Written By: Thomas Bulic
Photos By: Chris Nuthall, Thomas Bulic, Henry Owen, David Arnold, Graham Cotterall and Dean Jones
Page Last Updated: 12/8/20
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Locomotive Info: GM F (Four Motors)
Type: Diesel-Electric Manufactured: Clyde Engineering - Granville, New South Wales Number Built: 11 (GM1-GM11) Operational: 1 Stored: 1 Scrapped: 7 Preserved: 2 Model: ML1 Loco Length: 18.54 Meters Weight: 109 tonnes Engine: EMD 16-567B Generator: EMD D12 Traction Motors: EMD D37 Horsepower: 1500 Max Speed: 145 km/h Locomotive Info: GM S (Six Motors) Type: Diesel-Electric Manufactured: Clyde Engineering - Granville, New South Wales Number Built: 36 (GM12-GM47) Operational: 5 Stored: 10 Scrapped: 19 Preserved: 2 Model: EMD 16-567C Loco Length: 18.54 Meters Weight: 109 tonnes Engine: EMD 16-567B Generator: EMD D12 Traction Motors: EMD D37 (GM12-GM21) EMD D47 (GM22-GM26) EMD D57 (GM27-GM29) EMD D67 (GM30-GM39) EMD D77 (GM40-GM47) Horsepower: 1500 Max Speed: 145 km/h |
Liveries worn by GM Classes
GM27-S317 at Menangle with SSR wagon transfer #2478 to Broadmeadow.
Date Taken: 11th April 2013 Photo By: Henry Owen |
Built-in 1951 for Commonwealth Railways by Clyde Engineering under license from General Motors, the eleven members of the GM1 class were ordered primarily to dieselise operations, following on from overseas examples. The GM1 Class was based on the US EMD F7 model, with a number of alterations to ensure that they fitted the local loading gauge and axle load restrictions. Part of the design for the first eleven locomotives was to have an unpowered center bogie – making the wheel arrangement A1A-A1A. All eleven members of the class were delivered by July 1952, displacing most mainline steam on the Commonwealth Railway network.
Presently, only GM10 survives in active commercial service, having the distinction of being the oldest working commercial diesel locomotive in Australia. GM1 and GM2 are both preserved, while GM3 is stored at the Downer Rail workshop at Lithgow State Mine Railway.
Presently, only GM10 survives in active commercial service, having the distinction of being the oldest working commercial diesel locomotive in Australia. GM1 and GM2 are both preserved, while GM3 is stored at the Downer Rail workshop at Lithgow State Mine Railway.
GM43-CLF6 with a ballast train at Mundallio, on the Leigh Creek line.
Date Taken: 6th August 2015 Photo By: David Arnold |
GM22-GM27 with an empty ballast train at Kaniva.
Date Taken: 27th June 2000 Photo By: Chris Nuthall |
As a follow on to the original eleven locomotives ordered by the CR for their system, a further thirty-six units GM Class were ordered to allow for network expansion, albeit in the now common Co-Co wheel arrangement. To assist with the heavy coal traffic at Leigh Creek, the final eleven members of the class were delivered with dynamic brakes. Rather than creating a new class designation, these locomotives were delivered to follow on from the GM1 Class. To help distinguish between the two classes, Australian National (what CR was known as prior to being integrated into National Rail) distinguished these units as “S Class” (six motor), compared to the GM1 Class, known as the “F Class” (four motor).
In the post-privatisation world, a number of these veteran units survive in commercial operation today. GM’s 22 and 27 are owned and operated in NSW/Victoria by Southern Shorthaul Railroad, having been purchased from CFCLA, while the remaining operating members of the class are employed on grain and infrastructure trains in South Australia with US-based operator One Rail Australia (ORA), formerly known as Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA).
In the post-privatisation world, a number of these veteran units survive in commercial operation today. GM’s 22 and 27 are owned and operated in NSW/Victoria by Southern Shorthaul Railroad, having been purchased from CFCLA, while the remaining operating members of the class are employed on grain and infrastructure trains in South Australia with US-based operator One Rail Australia (ORA), formerly known as Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA).
GM38-GM32-GM34 with LVRF container train #3162 at Yarra.
Date Taken: 19th April 2006 Photo By: Graham Cotterall |
GM27-VL355 with an SSR wagon transfer at Warabrook.
Date Taken: 13th March 2017 Photo By: Dean Jones |
Locomotive Status
Click on underlined Road No. for more photos
Road No. |
Livery |
Owner |
Service Life |
Current State |
GM1 |
Commonwealth |
AHRS |
Sep 1951 - 1 Mar 2003 |
Preserved - Stored |
GM2 |
Commonwealth |
NR Museum |
Nov 1951 - Mar 1990 |
Preserved - Static |
GM3 |
Commonwealth |
SSR |
Dec 1951 - Mar 1990 |
Stored |
GM4 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jan 1952 - Aug 1987 |
Scrapped |
GM5 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jan 1952 - Apr 1987 |
Scrapped |
GM6 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Feb 1952 - Jan 1988 |
Scrapped |
GM7 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Mar 1952 - Jan 1991 |
Scrapped |
GM8 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Mar 1952 - Jan 1990 |
Scrapped |
GM9 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Apr 1952 - Aug 1987 |
Scrapped |
SSR Yellow & Black |
SSR |
Jun 1952 - Present |
Operational |
|
GM11 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jul 1952 - Dec 1987 |
Scrapped |
GM12 |
AN Green & Yellow |
SSR |
Oct 1955 - Unknown |
Stored |
GM13 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Nov 1955 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
GM14 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Great Northern |
Apr 1956 - Oct 1990 |
Scrapped |
GM15 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Apr 1956 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
GM16 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jul 1956 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
GM17 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Mar 1957 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
GM18 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Great Northern |
Apr 1957 - Jan 1994 |
Scrapped |
GM19 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Railpower |
May 1957 - Aug 1991 |
Under Restoration |
GM20 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jun 1957 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
GM21 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jul 1957 - Sep 1991 |
Scrapped |
SSR Yellow & Black |
SSR |
Jul 1962 - Dec 1994 |
Operational |
|
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Aug 1962 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
|
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Sep 1962 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
|
GM25 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Private |
Oct 1962 - Jan 1994 |
Scrapped |
GM26 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Great Northern |
Nov 1962 - Jan 1991 |
Scrapped |
SSR Yellow,GreyBlack |
SSR |
Jan 1963 - Present |
Operational |
|
Commonwealth |
SRHC |
Feb 1963 - Jan 1990 |
Preserved - Stored |
|
GM29 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Mar 1963 - Jun 1986 |
Scrapped |
GM30 |
Grey |
ARG |
Dec 1964 - Unknown |
Scrapped |
GM31 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australia National |
Jan 1965 - Mar 1987 |
Scrapped |
GM32 |
AN Green & Yellow |
One Rail Australia |
Jan 1965 - Feb 2003 |
Scrapped |
GM33 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Great Northern |
Mar 1965 - Jan 1994 |
Scrapped |
GM34 |
AN Green & Yellow |
One Rail Australia |
Apr 1965 - Feb 2003 |
Scrapped |
GM35 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Great Northern |
Apr 1966 - Aug 1991 |
Scrapped |
Commonwealth |
SRHC |
11 May 1966 - 2015 |
Preserved - Stored |
|
ORA Orange and Black |
One Rail Australia |
Jun 1966 - Present |
Operational |
|
AN Green & Yellow |
One Rail Australia |
Jun 1966 - Unknown |
Stored |
|
GM39 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Australian National |
Jul 1966 - Oct 1988 |
Scrapped |
GM40 |
AN Green & Yellow |
One Rail Australia |
Jan 1967 - Unknown |
Stored |
GM41 |
AN Green & Yellow |
Great Northern |
Feb 1967 - Mar 1995 |
Scrapped |
ORA Orange and Black |
One Rail Australia |
Feb 1967 - Unknown |
Stored |
|
ORA Orange and Black |
One Rail Australia |
Mar 1967 - Unknown |
Operational |
|
GM44 |
ORA Orange and Black |
One Rail Australia |
Apr 1967 - Unknown |
Stored |
ORA Orange and Black |
One Rail Australia |
May 1967 - Present |
Operational |
|
AN Green & Yellow |
One Rail Australia |
Jun 1967 - Unknown |
Stored |
|
ORA Orange and Black |
One Rail Australia |
1967 Dec - Unknown |
Stored |
Information sourced from trackside.wordpress.com