| Weight – Locomotive | 54t |
| Driving Wheels | 4ft 7ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 160psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 19in x 24in |
| Tractive Effort | 21,424lbf |
This locomotive was built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester in 1912 as a member of the S636 class.
The first batch of 35 locomotives for the New South Wales Government Railway (NSWGR) entered service in 1903/04. Between 1905 and 1917 Beyer Peacock built a further 60 locomotives and the NSWGR constructed 50 at their Eveleigh Railway Workshop at Redfern in the Sydney suburbs.
The 145 locomotives were reclassified as C30 in 1924. At the same time this locomotive was renumbered from S1230 to 3102
The locomotives were designed to haul the growing traffic on the Sydney suburb services and especially over the heavy gradients on the Northern, Northern Shore and Illawarra lines.
The Sydney railway network was electrified from the mid 1920s which resulted in the locomotives being no longer required to perform the tasks for which they were designed. As the locomotives were regarded as too valuable to scrap 77 locomotives, including this one, were rebuilt as 4-6-0 locomotives.
The rebuild took place between 1928 and 1933 and the locomotives were attached to tenders from older locomotives that they replaced. The first locomotive to be converted was delivered by Clyde Engineering in August 1928 and that company went on to rebuild another nine 4-6-0 locomotives. The rest of the conversions were undertaken at the NSWGR workshops at Eveleigh.
The rebuilt locomotives became the C30T class with the T denoting tender engines to differentiate them from the original 4-6-4 tank engines. The T was only used on official correspondence and was not added to the number on the locomotive.
The rebuilt locomotives replaced various older 4-4-0 and 2-6-0 locomotives allocated to country depots. Many of the C30T engines were fitted with tenders from the locomotives they replaced.
This locomotive was not one of the 29 members of the class that were fitted with superheaters between 1940 and 1957. This work included fitting new cylinders with piston valves and extended smokeboxes. Most of the these were fitted with riveted on extensions to their smokeboxes. Some were given entirely new extended smokeboxes fully supported by the frames, giving these few a more modern, purposeful look.
In their heyday, they could be found working almost every light branch line in New South Wales. Even in the final years of steam power, they could still be found well spread over the state in such places as Temora, Griffith, Cowra, Dubbo and Narrabri West.
The first member of the class was withdrawn from service in December 1958 but the last remained in service until August 1972. The final locomotive in service (3090) was built to the Beyer Peacock design at the NSWGR Eveleigh Workshops.
This locomotive was withdrawn from service in June 1972 and was saved for preservation by the Canberra branch of the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS) for their Canberra Railway Museum.
During the 1970’s and 1980’s the locomotive was maintained in operational condition and was employed hauling tourist and enthusiast trains in the Canberra region. In 1985 it was paired with classmate 3102T to haul the last train on the Crookwell branch line.
The locomotive was withdrawn from operation by the ARHS Canberra in August 1987.
In November 2016 the freight haulage subsidiary (ESPEE Railroad Services) of the Canberra Railway Museum ran into financial difficulties. As the museum had been used to secure the debts of subsidiary the receivers offered a number of locomotives for sale including this one whilst hopefully leaving the museum with sufficient assets to continue operating.
This locomotive was one of the ones sold to a private purchaser.
Four other members of the C30T class built by Beyer Peacock are preserved.
- 3001 – Works number 4444
- 3016 – Works number 4459
- 3026 – Works number 4469
- 3028 – Works number 4471
Three members of the C30 class built by Beyer Peacock are preserved.
- 3013 – Works number 4456
- 3046 – Works number 5140
- 3112 – Works number 5807
There are also two class C30T locomotives preserved which were built at the Eveleigh Railway workshops.
- 3075 – Works number 42
- 3090 – Works number 57
There are also two class C30 locomotives preserved which were built at the Eveleigh Railway workshops.
- 3085 – Works number 52
- 3137 – Works number 134
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