Queensland Railways 1620 class

Queensland Railways 1620 class
1634 at Wowan in August 1987
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder English Electric, Rocklea Build date 1967-1969 Total produced 34
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Co-Co Gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) Length 13.84 m (45 ft 5 in) Loco weight 63 t (62 long tons; 69 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover English Electric 6CSRKT mark 2 Engine type four stroke, four valves per cylinder Aspiration turbo, intercooled Generator English Electric 827 Traction motors English Electric 540 Cylinders 6 Cylinder size 10in by 12in MU working 110V, stepless electro-pneumatic throttle Loco brake straight air Train brakes air
Performance figures Maximum speed 80 km/h (50 mph) Power output 755 kW (1,012 hp) gross
Career Operators Queensland Railways Number in class 34 Numbers 1620-1653 First run 1967 Preserved 1620, 1632, 1639. 1649, 1650, 1651 Disposition 6 preserved, 10 exported, 18 scrapped

The 1620 class was a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for Queensland Railways between 1967 and 1969.

The 1620 class locomotives are similar to the New Zealand Railways DI class, also built at the Rocklea works.

History

The 1620 class was an evolution of the 1600 class being fitted with a hood nose. They operated in Central and North Queensland as well as hauling commuter trains in Brisbane.^[1][2][3] The class was withdrawn in the mid 1990s with some sold to John Holland and exported to Malaysia and The Philippines.^[4][5]

1647 has been recently noted to still be in use with Lafarge cement at Padang Jawa, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Six have been preserved:^[2]

• 1620 retained as part of the Queensland Rail Heritage Fleet at the Workshops Rail Museum, North Ipswich, restored for main line operation
• 1632 leased to the Mary Valley Rattler, Gympie.
• 1639 leased to the Mary Valley Rattler, Gympie.
• 1649 leased to the Mary Valley Rattler, Gympie.
• 1650 by the Australian Railway Historical Society, stored at Redbank Railway Workshops
• 1651 at Redbank Workshops

Status table of preserved locomotives

Number	In service	Withdrawn	Owner	Location	Notes
1620	01/1967	1991	QR Heritage	Ipswich Workshops	Stored pending complete rewiring of electrical systems. Unlikely to be operational for the foreseeable future.
1632	07/1967	1991	Mary Valley Rattler	Gympie	Operational. Used as a replacement when a steam locomotive is not available.
1639	10/1967	1991	Mary Valley Rattler	Gympie	Stored in Gympie Yard as a source for spare parts.
1649	02/1969	1991	Mary Valley Rattler	Gympie	Stored in Gympie Yard as a source for spare parts.
1650	03/1969	1991	QR Heritage	Ipswich Workshops	Donated to QR Heritage by ARHS(QLD). Stored in good condition awaiting completion of a restoration initiated by the previous custodian.
1651	03/1969	1991	QR Heritage	Ipswich Workshops	Donated to QR Heritage by ARHS(QLD). Used as a source for spare parts.

References

1. Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. p. 240. ISBN 0-730100-05-7.
2. 1600, 1620 Class Queensland's Great Trains
3. English Electric 1620 Class Queensland's Railway Interest Group
4. "QR Clydes to NZ, 'Poms' to Philippines [sic]" Railway Digest October 1995 page 15
5. The John Holland 1620s! Philippine Railway Historical Society

External links

• Rail Pictures gallery

1648 and a 1720 class at Caboolture in 1989