Last Steam Locomotive in NSWGR Revenue Service - Locomotive 6042

Builder - Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester
Builder’s Number & Year - 7544 of 1956
Wheel Arrangement - 4-8-4 + 4-8-4
No. in class - 42
Entered Service - 21 August 1956
Date Withdrawn - 4 March 1973

6042 has a special place in the history of steam locomotives as the last in revenue service with the New South Wales Government Railways, being withdrawn from heavy freight duties in the Newcastle region on 4 March 1973. It remained available for enthusiast tours until being condemned on 6 December 1974.

6042 was one of the 31 ‘DC++’ Garratts fitted with Dual Control (DC) to allow the locomotive to be driven easily in the reverse (bunker-leading) direction, and increased cylinder diameter for greater tractive effort (‘++’).

While numbered 6042, it is believed this locomotive was rebuilt from 6010 (Beyer Peacock 7482 of 1953, listed as scrapped in July 1970) as the two locomotives apparently swapped identities during overhaul at Cardiff Workshops late in the steam era; a photograph exists showing two Garratts both numbered 6042 alongside each other. It is apparent that the boiler cradle used in this rebuild came from 6043, one of several locos delivered by Beyer-Peacock as dismantled components after the NSWGR sought to cancel the order for undelivered locomotives.

6042 was listed for a period with sister 6040 among the collection of the NSWRTM at the original Enfield site, however I gather a second Beyer-Garratt could not be accommodated at the NSWRTM’s smaller Thirlmere site when relocation became necessary. Fortunately 6042 escaped scrapping during the NSW Public Transport Commission’s hasty clean-out of the old Enfield depot in 1974, sisters 6002, 6008, 6009 and 6037 were not so lucky. 6042 was purchased for the Lachlan Vintage Village at Forbes in 1974 and shedded at Parkes depot until 1978. It then moved to Cowra depot and ran some local railtours before finally being transferred to the Lachlan Vintage Village at Forbes in 1979. I clearly recall an ABC television news / interest item showing 6042 on its delivery run to the Lachlan Vintage Village; this site is several kilometres from the nearest railhead and so delivery was achieved by steaming the locomotive along town streets with portable rail panels being laid in front of the locomotive, then progressively removed from the rear as the locomotive inched forward at the rate of one or two track panels at a time. (This television news article is now available on YouTube.) Alas 6042 never again turned a wheel following its delivery to the Lachlan Vintage Village.

The Lachlan Vintage Village was an interesting local museum featuring relocated historical buildings, a recreated Aboriginal camp and other displays relevant to the region. From a railway perspective it included a 2’ gauge line using ex-sugar industry locomotives and a standard gauge railway which ringed the site. Unfortunately the Lachlan Vintage Village did not succeed as an ongoing concern and the railway assets were progressively sold off. Standard Goods loco 5367 was sold to the Lachlan Valley Railway at an earlier stage, the ex-Sugar industry locomotives passed into private hands and the remaining standard-gauge steam locos 1919 (on gate duty), 3112 and 6042 went to auction in November 1986. 6042 was purchased for addition to the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum collection at a cost of $50,000 however it has remained at Forbes awaiting funds to transport it to Dorrigo. 6042 occasionally received a coat of black oil to protect against deterioration, and the drier climate at Forbes is certainly better than the rainforest climate at Dorrigo.

Info source:
www.australiansteam.com/6042.htm

Further information on locomotive class here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_AD60_class_locomotive

Taken in: Australia / New South Wales / Forbes (show map)

Taken on: July 14, 2019

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Camera: Olympus E-M1X, f/6.3, 1/250 sec, 61mm (=122mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Olympus E-M1X
Lens:	OLYMPUS M.12-100mm F4.0
Aperture:	f/6.3
Exposure Time:	0.004 sec (1/250)
Focal Length:	61mm (35mm equivalent: 122mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	On, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	Low
Saturation:	Low
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
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