New South Wales Z19 class locomotive

New South Wales Z19 class
1948 shunting carriages in Newcastle Goods Yard
Power type	Steam
Builder	Beyer, Peacock & Co., Henry Vale and Company
Build date	1877–1891
Total produced	80
Configuration	0-6-0
UIC classification	Cn
Driver diameter	4 ft 0 in (1.219 m)
Locomotive weight	Original: 75,000 lb (34 t); Rebuilt: 84,000 lb (38 t)
Fuel type	Coal
Boiler pressure	Original: 130 psi (0.90 MPa); Rebuilt: 150 psi (1.03 MPa)
Firegrate area	Original: 14 sq ft (1.3 m2); Rebuilt: 18 sq ft (1.7 m2)
Heating surface: Total	Original: 1,275 sq ft (118.5 m2); Rebuilt: 1,320 sq ft (123 m2)
Superheater type	None
Cylinders	Two, inside
Cylinder size	18 × 24 in (457 × 610 mm)
Tractive effort	Original: 17,900 lbf (79.6 kN); Rebuilt: 20,655 lbf (91.9 kN)
Career	New South Wales Government Railways
Class	A93 (Z19 from 1924)
Disposition	Four preserved, 76 scrapped.

The Z19 class (originally the A93 class before 1924 re-classification) is a class of steam locomotive built for and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia.

History

By 1877, the main lines in New South Wales were nearing Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Orange. The additional distances required an increase in motive power, especially as, at that time, locomotives were changed after quite short journeys. They were only in service when manned by their regular crew.

Between 1877 and 1881, the initial order of fifty of these 0-6-0 wheel arrangement locomotives were delivered from the designer, Beyer, Peacock and Company. Between 1880 and 1891, a further 27 engines were delivered from Beyer, Peacock and local manufacturer, Henry Vale and Company.

1909 at Merewether

The load which these locomotives could haul over the Blue Mountains line was 128 tonnes at 11–13 km/h. William Thow, the then Locomotive Engineer of the South Australian Railways, was commissioned by the New South Wales Government in 1888 to enquire into the New South Wales Government Railways locomotives and rolling stock^[1]. He recommended modifications to this class as he considered them to be the best designed and proportioned of the locomotives then in service.

Following the reclassification of locomotives in 1891, three additional similar locomotives were added to the class.

Having a short wheelbase and no leading truck, the locomotives had a tendency to derail and they were ultimately restricted to a maximum speed of 40 km/h and relegated to shunting and branch line traffic. Driven slowly, they could negotiate the most appalling curves and badly maintained or unballasted tracks. They were therefore ideal in goods yards, such as Darling Harbour where many survived right to the end of steam. Branch lines such as Dorrigo, Batlow and Oberon where grades of up to 1 in 25 and curves as sharp as 100m radius could be encountered were ideal for this class.

Presevation

Four locomotives of the class have survived into presevation. These are:

• 1905 on static display at New South Wales Rail Transport Museum.
• 1919 resides at the Glenreagh Mountain Railway in operational condition.
• 1904 and 1923 are both at the Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum.

See also

1909 on a short goods train passing Broadmeadow

• Minimum railway curve radius‎

References

1. ^ Thow, William (1842 - 1926)

Further reading

• Grunbach, Alex. (1989), A Compendium of New South Wales Steam Locomotives, Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division, ISBN 0-909650-27-6 
• Smith, J.D.H. "New South Wales Government Railways steam locomotives". http://orion.math.iastate.edu/jdhsmith/term/slaunsw.htm. Retrieved 12 October 2008.