New South Wales 57 class locomotive.html



5711 stands in Junee yard ready to head north on 23 September 1961

The New South Wales D57 class locomotive was a class of steam locomotive operated by the New South Wales Government Railways in Australia.

A total of 25 4-8-2 3-cylinder steam locomotives were ordered by the N.S.W.G.R in 1929. They were built at the Clyde Engineering Works, Granville. They were among the heaviest of locomotives in Australia, at 250 tons, and this restricted them to only certain parts in New South Wales. However, they were very reliable and had the nickname "Lazy Lizzies" due to the fact that they made heavy workings seem effortless. They were mostly held at Lithgow roundhouse and were used on heavy coal workings over the Blue Mountains, sometimes weighing 2000 tons. In 1960 the class began to be withdrawn and the last locomotive, 5711, was written off in 1963¹.

The Gresley Conjugating Valve Gear fitted to these locomotives has been the source of debate as to its efficiency.²

The only example left is 5711, which is currently being restored by the New South Wales Rail Transport Museum, Thirlmere for potentially running order.

References

Further reading

• Full Steam Across The Mountains by Phil Belpin.
• Grunbach, Alex. (1989), A Compendium of New South Wales Steam Locomotives, Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division, ISBN 0-909650 27 6