BHP Newcastle 32 class

The BHP Newcastle 32 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by A Goninan & Co, Broadmeadow for the BHP, Newcastle Steelworks between 1954 and 1956.

BHP Newcastle 32 class
34 at Richmond Vale Railway Museum in September 2000
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder A Goninan & Co, Broadmeadow Model General Electric 70 Ton switcher Build date 1954-56 Total produced 5
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo-Bo Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge Wheel diameter 33 in (838 mm) Minimum curve 75 ft 0 in (22.86 m) Length 38 ft 10 in (11.84 m) Width 9 ft 9 in (2,972 mm) Height 13 ft 11 in (4,242 mm) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 400 imp gal (1,800 L; 480 US gal) Lubricant cap. 100 imp gal (450 L; 120 US gal) Coolant cap. 80 imp gal (360 L; 96 US gal) Sandbox cap. 12 cu ft (0.34 m3) Prime mover Cooper Bessemer FWL-6-T RPM range 350-1010 Engine type 4 stroke, 6 in line, diesel Aspiration Turbocharged Generator General Electric GT-571 Traction motors 4 off General Electric GE-747 Cylinders 6 Cylinder size 9 in × 10.5 in (230 mm × 270 mm) bore x stroke Loco brake Westinghouse A7 Railway air brake Train brakes Westinghouse AH7
Performance figures Power output Gross: 627 hp (470 kW), For traction: 600 hp (450 kW)
Career Operators BHP Newcastle Steelworks Number in class 5 Numbers 32-36 Preserved 32, 34 Disposition 2 preserved, 3 scrapped

History

In 1954 BHP took delivery of three GE 70-ton switchers for use on its Newcastle Steelworks network from A Goninan & Co, Broadmeadow with a further two delivered in 1956.^[1][2]

Class list

Locomotive	Builder's No	Entered service	Withdrawn	Notes
32	1/S0001	Jul 1954	Aug 1986	preserved on static display at the Richmond Vale Railway Museum
33	2/S0002	Aug 1954	Feb 1987	-
34	3/S0003	Dec 1954	Jan 1990	stored at the Richmond Vale Railway Museum
35	10/S3006	Dec 1956	Aug 1988	-
36	11/S3007	Dec 1956	Jun 1985	-