Re: 81s back up the coast

[nswsrca@ozemail.com.au (Peter Neve)]

G'day.

It should be remembered that a number of 81 class remain on permanent
loan to National Rail - being 8167 through to 8179 inclusive.   As I
have mentioned elsewhere in <aus.rail>, it is these 81s which are
being used by National Rail under charter to GSR to work the Indian
Pacific Express between Broken Hill and Sydney.   On the basis that
double consists have now ended, the need to retain six 81s for IP
working will have ceased and this would reduce to four.

So far as the 80 class are concerned, National Rail nominally
continues to use two of the class - 8001 and 8046, as yard shunters at
Chullora and Acacia Ridge.   When these units are not available, a 422
may fill in.  It seems that NR might have it in for the 80s, as it has
successfully damaged two at Acacia Ridge, although one of these has
since been returned to service (ast NR expense?).   I wonder if NR has
paid for the damage to 8002 as yet, or is its write-off value minimal?

My understanding is that National Rail normally has the use of three
422s, for shunting/transfer duties at Port Kembla, Port Botany and at
Port Waratah.

Incidentally, a decent coverage of locomotive working in NSW (not just
listings of locomotives hauling trains!) is given in "Shed Talk", part
of The Railway News magazine (For further information, please see the
Association's web page <http://www.ozemail.com.au/~nswsrca>.

Compliments of the Season to all other <aus.rail> browsers.

Pete.