Victorian Railways X class (diesel)

Victorian Railways X class

X43 in V/Line Freight livery in Mildura

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Clyde Engineering Granville (1&2) Rosewater (3) Serial number 66-484 to 66-489 70-700 to 70-707 75-792 to 75-801 Build date 1966-76 Total produced 24 Rebuilder South Dynon Locomotive Depot Rebuild date 2002-04 Number rebuilt 6

Specifications UIC class Co-Co Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in), 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Length 18.53 metres (60 ft 10 in) Loco weight 114 t (112 long tons; 126 short tons) (1) 116 t (114 long tons; 128 short tons) (2&3) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover Electro-Motive Diesel 16-567E (1) Electro-Motive Diesel 16-645E (2 & 3) Engine type V16 Aspiration Roots Blower Generator Electro-Motive Diesel D 32B-D 14 (1&2) Electro-Motive Diesel AR10-E1-D14 (3) Traction motors Electro-Motive Diesel D77 Cylinders 16 Cylinder size (?)

Performance figures Maximum speed 133 km/h (83 mph)

Career Operators Victorian Railways Number in class 24 Numbers X31-X54 Preserved X31 Current owner Aurizon Ettamogah Rail Hub Pacific National Disposition 7 in service, 1 preserved, 9 stored, 6 rebuilt, 1 scrapped

The X class are a class of mainline diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville and Rosewater for the Victorian Railways between 1966 and 1976.

In preparation for the opening of the standard gauge line between Melbourne and Albury, the Victorian Railways had purchased a further eight S class locomotives, with the last of these entering service in 1961. But from that date traffic had increased, with a 20% increase in train miles being run by the end of the financial year by the middle of 1965, so the fleet was being stretched beyond reasonable capabilities.

Standard gauge trains at the time were typically rostered for a single 1,800 hp engine, and when these were lacking a pair of T class 950 hp engines were coupled and used in lieu. This strategy could only ever be temporary, because the T class was restricted to 60 mph instead of 70 mph, and the two engines added considerable weight over a single larger engine. On 23 July 1965, the Chief Mechancial Engineer, Mr Galletly, wrote that there was a need for an additional six 1,800 hp engines, which would allow the T class to be shifted back to lower speed and branch duties. The plan at the time was to allocate two of the new engines to the Standard Gauge run, and the other four to Broad Gauge.

Tenders for contract 62902 were closed on 1 September 1965, with reviews completed nine days later. Three offers had been received, from English Electric, A Goninan and Clyde Engineering. The latter of these provided earlier and faster deliveries of the new fleet, and was cheaper overall because the new engines would share many components with the Victorian Railways' existing S class, and to a lesser extent B class locomotives.