The N class was a class of diesel locomotives built by Comeng, Bassendean for Westrail between 1977 and 1979.
History
Eleven were built all for use on the Western Australian narrow gauge network, primarily to haul mineral trains in the south east. Between July 1982 and June 1983, the first four members of the class had their vacuum brake equipment replaced with Westinghouse air brake systems, and were redesignated as the NA class. While liked by crews for their ride quality and power, they suffered from reliability problems and most were withdrawn in the early 1990s. The last were withdrawn in 1997.Westrail N / NA / NB classes Westrail Alcos 9 March 2002.
In January 1995 two of the NA class were converted to standard gauge using bogies from Mount Newman Alco M636s, and redesignated as the NB class. In February 1998 these two were sold to Austrac Ready Power, Junee."Westrail Motive Power Coming and Going" Railway Digest April 1998 p. 14. These were sold in 2004 to Patrick Port Link, Adelaide and again in September 2011 to Australian Locolease who redesignated as the 18 class and leased them to El Zorro for use in Victoria."Australia Wide Fleet List 2014" Motive Power issue 96 pages 65, 67.18 Class Vicsig. Retrieved 17 May 2026. After both locomotives remaining unused for some years, 1872 was scrapped in early 2020, whereas 1873 languished for another two years before being scrapped in mid-2022.
Austrac also purchased NA1874 but it was sold without use to South Spur Rail Services in 2001 and converted for standard gauge operation in January 2006. It was scrapped in 2014.1874 Vicsig. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
Status table Loco NoRevised NoBuilders NoEntered serviceStatusN1871C-6099-015 Dec 1977Converted to NA1871 1982NA1871 29 Dec 1982Scrapped 1994N1872C-6099-0220 Aug 1977Converted to NA1872 1983NA1872 16 Jun 1983Converted to NB1872 1994NB1872Sep 2011Renumbered to 1872 20111872Jan 1995Stored South Dynon Locomotive Depot1872Scrapped Feb 2020N1873C-6099-0317 Nov 1977Converted to NA1873 1982NA18739 Nov 1982Converted to NB1873 1994NB1873Dec 1994Renumbered to 1873 20111873Sep 2011Scrapped mid-2022N1874C-6099-0430 Nov 1977Converted to NA1874 1982NA187415 July 1982Scrapped 2014N1875C-6099-0515 Feb 1978Scrapped 1994N1876C-6099-069 Aug 1978Scrapped 1997N1877C-6099-0727 Sep 1978Scrapped 1997N1878C-6099-0822 Dec 1978Scrapped 1994N1879C-6099-0922 Dec 1978Scrapped 1994N1880C-6099-1010 Jan 1979Scrapped 1997N1881C-6099-11 26 Jun 1979Scrapped 1994
References
External links