Summary
The 2350 class were a class of diesel locomotive built by English Electric, Rocklea, for Queensland Railways in 1973–1974. All were later sold to AN Tasrail.
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History edit
The 2350 class was built for use on the Blackwater and Moura coal lines and based at Gladstone.[1][2][3] The class became surplus following electrification of the coal lines and in 1987 were all sold to AN Tasrail where they all entered service as the ZB class.[4][5][6] They were very similar to the Tasrail Za class. In fact, the first four ZA class's builder's numbers follow on in sequence from those of the 2350s and are followed by those of the 2370s.[citation needed]
In 1995, one was rebuilt by Australian National's Port Augusta workshop with a raked cab similar to the EL class and renumbered ZR1, while in 1997 a second was rebuilt at AN Tasrail's Launceston workshops with a more conventional cab as ZR2.[7][8][9]
In 2003, three were sold to South Spur Rail Services, with two shipped to Western Australia to operate infrastructure trains with the fourth stripped for parts in Launceston, eventually being owned by Greentrains. Finally being scrapped in 2016, with the sole remaining WAGR R class, after being left exposed to heavy vandalism.[6]
The remaining four locomotives are in storage at TasRail's East Tamar workshops, having been out of use since early 2014. One of these, ZB 5/2123 (2352), has been preserved by Launceston & North East Railway. It was finally delivered to their Lilydale yard on 27 May 2022, making it the first of its class in preservation. ZP1 was donated to the Don River Railway in 2023, while ZR2 was donated to the L&NER in February 2024.[citation needed]
References edit
- ^ Oberg, Leon (1984). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-1980s. Frenchs Forest: Reed Books. pp. 285–286. ISBN 0-730100-05-7.
- ^ English Electric 2350 Class Queensland's Railway Interest Group
- ^ 2350/2370 Class Railpage
- ^ 2350 Class Queensland's Great Trains
- ^ ZB Class Railpage
- ^ a b ZB Class Rail Tasmania
- ^ ZR Class Railpage
- ^ ZR Class Rail Tasmania
- ^ "Rebuilt Loco Arrives at Tasrail" Railway Digest July 1996 page 16
External links edit
Media related to Queensland Railways 2350 class at Wikimedia Commons