March 1972CLF793-AN-7AurizonARG Orange & Black ScrappedCL17June 1972CLP1093-AN-10William McMahon (formerly) Mirning (formerly)Streamliners AustraliaUndercoat Grey (to be restored to original condition in Commonwealth Railways livery)Preserved/Under Restoration

References

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