New Zealand DSC class locomotive

New Zealand DSC class

DSC 2693 with a shunt north of Ashburton.

Type and origin
Power type	Diesel-electric
Builder	British Thomson-Houston (18), NZR Hillside Workshops and Addington Workshops (52)
Build date	1959–1967

Specifications
UIC class	Bo-Bo
Gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Length	11.66 m (38 ft 3 in)
Width	2.54 m (8 ft 4 in)
Height	3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Loco weight	41.1 tonnes (40.5 long tons; 45.3 short tons)
Prime mover	BTH: Rolls-Royce C6SFL, 2 off; later: Rolls-Royce C6TFL, 2 off. NZR: Leyland UE902, 2 off; later: Cummins NT855, 2 off.

Performance figures
Maximum speed	64 km/h (40 mph)
Power output	315 kW (422 hp)
Tractive effort	46 kN (10,300 lbf)

Career
Operators	New Zealand Railways, Tranz Rail, Toll Rail, KiwiRail
Number in class	70
Numbers	Early numbers: 400–469 TMS numbers: 2000–2759
Locale	All of New Zealand
First run	1958
Retired	1989 –
Disposition	30 in service; 31 scrapped, 4 withdrawn; 2 preserved, 3 are owned by industrial uses.

The New Zealand DSC class is a heavy shunting locomotive used throughout New Zealand. The class was built in seven batches, the first 18 locomotives being built by British Thomson-Houston of the United Kingdom, with the remainder being built by New Zealand Railways.

The class is widely used in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, mainly for heavy yard shunting, although some members of the class have been used for local mainline shunting services. All members of the class are now fitted with shunters refuges, and most are fitted with remote control capabilities.

Design and entry into service

In the late 1950s, NZR needed a suitable heavy shunting locomotive that produced more power than the existing D^S and D^SA class locomotives and would be suitable for replacing the B^B, C, and W^F class steam locomotives. In 1959, an order was placed with British Thompson-Houston in association with the Clayton Equipment Company for eighteen centre-cab shunting engines with a horsepower output of around 420 hp.

The new locomotives, allocated road numbers D^SC 400-417, entered service in 1959-60 and were allocated to Auckland and Frankton Junction (Hamilton). For a time in 1962, D^SC 402 was dispatched to Picton to shunt the NZR road/rail ferry MV Aramoana until newly constructed Addington D^SC 418 arrived to take over, allowing 402 to return north.

The BTH locomotives were powered by two Rolls-Royce C6SFL 210 hp diesel engines connected to BTH generators, which were in turn coupled to four BTH traction motors, one to each axle. They were not entirely without trouble, though, with issues arising with the airbrakes and spare parts for the diesel engines among others. However, once this was resolved, the class settled down to work reliably in their intended role.

Two further orders were placed with the NZR Addington and Hillside Workshops in the 1960s, with production running from 1962 to 1967. The NZR-built locomotives were different in that they were powered by two Leyland UE902 diesel engines producing 210 hp, and had electrical equipment built by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd (AEI), which had purchased BTH earlier. Again there were various troubles, this time more to do with the mechanical components and compatibility on later batches.

Re-engining

In the late 1970s, NZ Rail decided to undertake a re-engining programme for the D^SC class. Due to design differences, it would not be possible to use the same type of diesel engine across all locomotives, and so two different types were selected:

All BTH locomotives would be repowered with the Rolls-Royce C6TFL diesel engine.
All NZR locomotives would be repowered with the Cummins NT855 diesel engine.

The process was spread out from the late 1970s into the early 1980s. As part of this, some locomotives were repainted in the International Orange livery but with their pre-TMS numbers instead of the later TMS numbers. As a result of this, the locomotives were equipped with new radiator header tanks which were mounted behind the radiator on top of the engine hoods in a 'north-south' alignment. Later the tanks were relocated to an 'east-west' alignment.

Fitting shunter's refuges

In 1989, DSC 2406 was trialled as the first shunting locomotive to be fitted with shunter's refuges at either end of the locomotive. New recessed steps were fitted at either end of the locomotive frames with a vertical hand-rail on the running-board proper. The locomotive's engine hoods were not shortened at the time.

This modification was successful, but it was noted that the engine hoods were a potential constraint. All further DSC class locomotives equipped with the refuges had their engine hoods shortened by 500mm, necessitating the relocation of the radiator header tanks to their present 'east-west' alignment.

This modification was subsequently made to all DSG, DSJ, and DH class locomotives as well as DAR 517. None of the BTH-built DSC class locomotives were fitted with these refuges and several NZR-built examples did not receive them either, due to withdrawal before they could be fitted or by dint of being used for other purposes.^[1]

Withdrawal and preservation

As of May 2016, 38 units have been withdrawn from service. As apart of the program of the New Zealand Railways Corporation to rationalize the locomotive fleet in the late 1980s, all of the British Thomson-Houston built locomotives, along with three NZR builds, were withdrawn between February and November 1989. All, besides 2067, were scrapped at the Otahuhu Workshops and Hutt Workshops in 1990. DSC 2067 was given a reprieve when it was sold to New Zealand Milk Products (later subsumed into Fonterra) to shunt their Whareroa milk factory. In 2007 the locomotive was sold to the Alliance Group Limited to shunt at their Pukeuri freezing works on the outskirts of Oamaru.

In 1990, 2231 and 2637 were laid up due to accident damage. Between 2001 and 2007, 11 units were laid up surplus to requirements, or due to accident damage. Seven of them were scrapped. The two of the remaining four were sold for industrial work and the other two were sold for preservation. The ones that were sold are 2421, which was sold in 2002 to the Alliance Group to shunt at their Lorneville freezing works near Invercargill, and 2257, which was sold to Ravensdown Fertiliser in 2007 and is now stored at their New Plymouth depot. The other two that was sold into preservation, were 2584 that was sold in 2003 to the Waitara Railway Preservation Society for use on their passenger trains between Waitara and Lepperton. The other, 2759 was sold to Ian Welch in 2002 for the Mainline Steam Heritage Trust and is used as the depot shunting locomotive at Plimmerton along with Bagnall TR 534.

In between 2007 and 2008, 2244, 2285, 2434 and 2830 were laid up because of being surplus to requirements. In 2014, 2244 was overhauled and released back into service. In 2015, 2338 was also laid up. All four are now stored at Hutt Workshops.

Class register

Key:	In service	On lease	Out of service	Preserved	Overhaul/Repair	Scrapped

TMS No.	Original No.	Builder	Introduced	Withdrawn	Current Livery	Status	Allocated to	Notes
DSC 2000	400	BTH	000000001959-05-01-0000May 1959	000000001989-10-01-0000October 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2013	401	BTH	000000001959-06-01-0000June 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2026	402	BTH	000000001959-05-01-0000May 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2039	403	BTH	000000001959-06-01-0000June 1959	000000001989-02-01-0000February 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2041	404	BTH	000000001959-08-01-0000August 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2054	405	BTH	000000001959-07-01-0000July 1959	000000001989-02-01-0000February 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2067	406	BTH	000000001959-07-01-0000July 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989	Alliance Yellow	In service	South Island	Alliance Works, Pukeuri.
DSC 2082	407	BTH	000000001959-07-01-0000July 1959	000000001989-02-01-0000February 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2095	408	BTH	000000001959-08-01-0000August 1959	000000001989-10-01-0000October 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2107	409	BTH	000000001959-08-01-0000August 1959	000000001989-10-01-0000October 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2122	410	BTH	000000001959-10-01-0000October 1959	000000001989-02-01-0000February 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2135	411	BTH	000000001959-09-01-0000September 1959	000000001989-02-01-0000February 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2148	412	BTH	000000001959-09-01-0000September 1959	000000001989-10-01-0000October 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2150	413	BTH	000000001959-09-01-0000September 1959	000000001989-02-01-0000February 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2163	414	BTH	000000001959-10-01-0000October 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2176	415	BTH	000000001959-10-01-0000October 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2189	416	BTH	000000001959-10-01-0000October 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2191	417	BTH	000000001959-11-01-0000November 1959	000000001989-09-01-0000September 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2203	418	NZR	000000001962-10-01-0000October 1962		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	North Island
DSC 2216	419	NZR	000000001962-12-01-0000December 1962			Scrapped		Locomotive caught fire.
DSC 2229	420	NZR	000000001963-03-01-0000March 1963		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	North Island
DSC 2231	421	NZR	000000001963-04-01-0000April 1963	000000001990-09-01-0000September 1990		Scrapped		Used as static engine test bed after damaged in accident before scrapping
DSC 2244	422	NZR	000000001963-05-01-0000May 1963		KiwiRail	In service	North Island	Appeared in the NZR 1970's TV commercial
DSC 2257	423	NZR	000000001963-07-01-0000July 1963	000000002007-01-01-00002007	Tranz Rail Blue	Withdrawn		Ravensdown, New Plymouth.
DSC 2272	424	NZR	000000001963-08-01-0000August 1963	000000001989-05-01-0000May 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2285	425	NZR	000000001963-09-01-0000September 1963	000000002007-01-01-0000January 2007	Tranz Rail Blue	Withdrawn		Stored at Hutt Workshops.
DSC 2298	426	NZR	000000001963-11-01-0000November 1963	000000002004-01-01-0000January 2004		Scrapped
DSC 2312	427	NZR	000000001963-11-01-0000November 1963		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2325	428	NZR	000000001962-11-01-0000November 1962		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	South Island
DSC 2338	429	NZR	000000001963-02-01-0000February 1963	000000002015-09-01-0000September 2015	Tranz Rail Blue	Withdrawn		Stored at Hutt Workshops.
DSC 2340	430	NZR	000000001963-03-01-0000March 1963		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2353	431	NZR	000000001963-05-01-0000May 1963		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	South Island
DSC 2366	432	NZR	000000001963-06-01-0000June 1963		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	South Island
DSC 2379	433	NZR	000000001963-07-01-0000July 1963		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2381	434	NZR	000000001963-09-01-0000September 1963	000000002004-03-01-0000March 2004		Scrapped
DSC 2394	435	NZR	000000001963-10-01-0000October 1963	000000001998-09-01-0000September 1998		Scrapped
DSC 2406	436	NZR	000000001964-01-01-0000January 1964		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	South Island
DSC 2419	437	NZR	000000001964-03-01-0000March 1964		KiwiRail	In service	North Island	Used for training purposes at Hutt Workshops.
DSC 2421	438	NZR	000000001964-11-01-0000November 1964	000000002002-07-01-0000July 2002	Alliance Yellow	In service		Alliance Works, Lorneville.
DSC 2434	439	NZR	000000001964-12-01-0000December 1964	000000002007-01-01-0000January 2007	Tranz Rail Blue	Withdrawn		Stored at Hutt Workshops.
DSC 2447	440	NZR	000000001965-02-01-0000February 1965		KiwiRail	In service	South Island
DSC 2462	441	NZR	000000001965-03-01-0000March 1965		Toll Rail "Corn-Cob"	In service	South Island
DSC 2475	442	NZR	000000001965-05-01-0000May 1965	000000002007-04-01-0000April 2007		Scrapped
DSC 2488	443	NZR	000000001965-08-01-0000August 1965	000000001989-05-01-0000May 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2490	444	NZR	000000001964-12-01-0000December 1964		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2502	445	NZR	000000001964-12-01-0000December 1964		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	South Island
DSC 2515	446	NZR	000000001965-03-01-0000March 1965		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2528	447	NZR	000000001965-03-01-0000March 1965	000000002004-06-01-0000June 2004		Scrapped
DSC 2530	448	NZR	000000001965-06-01-0000June 1965		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	North Island
DSC 2543	449	NZR	000000001965-08-01-0000August 1965		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	North Island
DSC 2556	450	NZR	000000001966-09-01-0000September 1966		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2569	451	NZR	000000001966-10-01-0000October 1966		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2571	452	NZR	000000001966-12-01-0000December 1966	000000001990-08-01-0000August 1990		Scrapped
DSC 2584	453	NZR	000000001966-12-01-0000December 1966	000000002003-01-01-00002003	Waitara Railway Preservation Society	Preserved	North Island	Preserved, Waitara Railway Preservation Society.
DSC 2597	454	NZR	000000001967-02-01-0000February 1967		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	North Island
DSC 2609	455	NZR	000000001967-04-01-0000April 1967	000000002001-02-01-0000February 2001		Scrapped
DSC 2611	456	NZR	000000001967-05-01-0000May 1967	000000001989-06-01-0000June 1989		Scrapped
DSC 2624	457	NZR	000000001967-06-01-0000June 1967		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2637	458	NZR	000000001967-08-01-0000August 1967	000000001990-08-01-0000August 1990		Scrapped
DSC 2652	459	NZR	000000001967-09-01-0000September 1967		Tranz Rail Blue	In service	South Island
DSC 2665	460	NZR	000000001966-09-01-0000September 1966		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2678	461	NZR	000000001966-10-01-0000October 1966		Tranz Rail Black	In service	North Island
DSC 2680	462	NZR	000000001966-12-01-0000December 1966	000000002008-01-01-0000January 2008	Tranz Rail Blue	Withdrawn		Stored at Hutt Workshops.
DSC 2693	463	NZR	000000001966-12-01-0000December 1966		KiwiRail	In service	South Island
DSC 2705	464	NZR	000000001967-06-01-0000June 1967		KiwiRail	In service	North Island	Used as Hutt Workshops shunter
DSC 2718	465	NZR	000000001967-07-01-0000July 1967		KiwiRail	In service	South Island
DSC 2720	466	NZR	000000001967-09-01-0000September 1967		Toll Rail "Corn-Cob"	In service	North Island
DSC 2733	467	NZR	000000001967-09-01-0000September 1967	000000002004-06-01-0000June 2004		Scrapped
DSC 2746	468	NZR	000000001967-11-01-0000November 1967		KiwiRail	In service	North Island
DSC 2759	469	NZR	000000001967-12-01-0000December 1967	000000002002-01-01-00002002	Mainline Steam Blue	Preserved		Preserved, Mainline Steam.

References

↑ The frame of NZR-built DSC 2231, which was not fitted with shunter's refuges, was used as a testbed for overhauled Cummins engines after being withdrawn following collision damage in the 1980s.

External links

NZ Rolling Stock - Preserved NZR diesels

Rail vehicles of New Zealand

Diesel locomotives

Diesel Multiple Units

Electric locomotives

1500 V DC	E^A (later EO of 1968) E^C E^D E^O of 1923 E^W

25 kV AC	EF

Battery	E E^B

Electric Multiple Units

1500 V DC (Wellington)	"English Electric" D^M (inc. D trailers) "Ganz Mavag" EM (inc. ET trailers) "Matangi" FP (inc. FT trailers)

25 kV AC (Auckland)	AM (inc. AMP, AMT, AMA)

Railcars

RM class	88 seater (also known as Fiats or twinsets) Clayton steam railcar Edison battery-electric railcar Midland railcar Leyland experimental petrol railcar MacEwan-Pratt petrol railcar Model T Ford railcar Sentinel-Cammell steam railcar Silver Fern Standard Thomas Transmission Vulcan Wairarapa Westinghouse

Others	A 88 Buckhurst petrol carriage

Steam locomotives

A of 1873
A of 1906 (inc. A^D)
A^A
A^B
B of 1874
B of 1899
B^A
B^B
B^C
C of 1873
C of 1930
D of 1874
D of 1929
E of 1872 & 1875
E of 1906
F
F^A (inc. F^B)
G of 1874
G Garratt of 1928 (inc. Pacific rebuild)
H
J of 1874
J of 1939
J^A
J^B
K of 1877
K of 1932
K^A
K^B
L
L^A
M
N
N^A
N^C
O
O^A
O^B
O^C
P of 1876
P of 1885
Q of 1878
Q of 1901
R
S
T
U
U^A
U^B
U^C
U^D
V
W
W^A
W^AB
W^B
W^D
W^E
W^F
W^G
W^H
W^J
W^S
W^W
X
Y

Locomotive hauled carriages

See also: Locomotives of New Zealand.

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