New South Wales 46 class locomotive

New South Wales 46 class

4615 at Junee Roundhouse Museum in March 2011

Type and origin Power type Electric Builder Metropolitan-Vickers/Beyer Peacock, Bowesfield Works, , England Serial number 786-825 Build date 1956-58 Total produced 40

Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Wheel diameter 45 in (1,143 mm) Wheelbase 41 ft 0 in (12.5 m) Length Over headstocks: 51 ft 2 in (15.60 m) Over coupler pulling faces: 53 ft 11 1⁄4 in (16.44 m) Width 9 ft 7 in (2.92 m) Height Over stowed pantograph: 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) Axle load 18 long tons 14 cwt (41,900 lb or 19 t) Loco weight 112 long tons 0 cwt (250,900 lb or 113.8 t) Sandbox cap. 18 cu ft (0.51 m3) Electric system(s) 1,500 V DC Overhead Current source Two pantographs Traction motors Metropolitan-Vickers 272, 6 of

Performance figures Maximum speed 70 mph (113 km/h) Power output Continuous: 3,400 hp (2,540 kW) One hour: 3,780 hp (2,820 kW) Tractive effort Continuous: 36,700 lbf (163.25 kN) One hour: 40,800 lbf (181.49 kN) at 34.5 mph (55.5 km/h)

Career Operators New South Wales Government Railways Number in class 40 Numbers 4601-4640 First run 25 June 1956 Preserved 4601, 4602, 4615, 4627, 4638 Disposition 35 Scrapped, 3 Static, 2 Stored

The 46 class was a class of mainline electric locomotive built by Metropolitan-Vickers and its partner Beyer, Peacock and Company in England for the New South Wales Government Railways.

The locomotives were built at Bowesfield Works, , with electrical equipment supplied by Metropolitan-Vickers from its Trafford Park and Sheffield plants. Metropolitan-Vickers drew on experience gained from its earlier British Railways class 76 and 77 electric locomotives, which were used on the Woodhead Line in England and in The Netherlands.

The locomotives were purchased as part of the electrification of the Main Western line over the Blue Mountains from Penrith to Bowenfels. They hauled passenger services from Sydney Central including from 1970 the Indian Pacific and freight services from Rozelle and Enfield yards.

From January 1960 they also began to operate to Gosford following the electrification of the Main Northern line. This was later extended to Broadmeadow and Newcastle in June 1984.