New South Wales C30 class locomotive

New South Wales C30 class
3137 at the NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Beyer, Peacock & Company (95) Eveleigh Railway Workshops (50) Serial number BP 4444–4478, 5034–5038, 5084–5088, 5140–5149, 5235–5244, 5791–5820 Build date 1903–1917 Total produced 145
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-4T  • UIC 2'C2'nt Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Driver dia. 4 ft 7 in (1,397 mm) Adhesive weight 86,000–95,000 lb (39,009–43,091 kg; 39–43 t) Loco weight 161,000 lb (73,028 kg; 73 t) Fuel type Coal Firebox: ​  • Grate area 24 sq ft (2.2 m2) Boiler pressure 160 psi (1.10 MPa) Heating surface 1,450 sq ft (135 m2) Superheater None Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 18.5 in × 24 in (470 mm × 610 mm) or 19 in × 24 in (483 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 20,311–21,424 lbf (90.3–95.3 kN) Factor of adh. 4.22 or 4.42
Career Operators New South Wales Government Railways Class S636, C30 from 1924 Retired 1957 - 1973 Preserved 3013, 3046, 3085, 3112, 3137 Disposition 77 converted to C30T class, 5 preserved, 63 scrapped

The C30 class (formerly S.636 class) is a class of steam locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock & Company and Eveleigh Railway Workshops for the New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) of Australia.^[1][2][3][4]

These 4-6-4 tank locomotives were specifically designed to haul Sydney's ever increasing suburban traffic, particularly over the heavy grades on the Northern, North Shore and Illawarra lines.

The Beyer, Peacock & Company built the first batch of 35 which entered service in 1903/04. Subsequently, between 1905 and 1917, Beyer, Peacock built an additional 60 while the Eveleigh Railway Workshops of the NSWGR built 50 more (3066-3095, 3126-3145).^[5]

The inner-city lines' electrification made the locomotives obsolete, but they were too valuable to be withdrawn and scrapped at the time. Therefore, from August 1928 to July 1933, Clyde Engineering and Eveleigh Railway Workshops converted 77 of these locomotives to C30T class 4-6-0 tender locomotives to replace older locomotives on country branch lines.^[2][6]

The remaining unaltered locomotives were primarily utilized on Sydney suburban services to Cowan, Penrith, and Campbelltown, as well as branches to Carlingford, Richmond, and Camden.^[7] They were also employed on the suburban services in Newcastle and Wollongong.^[6]

A few drifted to the country areas, working on sections where no turntable was readily available, such as Casino to Border Loop on the North Coast line, Leeton and Merriwa, and shunting at yards such as Bathurst. Until February 1967, these locomotives operated the daily passenger trains on extremely steep Unanderra to Moss Vale line.^[2] Locomotive 3042 was used to haul work trains as part of the electrification of Campbelltown and Glenlee in 1968.^[8]

Following the electrification of the country platforms at Sydney Central station, the 30 class replaced the 26 class locomotives used to shunt carriages in the yard; being not as hazardous to water under the traction wiring.^[2]

The first example was retired in February 1957, and the engine fleet gradually reduced to 33 by July 1965, and further down to only 3 by mid-1971.^[6] Finally, the last engine, No. 3085, was taken out of service on 22 February 1973, making it the second-last steam locomotive to remain in operation on the NSWGR.^[9][10]

Preserved C30 class locomotives

No.	Manufacturer	Year	Organisation	Location	Status	Image	Ref
3013	Beyer, Peacock & Company	1903	Privately owned	Canberra	Stored dismantled		[11]
3046	Beyer, Peacock & Company	1908	Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum	Dorrigo	Stored		[12]
3085	Eveleigh Railway Workshops	1912	Transport Heritage NSW	Goulburn	Static exhibit		[13]
3112	Beyer, Peacock & Company	1914	Privately owned	Goulburn	Under overhaul
3137	Eveleigh Railway Workshops	1916	Transport Heritage NSW	Thirlmere	Static exhibit		[14]

Media related to New South Wales C30 class locomotives at Wikimedia Commons