NSWGR steam locomotive classification explained

In the first 36 years of its existence, the NSW Railways introduced 42 separate classes of locomotives. The appointment by the Premier of New South Wales, Henry Parkes of Mr E.M.G Eddy as Chief Commissioner in 1888 created an independent railway department and saw the following 36 years with only sixteen new classes produced.^[1]

Classification

Steam Locomotive classification on the New South Wales Government Railways had three distinct classification systems.

From 1855 to 1890 (numerical)

The classification was taken from the road number given to the first engine in each class.

The engines attached to the then isolated Northern section had the terminal letter "N" added to the road number.

From October 1890 to August 1924 (letter and number)

A letter was selected arbitrarily and placed before the first number allotted to each class. e.g. the 93-class became the A.93-class. Letters were initially allocated, in alphabetic order, by class size. The 93 Class had the most locomotives in traffic (77) so they were given the letter 'A', the 205 Class were the next most numerous (70 in traffic), so were classified 'B', the 79 Class the third most numerous (68 in service) so were granted the letter 'C' and so on. With the opening of the Hawkesbury Bridge in May 1889, the Northern section engines were renumbered and grouped with the others of the Sydney system, using the numbers 388–435. the final "N" being dropped .

In general practice, the class letter only was quoted, without the number, except when there were one or two variants using a common class-letter.

From August 1924 (letter and number)

All engines were given new four-figure numbers, the first two digits indicating the class and the second two, the engine number, arranged in chronological order of commencement of service. When the number of engines in a class exceeded 99, the class number (first two digits) was increased by 1, e.g., the 137th engine of the 32-class was 3337. Engines numbered from 1000 up were the first to be renumbered using the new system to prevent two locomotives sharing the same number being in service at the same time.

For administration purposes, a letter was added to denote certain characteristics of locomotives. These letters weren't generally found on the running numbers of locomotives.The initial letters indicate :

• "C"-three driving axles;
• "D"-four driving axles;
• "AD"-two articulated sets of four driving axles (Only for the AD60s);
• "Z"-old classes which would never be repeated, and
• "X" -associated with the 10-class, which included all types of duplicates; yard and depot locomotives, crane locomotives, locomotive and accident cranes and special equipment.

Initial letters are dropped in general usage with a "C.36-class" engine universally known as a "36-class".

Classes

Classification! Image !! Whyte notation !! pre 1890 !! 1890-1924 !! post 1924 !! Type !! Year

					Mixed Traffic	1855
		5			Mixed Traffic	1856
		6			Passenger	1856
		1N			Mixed Traffic	1857
		8			Passenger Tank	1859
		9			Passenger, Coal	1858
		13			Mixed Traffic	1863
		17			Goods	1863
		23	G.23		Passenger	1863
		6N			Mineral Tank Type	1863
		8N			Passenger	1864
		29–31,9N	S.29		Box Saddle Tank	1864
		14	T.14		Express Passenger	1865
		36			Mixed Traffic	1870
		10^[2]			Passenger	1870
		20N			Goods Saddle Tank	1872
		(1st) 48			Goods Tank	1872
		23N			Goods	1874
		(2nd)48	I.48		Goods	1874
		60	O.60		Passenger	1874
		66	P.127		Small Saddle Tank	1874
		67			Suburban Passenger Tank	1875
		79	C.79		Passenger	1877
		93	A.93		Goods	1877
		105	U.105 (later S.105)		Passenger	1877
		131	J.131		Goods	1879
		158			Suburban Passenger Tank	1880
		205	B.205		Goods	1882
		255	D.255		Express Passenger	1882
		261	D.261		Express Passenger	1883
		285	R.285		Suburban Passenger Tank	1884
		294			Goods	1885
		304	L.304		Passenger	1885
		334	D.334		Express Passenger	1885
		351			Suburban Passenger Tank	1885
		373	H.373		Passenger	1887
			L.436		Passenger	1890
			M.40		Suburban Passenger Tank	1891
			B.55		Goods	1891
			I.17		Mineral Tank	1891
			E.10		Mineral Tank	1891
			O.446		Passenger	1891
			J.483		Goods	1891
			P.6		Passenger	1892
			J.522		Goods	1893
			T.524		Goods	1896
			CC.79		Suburban Passenger Tank	1896
			A/E		Mineral Tank E.10 rebuild	1902
			CG		(C)onverted (G)-Class	1903
			S.636		Suburban Passenger Tank	1903
			N.928		Express Passenger	1909
					Light Mixed Traffic	1910
			TF.939		Goods	1912
			NN.1027		Express passenger	1914
			G.1204		Goods	1917
			K.1353		Goods	1918
					Express passenger	1925
					Branch line work	1928
	4-8-2				Heavy Goods	1929
					Express passenger	1943
					Heavy Goods	1950
					Heavy Goods	1952
					Goods	1952

See also

• Preserved steam locomotives of New South Wales

Notes and References

1. New South Wales Department of Railways Archives
2. News: COLONIAL MANUFACTURED LOCOMOTIVE. . . NSW . 29 September 1870 . 26 August 2013 . 12 . National Library of Australia.