Re: B or A class

[Barry Campbell <barryC@qimr.edu.au>]

Rod Gayford wrote:
> 
> Probably a bit different perhaps due to fitting of heavier draft gear and tight
> lock auto couplers. Never were fitted with buffers.  Can any body shed any light
> on why the old NSWGR persisted with buffers on passenger stock for so long. The
> 42 Class came out with hook couplers as did the air conditioned sets which had
> autos inter mediate but hooks on the terminal cars. The 38 Class originally had
> hook couplings on the tender and appeared to change to auto set up about same
> time the 42 Class changed to auto. On the other hand the 40 class may have been
> delivered with autos but the two painted blue for the royal train of 1954 both
> had draw hooks applied (at both ends?). I never understood why the NSWGR
> persisted with buffers on diesels until the order for the 80 & 85 Class locos.
> Any ideas?
> 

Freight rolling stock on the NSWGR was generally auto fitted from the
late 1930s when the decision to change over was made. Of course most
were still fitted with buffers and transition couplings until all
vehicles had changed over. This had to apply to locos as well. Passenger
vehicles started to change at the same time, the N type cars built just
before WW2 being the first so fitted when new. When I was a shunter in
1973 all but a minute few freight vehicles were auto coupled and most
were bufferless because the was very little pre war freight rolling
stock around. On the other hand, passenger vehicles were largely pre war
(In Wollongong that was pre WW1) and hence were built with hooks and
were either too expensive or impossible to convert). That was the
situation until after 1980 when hooks finally died out. Thank God.


Barry Campbell