The 421 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville for the Department of Railways New South Wales in 1965/66. These mainline locomotives were a follow on from the 42 class. The 421s retained the classic bulldog nose as with the other Clyde built GM and S locomotives at one end, but featured a flat-cab at the other end. In this respect, they are unique amongst bulldog nose locomotives in the world.
History The 421 class initially entered service on the Main South line before being transferred to Bathurst in 1970 to operate services on the Main Western line between Lithgow and Broken Hill including the new Indian Pacific service. However, due to their poor ride quality, they were returned to the Main South. In 1982, they were briefly used on through services to Melbourne.
All 10 were withdrawn from service in December 1986 and January 1987 and put in store at Junee Locomotive Depot, even though some had only recently been overhauled."Locomotives & Traffic 421 Class Report" Railway Digest February 1987 p. 47. In June 1989, two were moved to Cardiff Locomotive Workshops."Locomotives and Traffic 421 Class" Railway Digest August 1989 p. 276. One was resurrected from July 1989 until January 1990 before most were offered for sale in 1990."42107" Railway Digest March 1990 p. 106."Locos for sale" Railway Digest July 1990 p. 239.
Four locomotives were purchased by Northern Rivers Railroad."Locomotives and Traffic 421 Class" Railway Digest December 1990 p. 439. After undergoing some restoration work at Junee in October 1996, they worked to their new base at Casino where the work was completed ready for the commencement of operations in October 1997."The Northern Rivers Railroad" Railway Digest December 1996 p. 28. Northern Rivers Railroad used them to haul the Ritz Rail tourist rail service from Casino to Murwillumbah on the Murwillumbah line and various freight and infrastructure trains on the North Coast line as a sub-contractor to FreightCorp. Northern Rivers Railroad purchased 42106 from a private owner, and moved it from storage at the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere to Casino in September 1998."Motive Power 42106" Railway Digest November 1998 p. 41.
Five have been preserved. In December 2009, 42101 was transferred from the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre to Eveleigh Railway Workshops for restoration by 3801 Limited.Train Alteration Advice No: TAA 0818-2009 Australian Rail Track Corporation. After being fitted with refurbished traction motors at Chullora Railway Workshops in October 2011, it returned to Eveleigh to be restored back to operational condition in March 2012.TOC Waiver RailCorp 19 March 2012. It undertook its first trials on Cowan Bank on the evening of 25 October 2014 and was repainted in its original Indian red livery by UGL Rail, Auburn in January 2015.
In January 2011, 42102 moved from storage on Kooragang Island to the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum.42102 Vicsig.421 Class Railpage
In late 2017, 42103 and 42105 were bought by a private owner for preservation. 42103 was first to be reactivated and made its first trip to Rothbury in December 2017. 42103's first tour after reactivation was working Lachlan Valley Railway's Blue Seude Express to Parkes with 4204 and 4716 in January 2018. Since then, it worked the Australia Day Flyer to Kiama and has been seen running light engine in numerous locations. It has now been affectionately named "Chumster".42105 returned to service in November 2019 after 3 years of restoration work in Goulburn. It has been painted in its old InterRail livery with ChumRail logos in place of the original ones. It has been named "ChumSayer". Youtube Footage of Blue Seude Express 2018. Details on Elvis Event 2018. 42105 was officially re-launched into service in November 2023 after receiving many years of work in Goulburn. It has been painted into a modified Northern Rivers Railroad livery with Chumrail logos in place of the original NRR logos. The locomotive has been named "Chumsayer" as a nod to the person that did most of the work on it.
Locomotive 42107 was purchased by a private owner in April 2021 after a period of time spent in storage after Aurizon parked the engine up in early 2018. After reactivation the locomotive was painted at the Hunter Valley Workshops site at Rothbury into the Reverse livery previously only worn by class member 42104.(Motive Power November 2021 p. 61).
Fleet Status Key:In ServiceStoredPreservedConvertedUnder OverhaulScrapped
NSW NoSerial NoEntered serviceCurrent/Last OwnerLiveryStatus4210165-46822 Dec 1965The Heritage Locomotive CompanyOperated by East Coast Heritage RailIndian RedPreserved, Operational4210266-46924 Jan 1966Dorrigo Steam Railway & MuseumSRA CandyStored4210366-47015 Feb 1966ChumrailSRA Candy Preserved, Operational4210466-47128 Feb 1966State Rail AuthorityPTC ReverseScrapped4210566-47215 Mar 1966ChumrailNRR RainbowPreserved, Operational4210666-47314 Apr 1966 CFCLAUndercoatScrapped4210766-47412 May 1966Private ownerReversePreserved, Operational 4210866-4753 May 1966State Rail Authority SRA CandyScrapped4210966-4766 Jul 1966 CFCLANRR RainbowScrapped4211066-47725 Jul 1966State Rail AuthorityAusterity Red Scrapped
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