Featured Locomotive for July 2012
What happened to the winner and loser of the Great Sydney to Eskbank Train Race?
Last month we talked about the great Bathurst (Eskbank) Train Race across the Blue Mountains. The winner was #305 Mogul - the loser #376 Consolidation, what happened to them?
Well the 304 Class (later Z21) featured 10 engines, all built by Baldwin, USA, a further Austerity type was built in Sydney (see last month). The 373 Class (No. 376 in the race) featured 12 engines, another 25 manufactured in Sydney. The original 12 were manufactured in UK by Vulcan Foundry and were regarded as express passenger engines to work the Sydney-Newcastle and Sydney-Kiama routes. 4-4-0 wheel arrangement had many faults including wheel slipping and the big wheel under the cab gave the crew a very rough ride. More track repairs were required due to the high axle load. The Class eventually relegated to operating the country lines, Parkes, Wellington and Cootamundra. They were re-numbered in 1924 as No. 1701-1712. The first scrapped was 1712 the last 1703 in January 1957.
The 304 Class (Z21) were used on the Sydney-Bathurst route until replaced by the P & O Classes. The O Class was withdrawn first due to a problem with broken axles, so the 304's were again in service with new boilers, eventually five were transferred to the Nyngan-Cobar line and five to the Moree-Inverell line. The first to be scrapped was No. 2106 (309) in March 1927, the last 2109 (No 312) in December 1939.
Following is a comparison between the two locos
The times are impressive
| 304 Class 2101-2110 No. 305 (2102) | 373 Class 1701-1708 1710-1712 No. 376 (1703) | |
| Builder No. | 7418 | 1166 |
| In service | 8.7.1885 | 3.6.1887 |
| Scrapped | 11.1.1940 | 20.12.1962 |
| Travelled km | 1,860,930 | 1,771,443 |
| Cylinders | 457x660mm | 482x660mm |
| Steam pressure | 965kpa | 965kpa |
| Tractive effort | 68944n | 74726n |
| Wheels-driving | 1524mm | 1676mm |
| Boiler max dia | 1447mm | 1326mm |
| No of tubes/dia | 209/50.8mm | 196/34.9mm |
| Heating area total | 120.1 sq m | 111.67 sq m |
| Length o.a. | 16.471m | 15.471m |
| Max axle load | 12.293kg | 15.951kg |
| Total weight | 70.446kg | 76.352kg |
| Coal | 4.572kg | 5.588kg |
| Water | 13500 lit | 10800 lit |
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