86 class electric locomotive list (7 preserved)
8601
- Delivered: February 1983
- Into Service: 15 March 1983
- Status: Stored, NOT OPERATIONAL
- Owner: Dorrigo Steam and Railway Museum
- Location: West Tamworth
- 8601 was the first 86 class unit into service on 15 March 1983.
- In 1990, the NSW SRA painted 8601 and 8602 in a blue, yellow and white striped livery described as new corporate colours for a special ceremony in the north.
- Following withdrawal of the entire electric locomotive fleet in 2002 it's ownership passed from Pacific National (PN) to Silverton following PN's disposal of the entire electric locomotive fleet and was moved to Broken Hill with many other 85 and 86 class units
- 8601 with 8609, 8622 and 8644 were leased to RailCorp, moved back to Sydney and re-activated for Bondi Junction turnback works which took place from around November 2004 - January 2005.
- 8601 and 8609 were said to be the primary units used for the works while 8622 and 8644 were the operational "spares"
- Following completion of the Bondi Junction works, the 4 units remained stabled at Eveleigh sidings for a number of years
- Most of the electric locos were scrapped in 2007 and 2008. 8601, with Tri-Bo 8650 and 8507 were purchased by the Dorrigo Steam and Railway Museum for preservation in about 2006, prior to the mass scrapping.
- 8601 was moved to Kooragang Island for several years
- In October/November 2015 it was moved for storage at West Tamworth with 8650 and 8507
8606
- Delivered: 12 September 1983
- Into Service: 21 September 1983
- Withdrawn: 30 June 2002 (last day commercial use/freight)
- Status: OPERATIONAL
- Owner: Sydney Electric Train Society
- Location: Sydney
- 8606 was delivered on 12 September 1983 and entered service on 21 September 1983.
- 8606 was part of a quad 86 class working (8628/8627/8607/8606) CA16 Clarence Colliery coal train to Inner Harbour Port Kembla on 30 June 2002. This was the last commercial use of 86 class electric locomotives for freight haulage as well as last commercial use of electric locomotives in NSW.
- Following Pacific National's decision to dispose of the entire electric locomotive fleet 2 units were picked out by the Lithgow Locomotive Maintenance Center for preservation.
- 8606 was picked as a top ranked unit and sold by PN to the Sydney Electric Train Society on 21 February 2003 for preservation. Sister unit 8646 which hauled the SETS 86 class farewell tour on September 7, 2002 was sold to the NSW Rail Transport Museum (now Transport Heritage NSW).
- 8606 ran light engine under it's own power from Lithgow Loco Depot to Hornsby Maintenance Center on 31 March 2003.
- 8606 hauled it's first tour in preservation on 6 December 2003 "8606 Returns to the North"
- 8606 hauled several other tours, the final one being the Terrain Tunnel Push-Pull tour on 29 October 2005 with 8644
- 8606 was transferred with 4615, CF5003 and CF5021 from Hornsby Maintenance Center to Junee Roundhouse Museum by preserved diesel locomotive 4403 for long term storage and public display
- On 16 - 17 June 2018, all 4 items of rolling stock were transferred from Junee to Lithgow
- 8606 was restored and re-activated running it's first trial under it's own power on 25 October 2018, this some 12 years since the last electric locomotive ran under it's own power in NSW
- On 27 October 2018 it ran light engine from Lithgow to Clyde yards
- On 29 October 2018 8606 hauled it's first work train since re-activation with PN Diesel Loco 8134 in tow, the Robel Rail Train from Clyde to North Sydney then return to Town Hall, with rail sets dropped along the line along the way.
8607
- Delivered:
- Into Service: September 1983
- Withdrawn: 30 June 2002 (last day commercial use/freight)
- Status: Stored, NOT OPERATIONAL
- Owner: Member of SETS
- Location: Canberra sidings
- 8607 entered service in September 1983.
- 8607 was part of a quad 86 class working (8628/8627/8607/8606) CA16 Clarence Colliery coal train to Inner Harbour Port Kembla on 30 June 2002. This was the last commercial use of electric locomotives in NSW.
- Following Pacific National's disposal of the entire electric locomotive fleet in 2002, 8607 along with most other 85's and 86's were moved to Broken Hill.
- While most of the electric locomotives were scrapped at Broken Hill in 2007, 8607 was purchased by a private owner for preservation
- In April 2013 it was moved from Broken Hill to Junee by THNSW Preserved Diesel Locomotive 44211
- In 2016 it was moved from Junee to Canberra
8644
- Delivered:
- Into Service: June 1985
- Withdrawn: 2002
- Status: Stored, NOT OPERATIONAL
- Owner: Private Individual
- Location: Chullora
- 8644 entered service in June 1985
- Following Pacific National's disposal of the entire electric locomotive fleet 8644 with most other 85's and 86's was acquired by Silverton and moved to Broken Hill
- In late 2004 8644 with 8601, 8609 and 8622 were leased to RailCorp, moved back to Sydney and re-activated for Bondi Junction turnback works which took place from November 2004 to January 2005.
- 8601 and 8609 were said to be the primary 2 units to be used for the works while 8622 and 8644 were the operational "spares"
- These 4 locomotives were stabled at Eveleigh for a number of years.
- Following the conclusion of Bondi Junction turnback works, 8644 was used to haul the AK Cars for testing purposes around the electrified Sydney rail network.
- 8644 also took part on at least 2 SETS tours, on both occasions with SETS Preserved locomotive 8606.
- One such tour was on 20 August 2005 which was a double-headed electric loco tour with 8606/8644.
- Another tour was the "Push Push Terrain Tunnel Tour" on 29 October 2005 where 8644 and 8606 were attached to either end of a tour train in push-pull configuration.
- 8644 also hauled a 3801 Ltd tour on 19 February 2006 known as the "Sea and Speed" tour which ran from Sydney Central to Kiama, then return to Central where the tour went north via the North Shore Line to Newcastle, then return to Sydney.
- This tour may have been the last time for some 12 years that an electric locomotive would run under it's own power in NSW, until 8606 was re-activated in October 2018.
- In 2006 8644 was acquired by a private individual for preservation and remained stored at Eveleigh until 2009 when it was then moved to Chullora for long term storage.
8646
- Delivered:
- Into Service: August 1985
- Withdrawn: 07 September 2002 (SETS Farewell tour)
- Status: Stored, NOT OPERATIONAL
- Owner: Transport Heritage NSW
- Custodian: NSW Rail Museum Thirlmere
- Location: NSW Rail Museum Thirlmere
- 8646 entered service in August 1985
- Following the last commercial use of electric locomotives in NSW with a coal train from Clarence Colliery to Inner Harbour Port Kembla on 30 June 2002, only 2 electric locomotives remained available for use in July 2002, these being 8641 and 8646.
- on 7 September 2002 Pacific National facilitated the use of and specially prepared 8646 for a SETS organised tour being both a farewell to the 86 class and end of commercial use of electric locomotives in NSW. The tour visited locations such as Kiama, Port Kembla and Sydney Olympic Park Station.
- As such through this tour, 8646 became the last commercial use of an electric locomotive in NSW (while still in ownership of Pacific National).
- Following Pacific National's disposal of the entire electric locomotive fleet, 2 units were picked out by Lithgow Locomotive Maintenance Center for preservation. 8606 was picked out as a top ranked unit and sold to SETS on 21 February 2003, while 8646 was sold to the NSW Rail Transport Museum (now Transport Heritage NSW) and stored for display at the NSW Rail Museum at Thirlmere.
8649
- Delivered: Late August 1985
- Into Service: 04 October 1985
- Withdrawn: 1997 (By October 1997)
- Status: Stored, NOT OPERATIONAL (Planned restoration and re-activation in 2019)
- Owner: Sydney Electric Train Society
- Location: Werris Creek
- 8649 was delivered in late August 1985 and entered service on 04 October 1985.
- 8649 was the last of the "base" order of the 86 class electric locomotives. The very last unit, 8650, was delivered and entered service in early 1986. This last unit featured a "Tri-Bo" wheel arrangement.
- On 15 November 1986, 8649 took part in what was a landmark event in NSW Rail Preservation and the life of the well known heritage steam locomotive 3801. After 3 years of restoration works to turn 3801 from static display into the premier operational heritage steam locomotive an official "3801 Re-Commissioning" / "Return To Service" ceremony was held at Newcastle. The ceremony which featured thousands of people, invited guests and dignitaries commenced at the State Dockyards. 3801 hauled a special train from the Dock yards, ultimately pulling into Platform 1 at Newcastle Station amid the Railway Band playing and cheers of thousands of people. Following the end of celebrations 3801 was taken to Cardiff workshops to stable. Electric Locomotive 8649 was attached to the special train and hauled it back to Sydney, deviating at Hornsby onto the North Shore Line bringing people back into the city via the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
- Following Pacific National's decision to withdraw dispose of the entire electric locomotive fleet in 2002 ownership of most 85 and 86 class units passed to Silverton. Most of the fleet were moved to Broken Hill and eventually scrapped in 2007.
- 8649 was one of 18 of 50 86 class units withdrawn from service in 1997 (By October 1997) due to the discovery of cracks in the underframe. It was subsequently moved from Lithgow Maintenance Center to Werris Creek for long term storage in around 1998. Due to this, 8649 had a very short operational service life of just under 12 years.
- Ownership of 8649 passed through several different owners including Silverton, Allco Finance and then El Zorro, although it was never used or moved from it's storage location at Werris Creek
- After El Zorro was wound up in 2013, the 3 86 class electrics in the company's ownership (8609, 8622 and 8649) were sold for scrapping. 8609 and 8622 were scrapped at Lithgow State Mine in 2017.
- The scrapping of 8649 was delayed long enough where a desire by Sydney Trains and Pacific National for a second operational 86 class became apparent and SETS was able to negotiate a belated purchase for preservation. The purchase took place on 08 July 2018.
- SETS and Pacific National now plan to re-commission 8649 in early 2019 to be made available for works required for Sydney Trains in the city underground and Harbour Bridge.
8650
- Delivered: 6 January 1986
- Into Service: Early 1986
- Status: Stored, NOT OPERATIONAL
- Owner: Dorrigo Steam and Railway Museum
- Location: West Tamworth
- 8650 was the last 86 class units delivered and into service in early 1986.
- Unlike the other 49 units 8650 was unique in that it featured a "Tri-Bo" wheel arrangement
- Following Pacific National's decision to dispose of the entire electric locomotive fleet ownership passed to Silverton and 8650 spent numerous years stored at Werris Creek along with other 85 and 86 class units, some of which were saved for preservation
- 8650 was acquired by the Dorrigo Steam and Railway Museum for preservation along with 8601 and 8507 and moved to West Tamworth in late 2015.
Listed Last Updated: 01 December 2018
