New South Wales C30T class locomotive

New South Wales C30T class
Class C30T Locomotive
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Beyer, Peacock & Co. Eveleigh Railway Workshops Build date 1903 – 1917 Rebuilder Clyde Engineering (10) Eveleigh Railway Workshops (67) Rebuild date 1928 – 1933 Number rebuilt 77
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-0  • UIC 2'Ch Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Driver dia. 4 ft 7 in (1.397 m) Adhesive weight 88,000 lb (40 t) Loco weight 121,000 lb (55 t) Fuel type Coal Firebox:  • Firegrate area 24 sq ft (2.2 m2) Boiler pressure 160 psi (1.10 MPa) Heating surface 1,110 sq ft (103 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 280 sq ft (26 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 19 in × 24 in (483 mm × 610 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 21,424 lbf (95.3 kN) Factor of adh. 4.11
Career Operators New South Wales Government Railways Class C30T Retired December 1958 – August 1972 Disposition 7 preserved, 70 scrapped

The C30T class was a class of steam locomotives rebuilt from 30 class tank engines by Clyde Engineering and Eveleigh Railway Workshops for the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia.

Following the electrification of the Sydney inner suburban lines from 1926, 77 of the 30 class 4-6-4 tank locomotives were converted to tender type. This was achieved by cutting off the frames at the rear of the cab and removing the side tanks. There was no need to build tenders as there were a number on hand from scrapped locomotives or from locomotives where the original tenders had been replaced, notably 32 and 50 class locomotives.

The first locomotive to be converted was 3088 which was delivered by Clyde Engineering on 22 August 1928. This company delivered a total of 10 conversions, the remainder being carried out at the New South Wales Government Railways' Eveleigh Railway Workshops. All were completed by July 1933. On conversion, the suffix 'T' was added to their numbers, on official correspondence only. The numbers were not altered on the locomotives.

Between September 1940 to April 1957 28 were fitted with superheaters. This work included fitting new cylinders with piston valves and extended smokeboxes. Most of the 28 superheated C30Ts received riveted on 'drumhead' extensions to their smokeboxes. Some were given entirely new extended smokeboxes fully supported by the frames, giving these few a more modern, purposeful look. Superheated locomotives had the further suffix 'S' to their numbers, on official correspondence only.

In their heyday, they could be found working almost every light branch line in New South Wales. Even in the very last years of steam power, they could still be found well spread over the state in such places as Temora, Griffith, Cowra, Dubbo and Narrabri West.