Australian National BL class

Australian National BL class

Four BL class locomotives, two in National Rail livery, two in SteelLink livery

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering, Rosewater Serial number 83-1010 to 83-1019 Model Electro-Motive Diesel JT26C-2SS Build date 1983-1986 Total produced 10

Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Length 19.82 m (65 ft 0 in) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover EMD 645E3 Engine type Two-stroke V16 diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Cylinders 16

Performance figures Power output 3,340 hp (2,490 kW)

Career Operators Australian National Number in class 10 Numbers BL26-BL35 Delivered 1983 Current owner Pacific National Disposition 9 in service, 1 stored

The BL class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater, for Australian National between 1983 and 1986. All remain in service with Pacific National.

Australian National placed an order for with Clyde Engineering for 15 Electro-Motive Diesel JT26C-2SS locomotives. Australian National only took delivery of 10, with the other five delivered to V/Line as their G class. The first five were delivered with standard gauge bogies, the last five with broad gauge bogies.

All were transferred to National Rail and converted to standard gauge in 1995 following the conversion of the Adelaide to Melbourne line. In December 1996, they began to operate on services to Sydney and Newcastle. In September 1998, after being repainted into SteelLink livery by Rail Services Australia, Chullora, four were transferred back to the broad gauge to haul steel trains for BHP from Long Island to Dynon. For a period in the late 1990s, they were rostered to haul The Overland between Melbourne and Adelaide.