Re: More C class locos for storage.

[telljb@ozemail.com.au (Terry Burton)]

dbromage@metz.une.edu.au (David Bromage) wrote:
>On the subject of NSUs, why were they withdrawn following the closure of
>the central narrow gauge lines? They were main line tested in the UK on
>standard gauge bogies, so they could have been used in SA on standard
>gauge. The NSUs (particularly those with vacuum brakes) and the NTs would
>also have been useful in Tasmania.

>Was it a general hatred of Sulzer?

>Cheers
>David

I was told there was only one set of standard gauge bogies,
(nobody seems to know what happened to them.) you may recall that
history records NSU 54 working on the SG around Port Augusta and
Port Pirie just after it was delivered in 1954.

All of the NSU's had Westinghouse Independent but as noted 63 and
64 had dual Westinghouse and Vacuum Train brakes.  By the time
they went into service on the NAR, the decision was made to go
all Westinghouse on the rolling stock.  As I recall from the
manuals, the vacuum was supplied from an exhauster as the Brits
called them, it was a vacuum pump attached to the Sulzer.  
Most of the vacuum apparatus was long removed in Darwin.

Did they hate Sulzer's, no I don't think so, the NSU's were very
reliable, but well worn by the time the CAR Narrow Gauge closed.
Mind you, they were not very tolerant of worn curved track, they
had a habit of trying to straighten it.  Roberts Construction had
quite a number of derailments mostly due to the poor track. 
We were getting quite good towards the end of the contract in
jacking them back onto the rails within a couple of hours or so.

Cheers
  
----Tell
Alice Springs NT