The Tasmanian Government Railways V class are a class of diesel locomotives that are operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways.
History[]
They were the first diesel locomotives operated by the Tasmanian Government Railways (TGR) with four delivered by the Vulcan Foundry in 1948 to a design by the Drewry Car Co. which was similair to that of the standard gauge British Rail Class 04. Between 1959 and 1968 the TGR built a further four at its Launceston Workshops.
When it closed in 1963, 2405 was sold to the Emu Bay Railway as number 22, while 2406 went to the TGR as V13. All the TGR units were withdrawn between 1983 and 1987 while the Emu Bay unit remained in service until 2000.
Today only ten of these engines that have been preserved.
Trivia[]
- In 1951 a fellow two were delivered followed by another two in 1955.
- Two identical locomotives were purchased by the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company in 1953.
- The units classified VA differ in that they were downgraded Vs with a 6 cylinder 6L3 Gardiner diesel (instead of the 8 cylinder) and a four speed epicyclic gearbox (instead of five speeds).
- V1 & V8 were both converted VA specifications. V8 was later converted back to standard configuration with its engine going to V3.