Locomotive, Steam 2029

Item details


Name of item:	Locomotive, Steam 2029
Other name/s:	2029 (From 1924), A/E(533) (From 1911)
Type of item:	Movable / Collection
Group/Collection:	Transport - Rail
Category:	Railway Locomotives & Rolling Stock
Primary address:	Thirlmere Railway Precinct, Thirlmere, NSW 2572
Local govt. area:	Wollondilly

All addresses

Street Address	Suburb/town	LGA	Parish	County	Type
Thirlmere Railway Precinct	Thirlmere	Wollondilly			Primary Address

Owner/s

Organisation Name	Owner Category	Date Ownership Updated
RailCorp	State Government
RailCorp	State Government

Statement of significance:


	Steam Locomotive 2029 has heritage significance as one of 21 members of the A/E class built by NSWGR at Eveleigh Workshops in 1911 in response to a shortage of motive power to haul coal trains. Locomotive 2029 is significant as the last member of its class to be withdrawn from service. It demonstrates the motive power for coal traffic and more latterly passenger workings in the outer suburban lines of the Sydney network in the 1950s and 1960s. The locomotive is a good example of the simple side tank locomotives that were produced by NSWGR, with features that are typical of late 19th century British style locomotives, even though it was constructed in the early twentieth century. Locomotive 2029 represents the first attempt to standardise the configuration and compatibility of components between similar classes in the last decades of the 19th century. The construction of a new class of locomotives in 1911 to design parameters sketched 34 years previously, may have been acceptable given the outstanding endurance of the original design, but the result appeared archaic, particularly the inside cylinders. The locomotive has the potential to reveal information regarding the design and construction of steam side tank locomotives in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the policies for ensuring the compatibility of various rolling stock. The locomotive is rare as the sole survivor of a class of tank locomotives that maintained passenger service in the outer suburban lines in Sydney prior to the advent of more modern motive power. Locomotive 2029 is a good representative example of a tank locomotive originally used in mineral traffic, then subsequently in branch line service, particularly on ‘tramway’ lines, and it also illustrates the NSWGR policy of adapting rolling stock to changing motive power requirements.
	Date significance updated: 13 Nov 09
	Note: The State Heritage Inventory provides information about heritage items listed by local and State government agencies. The State Heritage Inventory is continually being updated by local and State agencies as new information becomes available. Read the OEH copyright and disclaimer.

Description


Designer/Maker:	NSWGR, Thow and Beyer Peacock
Builder/Maker:	NSWGR, Eveleigh Workshops
Physical description:	Locomotive 2029 is a two-cylinder, simple, non-condensing, saturated, coal-fired, ‘Adriatic’ type, 2-6-4 steam tank locomotive. EXTERNAL It has small diameter spoked wheels for adhesion, low running board with inside cylinders and a four-wheel trailing truck (bogie). The locomotive has inside plate frames, with inside Stephenson link valve motion and plain coupling and connecting rods. It is fitted with a Belpaire firebox, side tanks of riveted construction and an enclosed cab with extended coalbunker. Hook drawgear has been fitted. All wheels are spoked, run in plain journal bearings with drip-feed oil axle boxes. The engine is painted black with red lining, with road numbers painted in white on the front buffer beam and yellow on cab sides and the rear of the bunker.
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential:	Operational Status: Non-Operational General Condition: Good Condition External Condition: Good Condition Internal Condition: Very Good Condition EXTERNAL CONDITION The frames and cylinders are in good condition with intact anti-corrosive paint system in place. Driving, pony truck and trailing wheels are in good condition with minor surface corrosion on all machined surfaces. All items of motion are in good condition, though surface corrosion is evident on all items. Boiler cladding is in very good condition with an intact paint system, though the external boiler condition is unknown. Side tanks are generally in very good condition with intact paint system, though the tank top is only in moderate condition with evidence of wastage of varying severity. Brakes are intact. The Westinghouse compressor, steam cylinder cladding and paint is in very good condition. The cab roof and structure is in very good condition with paint system intact. Cab spectacle and rear plates and windows (2) are also intact and in very good condition. The bunker and rear tanks are in good condition, the paint system is intact and in very good condition. INTERNAL CONDITION Boiler and smokebox internal condition is unknown. All boiler mountings in cab appear intact and in very good condition. Internal condition of side tanks is unknown, though corrosion and wastage of varying severity is expected. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS There is a risk of asbestos being present on the boiler exterior. It may also be present in jointing materials on pipe flanges, lead is presumed present where any original paint survives.
	Date condition updated:11 Nov 09
Modifications and dates:	1911 - constructed by NSWGR, Eveleigh Workshops, as works number 28, entered service on the NSWR, being allocated road number 533. Subsequently - renumbered to 2029 in the new Z20 class March 1968 - withdrawn Subsequently - restored to display condition. Unknown - The locomotive has been fitted with a turbo-generator, electric lights, a headlamp and marker lamps.


Current use:	NSW Government Railways Collection
Former use:	Locomotive

History

Historical notes:

Locomotive 2029 was constructed by NSWGR, Eveleigh Workshops, as works number 28 in 1911. It entered service on the NSWR, being allocated road number 533. Along with the other 21 members of the A/E class, it was built to haul coal trains in response to a shortage of motive power. The locomotives were identical to 14 locomotives converted from the A93 class into tank engines, and these in turn were styled on the new buildings (E10 class) ordered by William Thow, shortly after taking over as Chief Mechanical Engineer. Thow wanted the new engines to have a level of compatibility with the earlier A93 tender locomotives of 1877. Building a new class of locomotives in 1911 to design parameters sketched 34 years previously, may have been acceptable, given the outstanding endurance of the original design, but the result appeared archaic, particularly the inside cylinders.

As newer and larger locomotives appeared the class was transferred to shunting duties generally on the former PWD-worked Port Kembla commercial network. Others were sold and for some a new allocation to passenger workings in the outer Sydney region ensured further viable service. The locomotive was renumbered to 2029 in the new Z20 class, combining all three of the original groups of engines. For these duties some were fitted with electric head and tail lamps, and a cowcatcher at each end. Locomotive 2029 was the last withdrawn, operating the Moorebank branch. It was withdrawn in March 1968 and subsequently transferred to the custodianship of the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, finally arriving at Thirlmere in 1975 where it is has been extensively restored to display condition.

Historic themes

Australian theme (abbrev)	New South Wales theme	Local theme
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Mining-Activities associated with the identification, extraction, processing and distribution of mineral ores, precious stones and other such inorganic substances.	Transport of goods-
3. Economy-Developing local, regional and national economies	Technology-Activities and processes associated with the knowledge or use of mechanical arts and applied sciences	Shaping inland settlements-

Assessment of significance


SHR Criteria a) [Historical significance]	Locomotive 2029 has a high level of historical significance as one of 21 members of the A/E class built by NSWGR at Eveleigh Workshops in 1911 in response to a shortage of motive power to haul coal trains. Locomotive 2029 is also significant as the last member of its class to be withdrawn from service. It demonstrates the motive power for coal traffic and more latterly passenger workings in the outer suburban lines of the Sydney network in the 1950s and 1960s.
SHR Criteria b) [Associative significance]	Locomotive 2029 has moderate associational significance. It is associated with William Thow, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the NSWGR, and a strong reformer of rolling stock design and standardisation. It is also associated with small and generally uneconomic branch lines, especially ‘tramway’ lines such as the Camden, Kurrajong and Morpeth branches.
SHR Criteria c) [Aesthetic significance]	Locomotive 2029 has aesthetic significance as an excellent example of the simple side tank locomotives that were produced by NSWGR. It is of strongly British appearance, looking very much a part of the 19th century despite its early twentieth century date of construction. Locomotive 2029 has a high level of technical significance. The locomotive demonstrates the first attempt to standardise the configuration and compatibility of components between similar classes in the last decades of the 19th century. The construction of a new class of locomotives in 1911 to design parameters sketched 34 years previously, may have been acceptable given the outstanding endurance of the original design, but the result appeared archaic, particularly the inside cylinders.
SHR Criteria d) [Social significance]	The Locomotive, Steam 2029 is likely to have a degree of social value for the community-based associations who have demonstrated an ongoing interest in its conservation and management. This item may also have a degree of social significance to a broader section of the community linked to its historic, aesthetic and associative values.
SHR Criteria e) [Research potential]	Locomotive 2029 has research significance with the potential to reveal information regarding the design and construction of steam side tank locomotives in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the policies for ensuring the compatibility of various rolling stock.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity]	Locomotive 2029 has rarity significance as the sole survivor of a class of tank locomotives that maintained passenger service in the outer suburban lines in Sydney prior to the advent of more modern motive power.
SHR Criteria g) [Representativeness]	Locomotive 2029 is a good representative example of a tank locomotive originally used in mineral traffic, then subsequently in branch line service, particularly on ‘tramway’ lines. It illustrates the NSWGR policy of adapting rolling stock to changing motive power requirements.
Integrity/Intactness:	Locomotive 2029 maintains a high level of integrity and intactness.
Assessment criteria:	Items are assessed against the State Heritage Register (SHR) Criteria to determine the level of significance. Refer to the Listings below for the level of statutory protection.

Listings

Heritage Listing	Listing Title	Listing Number	Gazette Date	Gazette Number	Gazette Page
Heritage Act - s.170 NSW State agency heritage register

Study details

Title	Year	Number	Author	Inspected by	Guidelines used
SRA Heritage Rolling Stock Stage 2b Heritage Assessments	2000		David Sheedy Pty Ltd Architects and Heritage Consultants	Steven Adams	Yes
S170 Rolling Stock Review	2009		NSW Department of Commerce		Yes

References, internet links & images

Type	Author	Year	Title	Internet Links
Written	Grunbach, A	1989	A Compendium of New South Wales Steam Locomotives
Written	Oberg, L	1975	Locomotives of Australia

Note: internet links may be to web pages, documents or images.

(Click on thumbnail for full size image and image details)

Data source


The information for this entry comes from the following source:
Name:	State Government
Database number:	4807216

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