New South Wales 47 class locomotive

Class of diesel-electric locomotives

New South Wales 47 class

4705 at Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot in 1990

| Type and origin

Power type| Diesel-electric
Builder| A Goninan & Co, Broadmeadow
Serial number| 31-50
Build date| 1972–1973
Total produced| 20
| Specifications

Configuration:
| ​
• UIC| Co-Co
Gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Wheel diameter| 1,016 mm (40.0 in)
Length| Over headstocks:
14.000 m (45 ft 11.18 in),
Over coupler pulling faces:
15.270 m (50 ft 1+1⁄8 in)
Width| 2.834 m (9 ft 3+5⁄8 in)
Height| 4.200 m (13 ft 9+3⁄8 in)
Axle load| 14.2 t
(14.0 long tons; 15.7 short tons)
Loco weight| 85.3 t
(84.0 long tons; 94.0 short tons)
Fuel type| Diesel
Fuel capacity| 3,300 L (726 imp gal; 872 US gal)
Lubricant cap.| 416 L (92 imp gal; 110 US gal)
Coolant cap.| 600 L (132 imp gal; 159 US gal)
Sandbox cap.| 0.44 m3 (16 cu ft)
Prime mover| Caterpillar 16-D399TA
RPM range| 650–1300
Engine type| Four-stroke 16 Cylinder diesel
Alternator| Hitachi HI508 AR
Traction motors| Hitachi HS366 AR, 6 of
Cylinders| 16
Cylinder size| 158.75 mm × 203 mm
(6.25 in × 7.99 in)
| Performance figures

Maximum speed| 113 km/h (70 mph)
Power output| Gross: 840 kW (1,126 hp),
For traction: 746 kW (1,000 hp)
Tractive effort| Continuous:
171.07 kN (38,458 lbf)
at 11.8 km/h (7.3 mph)
| Career

Operators| Public Transport Commission
Number in class| 20
Numbers| 4701–4720
First run| 22 September 1972
Preserved| 4701, 4702, 4705, 4706, 4708, 4716
Current owner| Lachlan Valley Railway
Disposition| 11 Scrapped, 3 Operational,
3 Stored, 6 Preserved, 1 Static,
1 Under Restoration

The 47 class are a class of diesel-electric locomotives built by A Goninan & Co for the Public Transport Commission in 1972–1973.

## History[edit]

4701 & 4703 at Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot in 1990

Twenty were ordered from A Goninan & Co with the first delivered in July 1972. After undergoing acceptance trials, the first entered service in September 1972 with the last delivered in May 1973. Originally intended for use hauling coal services in the Hunter Valley, they were allocated to Bathurst to operate services in the state's west from Lithgow to Euabalong West, Bourke and Cootamundra and all branches in between. Their excellent ride qualities saw them find favour with crews, although they did suffer from overheating with one destroyed by fire in April 1974 and another in a collision in March 1977.[1][2]

In January 1981, it was decided to transfer the class to Broadmeadow to take up the duties they had originally been built for being used to haul coal services from Belmont, Dudley, Lambton and Pelton. They also saw use on services to Werris Creek, Tamworth and Moree. They continued to return to Bathurst Workshops for overhaul. A downturn in traffic as a result of a drought saw them placed in store at Parkes in 1982/83 before all were reactivated in 1984 resuming duties out of Broadmeadow.[1]

In 1987, 4719 was withdrawn from service and stored at Bathurst Workshops as a source parts to keep sister units working, being joined by 4715 in November 1988. In 1989, both were moved from to Cardiff Workshops to be rebuilt as HTV2000, a Heavy Test Vehicle.[1][3]

Despite their favouritism with crews, their high maintenance costs saw them selected for withdrawal in 1989[4] with only six in service or under repair by November 1989[5] with the last being taken out of service in December 1990.[1][6]

In 1990, the Lachlan Valley Railway purchased 47s 01 and 08[7] followed in February 1994 by 02, 03, 07 and 16.[8] A later purchase was 4717. These were used to operate wheat services in the Cowra region in 1993/94.[9][10]

In June 1999, they commenced operating trip working services between Port Botany and the Cooks River container terminal in Sydney for Lachlan Valley Rail Freight[11] followed in July 1999 by a service between Cooks River and Carrington for R&H Transport Services.

As of July 2019, 3 Lachlan Valley Railway units remain in service, primarily operating AK Car test trains for ARTC. In March 2022, 4717 was cut up for scrap.

## Fleet status[edit]

Locomotive | Serial No | Completed | Current Owner | Livery | Status

|
|
|
|
|

4701 | 31 | Jul 72 | Lachlan Valley Railway | SSR Yellow | Preserved, Operational
4702 | 32 | Sep 72 | Lachlan Valley Railway | Indian Red | Preserved, Operational
4703 | 33 | Oct 72 | Lachlan Valley Railway | LVRF Green/White/Yellow | Preserved, Stored Rothbury
4705 | 35 | Nov 72 | Privately owned | Indian red | Static Display, Werris Creek
4706 | 36 | Nov 72 | Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum | Candy | Preserved
4707 | 37 | Nov 72 | Lachlan Valley Railway | Candy | Preserved, Under Restoration Eveleigh
4708 | 38 | Nov 72 | Lachlan Valley Railway | Indian Red | Preserved, Operational
4716 | 46 | Mar 73 | Lachlan Valley Railway | Indian red | Preserved, Operational
4719 | 49 | Apr 73 | Lachlan Valley Railway | Yellow | Converted to HTV2000

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "The 47 class locomotives of NSW" Railway Digest December 1999 page 32
2. ^ 47 Class – 1972 Trackside
3. ^ "Locomotives & Traffic – A Heavy Duty Test Vehicle" Railway Digest April 1989 page 132
4. ^ "Farewell 47s" Railway Digest September 1989 page 308
5. ^ "The 47 Class" Railway Digest January 1990 page 19
6. ^ "Demise of the 47 Class" Railway Digest February 1991 page 53
7. ^ "LVR Diesels" Railway Digest January 1991 page 28
8. ^ "Lachlan Valley Railway 47 Class Fleet Delivered to Cowra" Railway Digest April 1994 page 9
9. ^ "The Lachlan Valley Railway's Wheat Haulage" Railway Digest October 1993 page 420
10. ^ "The Lachlan Valley Railway commences operations on the Cowra – Eugowra line" Railway Digest September 1994 page 31
11. ^ "LVR Commences Sydney Freight Operations" Railway Digest July 1999 page 12

## Further reading[edit]

* New South Wales Rail System Locomotives. Sydney: Archives Section, State Rail Authority of New South Wales. 1984.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to New South Wales 47 class locomotives.

* v
* t
* e

New South Wales Rail rolling stock

NSWGR steam locomotives|

* X10
* E17
* F351
* M36
* N67
* Z11
* Z12
* Z13
* Z14
* Z15
* Z16
* Z17
* Z18
* Z19
* Z20
* Z21
* Z22
* Z23
* Z24
* Z25
* Z26
* Z27
* Z28
* Z29
* C30
* C30T
* C32
* C34
* C35
* C36
* C38
* D50
* D53
* D55
* D57
* D58
* D59
* AD60

NSWGR individual steam locomotives|

* 1
* 1210
* 1243
* 3112
* 3237
* 3265
* 3526
* 3642
* 3801
* 3820
* 3830
* 5917
* 6029

NSW private steam locomotives|

* Burra
* Kiama
* Kiama Fowler
* ROD 2-8-0
* Silverton A
* Silverton W
* Silverton Y
* SMR 10
* Wallaby

Diesel locomotives|

* 40
* 41
* 42
* 421
* 422
* 43
* 44
* 442
* 45
* 47
* 48
* 49
* 70
* 71
* 72
* 73
* 79
* 80
* 81
* 82
* 90
* PL
* X100 tractor
* X200 tractor

NSW private diesel locomotives|

* AIS D1
* AIS D9
* AIS D16
* AIS D34
* AIS D35
* BHP 32
* BHP 37
* Silverton 48s
* CAR1
* Interail 423 class
* JL/GL class
* 5000 class
* 5020 class
* QUBE 14 class
* QUBE 1100
* C44aci
* TT Class
* LDP Class
* WH Class

Electric locomotives|

* 71
* 46
* 85
* 86

Electric multiple units|

| Driven|

* Bradfield
* Standard suburban
* Tulloch single deck
* Sputnik
* U
* Tulloch double deck
* V
* S
* K
* C
* T
* Skitube
* M
* H
* A
* B
* D

|

Automated|

* Metropolis

Diesel railcars|

* CPH
* Creamy Kate
* Silver City Comet
* FP
* FP1
* 400/500
* 600/700
* 900/800
* South Maitland Railway railcar
* 1100
* 620/720
* 1200
* 660/760
* Xplorer
* Endeavour
* CRT Cargosprinter
* Hunter

Bi-mode multiple units|

* CAF Civity

Push-pull|

* XPT
* X2000 Tilt Train

Wooden passenger carriages|

* American Suburban (A type)
* Far West Baby Health Clinic Cars

Steel passenger carriages|

* S Type
* N Type
* HUB
* RUB
* Stainless steel

Named trains|

* Bathurst Bullet
* Brisbane Limited
* Caves Express
* Central West Express
* Cooma Mail
* Far West Express
* Gold Coast Motorail
* Grafton Express
* Great White Train
* Indian Pacific
* Intercapital Daylight
* Melbourne Express
* Newcastle Flyer
* North Coast Daylight Express
* North Coast Mail
* North Coast Overnight Express
* Northern Mail
* Northern Tablelands Express
* Outback Xplorer
* Riverina Express
* Silver City Comet
* South Coast Daylight Express
* South Mail
* Southern Aurora
* Southern Highlands Express
* Spirit of Progress
* The Alice
* The Chips
* The Fish
* Western Mail

Classification system|

* Steam Locomotives

* Rail transport in New South Wales
* Rail rollingstock in New South Wales
* Sydney Trains rolling stock
* NSW TrainLink rolling stock

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template