NSWGR

46 Class Electric Loco

Metropolitan Vickers

Brass Builders Plate

 

The NSW 46 class electric locomotive was built by Metropolitan-Vickers and its partner Beyer, Peacock & Company in England for the NSW Department of Railways. They later operated for the Public Transport Commission, State Rail Authority and FreightCorp with most remaining in service into the 1990s

 

This builder’s plate has had a hard life

It would appear to have been exposed to trauma during removal and looks to have been tagged by what some may call ‘art’ sometime prior 

But, it can be straightened out and cleaned up

The brass composition can be seen beneath the grime and graffiti

 

IT IS AN INCREDIBLY RARE PIECE

 

The plate measures 340 x 30mm

 

 

Further Reading

The locomotives were built at Bowesfield Works, Stockton-on-Tees, with electrical equipment supplied by Metropolitan-Vickers from its Trafford Park and Sheffield plants. Metropolitan-Vickers drew on experience gained from its earlier British Railways class 76 and 77 electric locomotives, which were used on the Woodhead Line in England and later in the Netherlands

The locomotives were purchased as part of the electrification of the Main Western line over the Blue Mountains from Penrith to Bowenfels. The first was delivered in June 1956

They hauled passenger services from Sydney Central and freight services from Rozelle and Enfield yards

From January 1960 they also began to operate to Gosford following the electrification of the Main Northern line. This was later extended to Broadmeadow and Newcastle in June 1984

From 1968 they hauled coal services from Glenlee Colliery on the Main South line and from January 1986 began to operate to Port Kembla following the Illawarra line being electrified

From 1970 they hauled the Indian Pacific from Sydney Central to Lithgow. Because of the Commonwealth Railways stainless steel carriage stock having shorter than normal buffing plates, 4601-4604 had their buffers removed at one end to avoid buffer locking in 1970 with 4605-4608 similarly treated in 1974

Their build quality and durability was such that 38 remained on the books in 1990. By April 1993, a number had been withdrawn and partially stripped with 31 in service or under repair. Following a decision by National Rail to use diesel locomotives on its services over the electrified network, the need for electric locomotives diminished. In December 1994, ten were sold for scrap and the remaining withdrawn by January 1996

 

 

Electricity is capable of providing immense power, but also requires a great power in its generation. In railway applications, reversing the role of an electric traction motor to function as generator provides multiple benefits. Initially the generator effect serves as a braking force on down grade trains

With respect to full electric propulsion, REGEN braking is particularly effective when captured power can be returned to the network especially if utilised by an ascending train

While this form of braking is especially on lighter payloads, like passenger services or stock/fruit trains. However, it was not as successful during rain due to loss of descending traction

 

 

Both cabs of the 46 were identical, with the driver seated on the left and the observer on the right. In the forward corner to the left of the driver’s station is the brake control pedestal which features automatic and independent air brake valves

The control pedestal to the right had three control shafts; the main selector, the master controller, and the regeneration controller. The latter two had permanently attached handles and were locked at off whenever the main selector was set to OFF. Likewise; the main selector could not be moved to OFF if either of the other shafts were not off, and the regen shaft was locked at off whenever the master controller was not at off. Clear enough?

The main selector was capable of selection multiple configurations; FWD SERIES, FWD SERIES PARALLEL, FWD PARALLEL, REVERSE SERIES, REVERSE SERIES PARALLEL and OFF

The main selector was actuated by a removable key. Each cab contained a control key which could only be moved or inserted whenever selected to OFF. The key was held captive whenever the shaft not OFF. This key effectively locked the whole control pedestal. Another integral interlocking function of the key was its requirement to open the main isolator switch whenever it became necessary to enter high tension compartments

The non-controlling cab main selector, and those of all multiple unit locos, had to be selected to OFF prior to operation from the lead cab

The master controller handle reduced electrical resistance to provide acceleration and featured a ‘handbrake’ style ratchet. Pressing the ratchet button provided and additional five high-speed/weak field positions. ‘Weak field’ described a lower current flow which reduced the intensity of the magnetic field across the poles causing the armature to rotate faster to generate the same power and speed increments. REGEN braking was used in conjunction with this mode of operation. At NOTCH 20 the traction motors were directly on line

 

The regen handle controls the degree of regeneration utilising back EMF to assist in braking while descending grades. It is kept in the off position whenever the loco is motoring normally

 

 

 

Thank you