RailTasmania.Com - Tasmanian locomotives

Drewry Shunters - V, VA, EBR 22

No.22 on display at the open day celebrating the centenary of the Emu Bay Railway, October 1997

These standard British shunting units started the dieselisation of the TGR when four locomotives were delivered in 1948. The TGR acquired a further four V class from England (two in each of 1951 and 1955) and built a further four in their Launceston Workshops between 1959 and 1968. The Tasmanian built locomotives exhibited some substantial differences from their UK built predecessors, particularly in the body size and details. The Mt Lyell Mining and Railway Company purchased two similar units from the UK in 1953. These were not numbered, but were believed to have been known by their builders numbers . With the closure of that railway in 1963, one loco went to the TGR and became V13, while the other went to the Emu Bay Railway and became their number 22.

Throughout the years, these locomotives were fitted with different cab designs, either when new (TGR built units) or through subsequent modifications (all units). Single or double cab side windows, two or three back windows and square or tear-drop shaped windows were some of the visible variations received. The TGR fitted two units (V1, V8) with lower power (118 kW) motors as the VA class in 1958, keeping the same numbers. VA8 later reverted to standard configuration, with the motor being fitted to V3.

All the TGR units were withdrawn from service between 1983 and 1987, the locomotives/ being popular for preservation groups around the country and also with fisherman for their motors. V6 was the last locomotive in service in Tasmania to carry the old TGR red colours, while V8 was the last of the class in regular service. EBR 22 remained under EBR, and later Tasrail ownership until early 2000, when it was sold to become part of the West Coast Wilderness Railway. The second of the ex Mt Lyell units, latterly TGR's V13, was returned to Tasmania in 2001 for use on the West Coast Wilderness Railway, for which it has been fitted with a rack drive unit. This loco was was previously at the Zig Zag Railway in New South Wales.

In October 1960, the locomotives were allocated as follows: V1 - Launceston, V2 - Hobart, V3 - Hobart, V4 - Deloraine, V5 - Launceston (probably under overhaul for part of the month), V6 - Launceston, V7 - Hobart, V8 - Deloraine and V9 - Smithton. V10, V11 and V12 were yet to be constructed, and the two Mt Lyell locomotive operated out of Regatta Point.

Preservation

Details

Other identities

Previous IdentityClass & NumberATN NumberPost Identity
2405 22 D1 
 V1 VA1 
 V3 VA3 
 V12 D21 
2406 V13 D2 
V1 VA1  
V3 VA3  
V8 VA8 V8 

Class photos, sounds and video

There are 40 matching items

TGR outline diagram for V class locos (L20)
TGR outline diagram for VA class locos (L30)
A 1964 trade advertisement showing two of the operators of this style of loco
VA3 sits in the yard at Ulverstone, sometime in the early 1970s
VA3 sits in the yard at Ulverstone, sometime in the early 1970s
V13 waits outside the passenger terminal in Hobart yard, sometime in the early 1970s
V10 shunts empty open wagons in Devonport yard, November 1978
Although looking like it is being scrapped, V5 is actually pictured stripped for heavy overhaul. Whe
ANR V6 shunting at Derwent Park. 27 February 1980
V5 rests in Hobart loco area between shunting duties, November 1981
V11 shunts empty open wagons in the ANR part of the Burnie yard, April 1982
V2 shunts two BPT class oil tank wagons into the Devonport oil sidings, April 1982
With a rake of air-brake wagons in the background, V4 and attendant shunters flat shunt around the g
V5 waits for its next shunting move in Hobart yard, September 1982
Having been sold for its motor, V7 was stripped in Hobart before the body was moved to a park. Three
No.22 on display at the open day celebrating the centenary of the Emu Bay Railway, October 1997
No.22 on display at the open day celebrating the centenary of the Emu Bay Railway, October 1997
A faded V2 waits outside the workshops at the Don River Railway, February 1998
Cab side numbers and builders plate on EBR No. 22, September 1998
Former EBR No. 22 and its load test train passes through Brighton, on 8 June 2000
As part of their 25th anniversary weekend, mixed trains were operated with locomotives M4 and V2. Th
As part of the ARHS annual general meeting in August 2003, a special photographic train was operated
Drewry Car Company builders plate on V13
In October 2003, West Coast Wilderness Railway locomotive D2 (formerly TGR V13) leads the return jou
West Coast Wilderness Railway loco D2 at Lower Landing station. October 2003
Puffing Billy Railway's D21. This loco was originally TGR loco V12. Major changes include regauging,
V2 preserved at the Don River Railway, February 2005
D1 (formerly EBR 22) rumbles across the road and toward the loco shed at Regatta Point, February 200
V2 on a train at Coles Beach, February 2006
Bellarine Peninsular Railway's VA1 at Queenscliff, Victoria - November 2007
Bellarine Peninsular Railway's V8 at Queenscliff, Victoria - November 2007
Cab side numbers and builders plate of V2; April 2010
A spare Gardner 8L3 motor (marine variation) at the Don River Railway, April 2010
The TGR V class was very similar to the British Railways 04 class. This type evolved into the 03 cla
V9 spent many years at the Puffing Billy Railway's museum at Menzies Creek in Victoria, where it was
V9 and V12 were purchased by the Puffing Billy Railway in 1983, but only V12 was regauged and entere
An overhead view of WCWR's D1 (formerly EBR No. 22). Note that the silver air filter was originally
V6 was withdrawn from service and sold in 1983. Like many of its classmates the motor was removed fo
D1 (formerly EBR No. 22) stabled at Queenstown station in November 2014
After some success in export and industrial orders (including six V class for the Tasmanian Governme

 


Return to top of page

Return to Locomotive information Index


All content of this site is copyright ©
Please contact us if you have problems or want more information

For more information on Tasmanian railways, read Tasmanian Rail News