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Designer/Maker: | E.E. Lucy, Harold Young and others |
Builder/Maker: | Clyde Engineering Company, Granville and Mort’s Dock and Engineering Company, Balmain |
Construction years: | 1929-1930 |
Physical description: | EXTERNAL
Locomotive 5711 is a three-cylinder, simple, non-condensing, coal-fired, superheated ‘Mountain’ type, 4-8-2 steam locomotive with bogie tender. Locomotive 5711 is fitted with tender TAB 5710, originally fitted to locomotive 5710 in 1930. The locomotive has a single piece cast steel frame, superheated round top boiler supplying steam to two outside and one internal cylinder driving 8 small diameter spoked wheels. It is fitted with fluted coupling and connecting rods, a low continuous running plate and rimmed chimney. The engine has been fitted with a mechanical stoker. The locomotive and tender are fitted with extended buffers with hooked drawgear on the locomotive and automatic coupler on the tender. The engine is provided with a single headlamp placed at the top of the smokebox. The locomotive's main driving axles run on grease block bearings with the remaining engine and tender axles, running on plain journal bearings with drip-feed oil axleboxes. It has a large bogie turret tender of riveted construction carrying coal and water supply.
The locomotive also features a mechanical stoker motor and coal feed screw, steam powered grate shaker, ashpan hopper doors hung outside the trailing truck, one piece cast steel engine frame, delta cast trailing truck, power assisted reversing screw, cylinders cast separately from frame, goosenecked leading drive axle, three piece centre big end, and an automatic transition coupler on the tender. Fittings include a steam air compressor, Ashton pop safety valves, steam injectors, whistle, hydrostatic lubricator, regulator handle, cab boiler fittings, cab valves, Westinghouse No.4 air brake valves, air reservoirs, automatic stoker, steam powered grate, steam turbo generator, electric headlight and marker lights spectacle plate windows, cab seats, boiler top mounted cast sand box, water range operating handles, extended buffers and hook drawgear on the locomotive.
The engine and tender (when in service in 1961) were painted overall black, with red running plate edges.
MECHANICAL
The locomotive has an inside one piece cast steel frame, a superheated round top boiler supplying steam to two outside and one internal cylinder driving 8 small diameter spoked wheels. It is fitted with Walschaert’s valve gear driving the outside cylinders, the inside cylinder valve events being actuated by Gresley conjugating valve gear with its distinctive lever and motion across the front of the engine. The cylinders drive Pennsylvania multiple bearing cross heads coupled to fluted connecting and coupling rods driving 8 small diameter balanced spoked wheels with grease block bearings. The locomotive is fitted with a Franklin Precision F Type Power Reverser and Simplex Type B stoker motor.
The double axle leading truck is of a variable resistance type with an inside plate frame of riveted construction with small spoked wheel axles riding in friction bearing axle boxes and leaf spring suspension. The trailing Delta style truck is fitted with outside friction bearing axle boxes. The driving axles and trailing Delta truck have a spring equalisation compensation arrangement.
The tender has a fabricated underframe with riveted tank and two cast double axle bogies with disc wheels. The tender and locomotive are connected by a central forged steel. The locomotive is fitted with air operated sanding equipment supplied from a boiler top mounted cast steel sandbox.
The locomotive is fitted with a Westinghouse cross compound air compressor and No.4 brake valve operating brake cylinders on both the engine and tender. The engine brake rigging is adjusted by lead screws behind the leading truck and applies eight large brake shoes bearing one on the outside of each of the four driving axles. The tender bogie’s brake rigging applies two inside bearing brake shoes to each axle. A mechanical hand brake is fitted to the locomotives tender. The tender bogies are of cast steel construction with outside oil filled friction bearing axle boxes. The locomotive is fitted with hooked drawgear and extended Turton buffers on the locomotive and a transition automatic coupler and extended Turton buffers on the tender. |
Physical condition and/or Archaeological potential: | Operational Status: Non-Operational
General Condition: Poor Condition
External Condition: Poor Condition
Internal Condition: Poor Condition
EXTERNAL CONDITION
The locomotive is in a stripped condition undergoing long term restoration with the majority of the fittings removed and stored at various locations. The tender tank was not present at the time of inspection along with the majority of the removed fittings and components therefore a complete assessment could not be carried out.
The locomotive’s front extended Turton buffers and hook draw gear are secure and serviceable with the shunters steps and grab irons complete. The smokebox of this locomotive is in good condition with the cast funnel, centre dart and hand wheel complete and operational. The Westinghouse cross compound air compressor remains attached securely to the smokebox. The boiler’s sheet steel clothing has been removed with sections stacked behind the locomotive depot in poor condition with corrosion evident. No clothing remains on the cylinders or air compressor. The locomotive's cab rests in the car park and is stripped of all fittings with corrosion present and the timber ceiling lining boards in moderate condition. The locomotive has an overall coating of road grime and surface corrosion on exposed steelwork with heavier oil and grease-based deposits below the running boards and around the wheels and motion.
The locomotive units underframe appears to be in moderate to good condition with surface corrosion evident, although there is no major damage or pitting present. A heavy build up of road grime is also present. The frame appears to be straight with no undue wear visible. The tender's underframe is in good condition with little wastage noticeable.
The locomotive's double axle leading truck appears complete with the disc wheels retaining an acceptable profile and exhibiting ½ tyre wear. The tender’s bogies are currently under restoration with all axles having been removed, axleboxes overhauled and brake rigging inspected and re-bushed. The disc wheels retain an acceptable profile with 1/3 tyre wear. The bogies appear to be clean and free of corrosion with no road grime build-up and a new black painted surface finish.
The locomotive unit currently has a black all over paint coverage with a red front buffer beam. All the boiler clothing has been removed with the boiler painted black recently with moderate coverage exhibited. The locomotive's underframe has a failing black surface finish with a heavy build up of road grime, and oil and grease present. Areas of exposed steel have surface corrosion present. The locomotive's fabricated tender frame has recently been cleaned back and repainted with a gloss black finish. The tender's cast bogies also have a cleaned back and repainted surface finish in black. The locomotive's cab is located at Valley Heights stored on the ground adjacent to the carpark. It has a failing chalky black external paint scheme with surface corrosion and rust blow out evident. The cab roof appears to have no remaining paint finish with the bare steel having surface corrosion present. The cabs internal surface has a red oxide finished lower portion, gloss black upper surface and faded green painted timber lined roof. The cabs timber floor boards and spectacle plate windows have been removed. Other components are stored in the open behind the depot, with the remaining clothing exhibiting surface corrosion with little protective paint present. The connecting rods and one coupling rod have a grey undercoat finish applied with rust blow out and surface corrosion evident. One of the air reservoirs is also located here with its black paint finish failing and chalky with rust blow out along the rivet lines and former retaining strap locations.
The majority of the smaller fittings have been removed from the locomotive when it was stripped prior to restoration beginning in the early 1980s. Components remaining are all in moderate to poor condition due to extended periods of external storage with corrosion present. The Westinghouse cross compound steam compressor is still attached to the fireman’s side of the smokebox however all associated pipework has been removed. All boiler and cab fittings have been removed including the Ashton pop safety valves, steam injectors, whistle, hydrostatic lubricator, regulator handle, Westinghouse No.4 air brake valves, air reservoirs, power assisted reversing screw, automatic stoker, steam turbo generator and electric headlight and marker lights. The boiler top mounted cast sandbox and distribution valves are in position though their condition is unknown. The extended buffers hook drawgear remain secure on the front of the locomotive's cast steel frame.
The locomotive's generally poor overall appearance is an indication of the mechanical condition. The locomotive's three main driving axles have good tyre profile and wear with the grease block bearings appearing complete with no reports of overheating during the locomotive's transfer in September 2008. The compensated spring gear also appears complete with thorough inspection not possible. The Walschaert’s valve gear is missing its eccentric and connecting rods with remaining motion suffering surface corrosion and a heavy build up of oil and grease. The Gresley conjugating valve gear appears complete with its distinctive lever and motion in place and secure. The Pennsylvania multiple bearing cross heads are still connected to the pistons with the Gudgeon pins still fitted. The locomotive's Westinghouse cross compound air compressor remains on the smokebox but all other pipework is missing. The brake cylinders and brake rigging appear complete with little wear evident to components. The locomotive's hook draw gear and extended Turton buffers are secure. The engine to tender forged drawbar appears in moderate condition with no extensive corrosion or structural damage visible to the locomotives drag box.
The double axle leading truck appears complete with wheels exhibiting good profile and wear. The superheated round top boiler fitted to the locomotive has had its tubes removed as well as all of the smokebox and boiler mounted fittings. All firebox grates have been removed though the firebox retains its 5 arch tubes and stoker table plate. The tender is stripped with the frame and bogies undergoing restoration. The wheel profile is good with material left for reprofiling.
INTERNAL CONDITION
No internal examination of the boiler was possible so its condition is unknown. The boiler has had its boiler tubes, superheater elements and flues removed and records indicate these have been scrapped. The fire grate, brick arch and smokebox fittings have been removed over the years and are apparently stored at various locations. The tender tank was not located at Valley Heights when the inspection was carried out but information supplied suggests that it is in poor internal condition with extensive corrosion present.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Paint on body may contain lead due to age of locomotive. |
| Date condition updated:19 Oct 09 |
Modifications and dates: | 1929 - built by Clyde Engineering Company at their Granville plant, as works number 435
13 February 1930 - entered service
1933 - modifications made effecting valve events, and reducing the tendency of the engine to slip
1936 - Automatic water release ("Cardew") valves were fitted to the class
After 1945 - fitted with a mechanical lubricator mounted on the running plate replacing the cab-mounted hydrostatic lubricator.
1960 - Automatic water release valves removed
October 1962 - withdrawn from service
1970s - static restoration by RTM.
2008 - transfer to Valley Heights
The locomotive has had little modification over its service career. The Westinghouse air compressor was originally sited on the right hand running plate but was removed to the right hand of the smoke box, the latter feature being truncated to accommodate the compressor. The innovative nature of these engines saw them exposed to extensive testing with the results in improving the performance characteristics and time between overhauls. In this way the engines became test beds for the confirmation of hitherto, bold initiatives and the introduction of further refinements. |
Further information: | Static restoration began by NSWRTM in the early 1970s including tender being repainted. The locomotive was transferred to New South Wales Rail Transport Museum site at Thirlmere on 17th June 1975. A second restoration attempt was begun in the early 1980s with the intention of returning the locomotive to service. By 1985 the engine had been stripped and de-rusting of components was well under way, with the tender dismantled and stored in the workshop area. This restoration stalled due to technical, operational and financial constraints.
Many components have been reconditioned and are apparently stored with individuals associated with the restoration. No visible progress was made since the early 1990s.
A third attempt at restoration began in 2007 with the decision made to restore locomotive to static condition, with no work to prevent the locomotive's potential return to service. |