The 1300 class were a class of diesel locomotive built by English Electric, Rocklea for Queensland Railways between 1967 and 1972. They were later sold to AN Tasrail.
History The 1300 class was an upgraded version of the 1270 class with more powerful engines and larger fuel tanks.
The class was primarily used on the Blackwater and Moura coal lines and based at Gladstone.English Electric 1300 Class Queensland's Railway Interest Group The class became surplus following electrification of the coal lines in 1986–1987.1300 Class Queensland's Great Trains
In 1988, the entire class was sold to AN Tasrail where they became the ZC class. They were renumbered consecutively, 1300 becoming ZC1 and 1344 becoming ZC45, although 12 units were only used as a source of spare parts.1300 Class (QR) RailpageZC Class RailpageZC Class Rail Tasmania Most had very short working lives with just 13 remaining in service by 1995 and only six by 1997.
Ten of the ZC class were sold to Morrison Knudsen Australia in April 1994, with eight rebuilt with new cabs as the MKA class at its Whyalla factory. Two were operated on the BHP Whyalla Steelworks network from February 1995, before being exported to Senegal.BHP / Onesteel / Arrium Whyalla Diesel Locomotives Minnipa Siding MKA1-4 saw service in Malaysia before returning to Australia. These along with the unused two were purchased by Pacific National in 2004 with MKA1-3 returning to Queensland and the others to Tasmania. By 2007, all six were in service in Tasmania renumbered in the 2130 series.MKA class RailpageMKA Class Rail Tasmania
With the privatisation of Australian National, AN Tasrail was sold to the Australian Transport Network, with the seven remaining ZCs becoming the 2140 class. Most stored units were scrapped and the last was withdrawn in 2004. In February 2004, Pacific National purchased Australian Transport Network, including four stored 2140 class locomotives. Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia purchased 2142 and 2143 for a proposed tourist service, they were later rebuilt with lowered noses on the No. 1 end, repainted orange and sold to Senegal. Their current status is unknown. In September 2009, TasRail was sold back to the Government of Tasmania. TasRail sold three of the remaining stored locos for scrap in 2012 and donated 2144 (formerly ZC19 and 1318) to Diesel Traction Tasmania, now known as Launceston & North East Railway, for preservation.ZC Class Diesel Traction Tasmania
ZC 19 was preservation in May 2021 after being trucked to L&NER’s Lilydale yard. A week shy of ZC 19’s ten year anniversary of its donation by TasRail. MKA8 would be donated to the L&NER in February 2024.
Fleet summary Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedScrapped
QR number Serialnumber In service Withdrawn by QR ANR number MKA number ATN/PN/TasRail number Withdrawn Scrapped Notes1300A.162ZC11301A.1631302A.1641303A.1621304A.168ZC51305A.170ZC61306A.172ZC71307A.175ZC81308A.176ZC921401309A.177ZC101310A.181ZC1121411311A.1831312A.185ZC131313A.188ZC141314A.189ZC151315A.192ZC161316A.195ZC1721421317A.19821431318A.201ZC192144To Diesel Traction Tasmania. Now Launceston & North East Railway1319A.200ZC2021451320A.208ZC21MKA421341321A.209ZC22MKA6Exported to Senegal.1322A.2101323A.211ZC241324A.2121325A.213ZC26MKA321331326A.214ZC27MKA721371327A.215ZC281328A.216ZC291329A.217MKA221321330A.223ZC31MKA821381331A.224ZC321332A.225MKA121311333A.226ZC341334A.227ZC351335A.2281336A.229ZC371337A.230ZC381338A.231ZC391339A.2331340A.234ZC41MKA5Exported to Senegal.1341A.235ZC4221461342A.245ZC431343A.246ZC441344A.247ZC45
References