BHP Port Kembla D1 class

The D1 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by Commonwealth Engineering, Granville with English Electric traction equipment for Australian Iron & Steel's, Port Kembla steelworks in 1950–1951.

History

In May 1950, D1 became the first diesel to operate on an Australian main line. The eight D class locomotives hauled trains on Australian Iron & Steel's, Port Kembla until a downturn in the early 1980s saw most of the class withdrawn.^[1][2][3] D6 and D7 were reactivated with the former remaining in service until 2004.^[4]

Three have been preserved:^[5]

• D1 by the NSW Rail Museum, Thirlmere.
• D6 by the Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park & Railway, Lithgow. This unit is still stored in Port Kembla.
• D7 by the former ARHS ACT Division, Canberra.

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. pp. 186–187. ISBN 0-730100-05-7.
2. "Australian Iron & Steel" Railway Digest October 1986 pages 299-303
3. 750 Class (Port Kembla) Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine Railpage
4. Dunn, John (2006). Comeng: A History of Commonwealth Engineering Volume 1: 1921-1955. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 166. ISBN 1877058424.
5. Port Kembla - Diesel Locomotive Fleetlisting Light Rail Research Society of Australia

Railway Transportation, November 1951, 'D-E locos and 60-ton cars boost operations for AI&S'