BG locos in SA

YM-Mundrabilla · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:47 pm

Is the following a current snapshot of BG power in SA, please:

CK4
704
706
831, 841, 843, 844
DA2 and 5

Any info on current status will be appreciated, pleas.

YM Mundrabilla

Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
Reality has been omitted for clarity.
Why is it that there are so many in high places who prefer activity to achievement?

xr554 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:01 pm

409 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:02 pm

CK 4 is currently at Port Lincoln workshops under going overhaul for use on the narrow gauge Whyalla ore system after a good few years of storage in Dry Creek. As part of this overhaul, the cab is being upgraded so that it can lead trains like sister locomoticvs CK1, 3 and 5.

704 is in almost constant use on the stonie while 706 has been in storage at Dry Creek for a good two years now with low tyres and a generator fault or so I have been informed. 704 is now currently the only BG loco in GWA livery.

831, 841 and 843 are also in near constant use on the stonie with either 1 behind 704 or upto triples. 704 was out of service undergoing some repairs a week or so ago so the stonie was cut down to 20 hoppers with only 2 830s working it. For some testing with 704 after repairs, both were used so you had a 700/830/830 combo. 844 left broad gauge back in 2003 when it was overhauled (with a repaint by the then ARG) and sent to standard gauge Manildra working. Towards the end of 2006, it as well as repainted 847 were transferred to narrow gauge and both have been working in tandem almost constantly on the ore trains there with a rake of 20 or so D hoppers. All of the broad gauge 830s have had some repainting work done this year in a GWA varient of the old AN green and gold. 843 only had the nose and cab repainted while 831 and 841 were given full repaints (which is a bit of a shame, 831 was very close to being back in full mustard pot)!

DA 2 and DA 5 were renumbered 902 and 904 respectively back in April 2004. 904 at the same time recieved a repaint into ARG/GWA livery. Until May this year, both were regulars on the stonie until like CK 4, were transferred to Port Lincoln workshops for overhaul and conversion to narrow gauge, most likely at Whyalla joining 844 and 847.

There is one other BG loco available and as it happens, the only non Alco one too. English Electric shunter 517 is still on the books and is used as the main shunted at the Osbourne lime and cement plant. It's place is usually filled with an 830 when it is undergoing serviving or repair. Before 2006, 518 was also used as a shunter there in addition to 517 but in that year, 518 went under the ownership of RTS at Islington workshops since then and remains on BG. 517 was repainted during 2007 into the GWA version of the AN green and gold livery.

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bingley hall · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:29 pm

Thanks 409 for that excellent summary.

I have had a report (no numbers unfortunately) of triple 830s on Whyalla NG ore this week.

Bing

Life is just a bowl of All Bran...you wake up every morning and it's there

409 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:35 pm

My hazard guess would be 863 which has been idle at Port Augusta works since 2003/4. I did hear a rumour some months ago that it was either undergoing or was planned to undergo reactivation work.

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EMD16-645E3C · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:50 pm

409 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:56 pm

Ofcourse and thanks for the correction, a brain fart in my part. 846 was reactivated back in May and was tested between 2210 and ALF19 on 4V71 before being sent over.

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"I'd use an 830 for my respirator!"

Alco251_244 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:47 pm

904 arrived at Whyalla in very early October and has already seen testing.

Cheers,

Justin Cheary
Driver
Qualified Locomotive Fitter, NRM & Pichi Richi Member
"Nothing beats the sound of three 600's and two 700's hauling 3300t grain train into Mt.Lofty
in the dead of the night" ALCO's Rule
http://justinsgallery.fotopic.net/

YM-Mundrabilla · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:32 am

Thanks to you all for the prompt and comprehensive replies.

What an insult to reuse the 900 numbers for 830/DAs.

Is this what the Victorian BG will be like soon..............the Long Islands and damned all else.............

YM Mundrabilla

Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.
Reality has been omitted for clarity.
Why is it that there are so many in high places who prefer activity to achievement?

M636C · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 10:45 am

So in summary, there are

704
831, 841 and 843
517

Wouldn't the NRM have more broad gauge diesel locomotives than that?

How much would it cost to convert that line to standard gauge?

M636C

409 · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:00 am

The NRM is on par with GWA for the total number of broad gauge locomotives in their fleet (with 351, 515, 801, 900 and 930) although only 515 and 801 are operational.

At a guess, the Gawler Central to Penrice section by itself with complete isolation of the closed Nuriootpa - Angaston line and isolation of the yard at Nuriootpa could cost somewhere upto and around $20million. Nearly all of the level crossing sleepers on the line are gauge convertable concrete already with one level crossing already fitted with three rails for standard gauge use. Although they are around 60 years old, the current hoppers used on the stonie can (and in the past have) be used on standard gauge.

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2001 · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:10 am

Ahh Wait ... but there's more !

You blokes are only thinking commercial operations.

Down on the South Coast :

350

507

958

2001

Member Falls Creek 2018 Olympics Committee.

M636C · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:19 pm

bluebird252 · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:24 pm

Is 846 on narrow? Plus I thought those 2 844 and 847 were coming back down here ?

409 · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:28 pm

All three are on narrow gauge at the moment and considering the amount of iron ore being exported from Whyalla (all local use is transported in a slurry via a pipe from the mines), they will be there for some time.

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"I'd use an 830 for my respirator!"