Whilst the New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) had both major locomotive manufacturer’s licensees domiciled in NSW, it favoured Alco powered equipment and in the timeframe early 1950s through 1960s purchased some 230 Alco type locomotives and only 34 GM type.
As part of those 34 locomotives, in 1959 NSWGR placed an order with Clyde Engineering for 6 Clyde GM model G8C 875 HP (650KW) locomotives to dieselise the then lightly-railed Parkes to Broken Hill line. To be known as the 49 Class, these were effectively a repackaged 6 axle version of the Victorian Railways T Class Series II. This order was later extended to 12 additional units which initially worked the western branch lines like Oberon, Hillston etc. As some lines were upgraded to heavier track and others closed, the 49 Class could be found anywhere around the state.
Eventually the decision was taken to base the 49 Class in Sydney for metropolitan freight workings and shunting, and they performed this and other local working until train size grew and they were sold off or scrapped and displaced by the 442 Jumbos. The heritage group ‘3801 Ltd’ purchased two but later sold one to Coote Industrial, Manildra Group purchased two for shunting their grain trains, CFCLA purchased three for lease work, Patrick Portlink purchased two for their Sydney intermodal operation, NSWRTM has one unit for heritage purposes whilst Interail (now part of QR National) purchase several to use their bogies for their 423 Class units.
We will take a close look at the cab, powerplant and other features of the 49 Class, see it in service and then cover its demise as newer motive power became available.
Approximate run time: 144 minutes.