Re: N class (was H220 was surviving R class etc)

["Andrew Box" <boxy@bigpond.net.au>]

The N class running around on V/Line today is a fine locomotive, they get me
to and from uni every day without any trouble, and what more they sound
great.  Steam had its time, and was beaten by a far superior locomotive.
The N of today would kick the steam N back to the stone age.

Regards

Andrew

Forster Family Inc <noelmel@wantree.com.au> wrote in message
38a48ce1$0$28714@echo-01.iinet.net.au">news:38a48ce1$0$28714@echo-01.iinet.net.au...
> A point of clarification, N432 was one of 3 with 'german' type deflectors
> and Boxpok wheels. 430 and 431 were similar. All were nominally allocated
to
> Ballarat in their latter years.
> N453 also had german deflectors as a result of a collision on the
Melbourne-
> Geelong line in the fifties. They were the only modified Ns.
> I do not believe any N would have been capable of being preserved as they
> were literally run into the ground and withdrawn once any form of repair
was
> required.
> At the time orders of T and Y class diesels were being delivered so were
> ideal replacements for the Ns. The last 4 in service were 463,468,475 (all
> coal burners) and oily 479 and 468 & 475 ran a farewell trip to Ballan in
> October 1966.
> Nominally they given the same loads in the WTT as the K class but were not
> as versatile as the Ks as they could not run on many brachlines as they
were
> too long for the 53' turntables and had to be split to be turned.
> 402, 460 and 468 were based at Ballarat East for many years working loco
> trips and supplementing the D3s in the yard. Others which were regulars in
> Ballarat in the years I became interested in locos ( 1962 onwards) were
> 426,452,458,466,470,476,479,482,492,493 and 498. ( I'm glad I have kept
all
> my notebooks from those years!)
> The Ns were a fine engine and had more soul than the rubbish running
around
> on V/Line metals today (N451-475-what an insult to a fine class of steam
> loco).
>
> Cheers
>
> Noel Forster
> Perth WA (Ballarat born & bred)
>
>