South Australian Railways 800 class

South Australian Railways 800 class
801 hauling passenger shuttles at the National Railway Museum, August 2025
Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder English Electric, Rocklea Build date 1956–1957 Total produced 10
Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC Bo-Bo Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Wheel diameter 3 ft 6 in (1.067 m) Length 42 ft (12.802 m) over headstocks Width 9 ft 6 in (2.896 m) Height 13 ft 9 in (4.191 m) Axle load 18 long tons (18.3 t; 20.2 short tons) Loco weight 72 long tons (73.2 t; 80.6 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 700 imp gal (840 US gal; 3,200 L) Lubricant cap. 88 imp gal (106 US gal; 400 L) Prime mover English Electric 6SRKT Mk II RPM range 450–850 rpm Engine type four stroke, four valves per cylinder Aspiration turbocharged Generator EE827/4C Traction motors Four EE526/3D Cylinders 6 Inline Cylinder size 10 in × 12 in (254 mm × 305 mm) MU working 110V, stepless electro-pneumatic throttle Loco brake Air Train brakes Air
Performance figures Maximum speed 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) Power output 750 hp (560 kW) gross, 685 hp (510 kW) net Tractive effort: ​  • Starting 38,000 lbf (169.0 kN)  • 1 hour 26,500 lbf (117.9 kN) at 7.6 mph (12.2 km/h)  • Continuous 23,000 lbf (102.3 kN) at 9.2 mph (14.8 km/h)
Career Operators South Australian Railways Number in class 10 Numbers 800–809 First run 30 May 1956 Withdrawn 1987-1992 Preserved 801 Scrapped 1988-1994 Disposition 1 preserved, 9 scrapped

The 800 class were a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for the South Australian Railways in 1956/57. They were nearly identical to the earlier Jamaican Railways 81 class.

History

The 800 class were diesel shunter locomotives operated by the South Australian Railways. Although built for shunting duties in Adelaide, they also operated trip workings between Dry Creek and Mile End, pick up trains around Port Adelaide and passenger services. In March 1978 all were included in the transfer of the South Australian Railways to Australian National (AN).

In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, with 800 becoming 810.

Withdrawals of the 800 class occurred from 1987 to 1991, with 806 being the first to be scrapped in 1988. 803 was damaged in a derailment at Osborne in 1990 and never returned to service. Scrapping of most of the class members continued until 1994.

801 was the last 800 in service, working its final mainline train in 1991 and continuing with shunting duties at Islington until 1992. It was sold to the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide that year and became the sole surviving member of the 800 class. It is preserved in full operational condition and used for shunting museum exhibits, as well hauling passenger shuttles along the museum's 600m exhibition track.

In 2013, 801 was fully repainted from its faded AN livery (as it appeared when withdrawn from service) into its previous South Australian Railways livery.

SDS Models produced HO Scale models of the 800 class in 2020, producing DC and DCC variants of the class as they appeared in service with the SAR, AN, and in preservation with the NRM.

801 on display at the National Railway Museum