South Australian Railways 500 class (diesel)

The 500 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Islington Railway Workshops for the South Australian Railways between 1951 and 1953 using English Electric traction equipment.

South Australian Railways 500 class
522 at Mount Gambier in South Australian Railways livery with Australian National signwriting
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Islington Railway Workshops Build date 1964-1969 Total produced 34
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo-Bo Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in), 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 3 ft (914 mm) Minimum curve 264 ft (80.467 m) Wheelbase 28 ft (8.534 m) total, 7 ft 6 in (2.286 m) bogie Length 38 ft 6 in (11.735 m) over headstocks Width 9 ft 4 in (2.845 m) Height 13 ft 3 ^1⁄2 in (4.051 m) Axle load 14 long tons (14.2 tonnes; 15.7 short tons) Loco weight 56 long tons (56.9 tonnes; 62.7 short tons) Fuel capacity 700 imp gal (3,182 L; 841 US gal) Prime mover English Electric 4SRKT Mk II RPM range 450 - 850 rpm Engine type four stroke, four valves per cylinder Aspiration turbocharged Generator EE827/4C Traction motors Four EE548/2A Cylinders 4 inline Cylinder size 10 in × 12 in (254 mm × 305 mm) Loco brake Air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Maximum speed 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) Power output 550 hp (410 kW) gross, 500 hp (370 kW) net Tractive effort 30,000 lbf (133.4 kN) at 4 mph (10 km/h)
Career Operators South Australian Railways Number in class 34 Numbers 500-534 First run 25 April 1964 Preserved 507, 515, 517, 532 Current owner Bluebird Rail Operations Disposition 1 in service, 4 preserved, 4 stored, 25 scrapped

History

The 500 class were diesel shunter locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways. Thirty-four were built at Islington Railway Workshops. The first 27 were built with broad gauge bogies and the last seven equipped to operate on the standard gauge. They operated in yards at Gladstone, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Peterborough, Port Pirie, Tailem Bend and Wallaroo as well as being extensively used in Adelaide.[1]

In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National. Some were transferred to Port Augusta. In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 500 becoming 534.[2]

Most were scrapped in the 1990s, and the remaining locomotives were included in the sale of Australian National's South Australian operations to Australian Southern Railroad in October 1997. Only 533 (now 53) remains in commercial operation.[3][4][5][6]

Surviving members

• 507 owned by SteamRanger, where it is commonly used on Cockle Train duties between Goolwa and Victor Harbor
• 508 owned by Genesee & Wyoming Australia, stored at Whyalla, South Australia[7]
• 515 preserved at the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide as their standard gauge shunter[8]
• 517 was donated to the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide by Genesee & Wyoming Australia, stored
• 518 is privately owned, stored at the Newport Railway Workshops, Victoria.
• 527 was donated to SteamRanger by Australian Railroad Group in October 2010[9]
• 532 was donated to Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre by Genesee & Wyoming Australia in June 2012[10][11]
• 533 (renumbered 53) owned by Bluebird Rail Operations, Islington Railway Workshops, operational

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s - 1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 250. ISBN 0 730100 05 7.
2. "Australian National Broken Hill Line Report" Railway Digest October 1986 page 314
3. Broad & Standard Gauge 500-class diesel electric locomotives Chris' Commonwealth Railways Pages
4. 500 Class (diesel, South Australia) Railpage
5. 500 Class Rail SA
6. 500 Class Vicsig
7. "Australia Wide Fleet List" Motive Power issue 96 November 2014 page 67
8. 515 National Railway Museum
9. HRSA November Meeting Report Archived 21 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Heritage Rail South Australia November 2010
10. Shunter returns home The Flinders News 21 July 2012
11. Annual Report 2011/12 District Council of Peterborough