Bulldog noses in Australia

42, 421, A, B, CLF, CLP, GM and S Class

Click on a picture to enlarge


Technical information about the current Australian bulldog nose locomotive classes

  • 42 Class: 6 Co'Co', 16-567C engine equiped, 1,750 hp, max. 143 km/h, Clyde Engineering built (1955, 1956), single cab, standard gauge locomotives (4201 - 4206);
  • 421 Class: 10 Co'Co', 16-567C engine equiped, 1,800 hp, max. 113 km/h, Clyde Engineering built (1965), double cab (a flat fronted cab on the No. 2 end), standard gauge locomotives (42101 - 42110);
  • A Class: Clyde Engineering rebuilt (1984, 1985) B Class locos: 11 Co'Co', 12-645E3B engine equiped, 2,475 hp, max. 133 km/h, double cab, broad gauge locomotives (A60, 62, 66, 70, 71, 73, 77 - 79, 81, 85);
  • B Class: 26 Co'Co', 16-567BC engine equiped, 1,600 hp, max. 133 km/h, Clyde Engineering built (1952 - 1954), double cab, (now all) broad gauge locomotives (B60 - B85);
  • CLF Class: Clyde Engineering 1993 rebuilt CL Class locos (original built 1970): 7 Co'Co', 16-645E3C engine equiped, 3,300 hp, max. 130 km/h, single cab, standard gauge locomotives (CLF1 - CLF7);
  • CLP Class: Clyde Engineering 1993 rebuilt CL Class locos (original built 1970): 10 Co'Co', 16-645E3C engine equiped, 3,300 hp, max. 140 km/h, single cab, standard gauge locomotives (CLP8 - CLF17);
  • GM 1 - GM 11 GM1 Class: 11 A1A'A1A', 16-567B engine equiped, 1,500 hp, max. 143 km/h, Clyde Engineering built (1951, 1952), single cab, standard gauge locomotives;
  • GM 12 - GM 47 GM12 Class: 36 Co'Co', 16-567C engine equiped, 1,750 hp, max. 143 km/h, Clyde Engineering built (1955 - 1957, 1962 - 1967), single cab, standard gauge locomotives;
  • S Class: 18 Co'Co', 16-567C engine equiped, 1,800 hp, max. 133 km/h, Clyde Engineering built (1957, 1958, 1960, 1961), double cab (a flat fronted cab on the No. 2 end), all set for broad gauge at the moment (S300 - S317).


    Chicago Freight Car Limited Australia (CFCLA), now called Rail First Asset Management (B, GM, and S Class)

    CFCLA (Australia's leading supplier of leased locomotives and rolling stock to the railway industry) bought B61, B76, B80, S300 and S311 from the now defunct West Coast Railway on 18 August 2004. The B and S Class locomotives had to be taken out of use on 21 May 2004 due to material fatigue in the frames, of which all the B and S class suffered from. CFCLA had the locomotives refurbished in Bendigo and returned them in works train services in New South Wales and Victoria. The B76, B80, S300 and S311 are in CFCLA's own blue and silver livery. B61 was sold to SSR in 2010. B76 and B80 were sold to Metro Trains Melbourne and they are pulling work trains in and around Melbourne for Metro and have received special Metro decals. Since September 2016 S300 is in storage at Goulburn workshops. S311 is used by SSR to haul grain trains in New South Wales.


    Chumrail (42 Class)

    Since early 2020 Chumrail owns 42103 and 42105. 42103 is operational, is hired by SSR and has the SRA Candy stripe livery. 42105 is being overhauled and being repainted into the Northern Rivers Railroad yellow/orange/blue with white stripe livery.


    Clyde Engineering (GM Class)

    Clyde Engineering Motive Power Division in Kelso (Sydney Road), New South Wales, uses GM3 as shunter at its Bathurst Plant.


    Continental Rail Leasing (B Class)

    In December 2016 B75 was outshopped in CRL yellow/red/black livery and is currently in use by Qube to haul the Melbourne to Tocumwal freight trains.


    El Zorro (S Class)

    In September 2006 rail contractor El Zorro of Melbourne bought V/Line S302 (now in orange/grey El Zorro livery and on standard gauge bogies) to haul works trains with it. Now it is owned by SSR B64 (heavily stripped in V/Line orange and grey livery) was bought from Steamrail Victoria in September 2008 and currently stands at North Bendigo Workshops. El Zorro ceased its operations in the beginning of June 2013.


    One Rail Australia (previously called Genesee & Wyoming Australia and possibly part of Aurizon as from April 2022) (GM, CLF and CLP Class)

    Genesee Wyoming Australia (GWA) operates freight trains in South Australia and owns the following roundnoses:
  • CLF Class : ARG CLF5 (in the orange GWA livery; standard gauge);
  • CLP Class: ARG CLP6, CLP8, CLP14, CLP16 and CLP17 (all 5 locomotives are standard gauge locos and have the orange ASR livery);
  • GM Class: ARG GM32, GM34, GM37, GM38, GM40, GM42 - GM47 (11 locos; GM37, GM40, GM42, GM43, GM44, GM45 and GM47 have the ARG orange livery, locos GM32, GM34, GM38 and GM46 still have the green AN livery). Most of these GM Class roundnoses are on standard gauge bogies.

    From the CLF and CLP Classes, CLF5, CLP14, CLP16 and CLP17 are in operating condition and hauling freight trains. From the GM Class, GM37, GM43, GM46 and GM47 are operational, the others are stored at Dry Creek. Since November 2016, GM Class locomotives are used to haul new rails trains from Port Augusta to work sites between Adelaide and Tarcoola 4-5 times per month for a period of two years.

    In August 2019 GWA sold CLF1, CLF3, CLP9 and CLP12 to Southern Shorthaul Railroad. CLP12 is not operational at the moment.

    GWA's CLF and CLP Class roundnoses are hauling grain trains in South Australia (Bowmans, Dimboola, Jamestown, Gladstone, Port Pirie, Tailem Bend, Lameroo, Snowtown) and between South Australia and Junee, Temora, Wolseley, Melbourne Appleton Dock and Geelong Grain Loop. Twice a week GWA's CLF/CLP units (amongst others like the FQ Class) work an empty ore train on from Adelaide to Wirrada siding (80 km west of the Peculiar Knob Mine of Arrium) on the Adelaide - Darwin line to fetch iron ore from Wirrada to Whyalla Port. Subsequently, the empty train returns to Adelaide. The roundnoses also work Adelaide - Darwin freight trains, normally as trailing units.

    ASR CLP 17 + CLP 12 in Little River on 30 December 2000 ASR CLP 14 + GM 47 + CLP 13 in Adelaide on 5 January 2001 ASR CLF 1 + CLP 17 + GM 40 in Adelaide Lynton on 6 January 2001 ASR CLP 14 + CLP 13 in Little River on 10 January 2001


    Metro Trains Melbourne (B Class)

    B76 and B80 (ex-CFCLA) are pulling work trains in and around Melbourne for Metro and have received special Metro decals over parts of the CFCLA blue and silver livery. Currently, B76 is used to haul the Qube Logistics' Hanson Quarry trains between Kilmore East and Melbourne.


    Power Rail (GM and S Class)

    In August 2004 Power Rail (Goulburn, NSW) bought GM19 (still in AN green livery) and S312 (operational; in a black with white and yellow stripes livery) from the now defunct West Coast Railway. Both locomotives were spare part donors. GM19 is waiting for an overhaul at Goulburn at the moment. At Goulburn also privately owned (James Gray) bulldog nose 42101 (in NSWGR livery) is present, which received an overhaul in the end of 2014. These units are to be leased to other operators.


    Pacific National (ex-Freight Australia) (A and S Class)

    Pacific National owns the following bulldog nose locomotives:

  • A Class: FA A71, A78 and A79 (all units have the dark green/yellow livery of FA). All these A Class locomotives are now in storage at South Dynon.
  • S Class: FA S301 (in FA green livery), S306 (in PN blue/yellow livery) and S307 (in PN blue/yellow livery). They are stored in operational condition at South Dynon (they are in use as trailing units only when in use freight trains). S306 is being used now and then for special passenger trains.

    If there are any recent workings of the FA A Class and the CLF/CLP Class of Australian Railroad Group which pass Gheringhap Loop, just west of Geelong on the broad gauge line to the Southwest and North as well as the normal gauge line between Adelaide and Melbourne, you will find them on the site of Robert who lives near the tracks in Gheringhap Loop.


    V/Line P 23 + FA A 71 in Broadford on 11 January 2001 Freight Australia S Class, A Class and West Coast 
Railway B65 in Dynon (Melbourne), November 2002


    RailPower (S Class)

    RailPower owns CLF2 and CLF4 (both with GWA orange and black stripes livery) which are used for SCT's Dooen to Docklands container grain trains via Geelong. Besides that, they own CLP11 and CLP13 which are in store at Goulburn.

    Southern Shorthaul Railroad (B Class, GM Class and S Class)

    Southern Shorthaul Railroad (SSR) bought S317 from Great Northern Railway Services in December 2003. It has been overhauled at the SSR Bendigo work shop for frame repairs. S317 sports an SSR black with yellow and white stripe livery as opposed to the standard SSR livery yellow with black stripe. Also SSR GM27 carries this livery. SSR also owns ex-CFCLA GM10, GM22, B61, B65 and S302. GM10 and GM22 carry the SSR house style of yellow with black stripe. B61 is in a special silver Streamliners 2016 livery and B65 got a red with yellow livery with silver lines as advertisement for Auscision Models. S302 still has the orange/grey El Zorro livery.
    Currently the roundnoses and G Class locos are regularly used for haulage of intermodal trains between Port Botany and Kelso/Bathurst (a.o. train 1845 to Kelso) via Lithgow, but also BRM and G Class locomotives can be used.
    Sometimes the roundnoses work wheat trains for Westons Mill between Cootamundra and Lithgow and grain trains to Burren Junction.

    At the moment SSR uses Power Rail S312 and its own S317 to haul grain train 9198 from Tocumwal to Melbourne.

    By the way, SSR has taken over the Bendigo Workshop from GNR and the Parks workshop from Greentrains.

    In August 2019 Southern Shorthaul Railroad bought CLF1, CLF3, CLP9 and CLP12 from Genesee & Wyoming Australia. Since early 2021 CLF1, CLF3 and CLP12 (along with GM10, GM22, GM27 and Rail First Asset Management S311) are used for grain trains in New South Wales and Victoria. CLF1 and CLP12 have a white livery and CLF3 has the SSR yellow/black stripe livery. CLP9 is being reactivated in Seymour. The roundnoses (amongst others) are also used for one to two ad hoc roundtrips between Forbes (Mountain Industries siding) and Port Botany.


    V/Line Passenger (A Class)

    V/Line Passenger is owned by the State of Victoria. It owns two bulldog nose A Class locomotives: VLP A66 and A70. A70 has been painted in the blue/red V/Line Passenger livery and is not operational. The A66 wears a new red/yellow with white stripe V/Line livery and is sparsely used for equipment moves.

    V/Line A 70 in Bittern on 31 December 2000

    V/Line A 70 in Cribb Point on 1 January 2001

    V/Line A 70 in Hastings on 31 December 2000

    V/Line A 60 in Bacchus Marsh on 10 January 2001

    V/Line A 60 in Bacchus Marsh on 10 January 2001

    V/Line A 60 in Bacchus Marsh on 10 January 2001

    V/Line A 60 in Bacchus Marsh on 9 January 2001


    Former West Coast Railway (B and S Class) pictures

    After 10 years of fruitfull operation on 21 May 2004 West Coast Railway ceased it's operations. The passenger traffic was handed over to V/Line and the freight traffic to Freight Australia (now Pacific National), who had not planning to use the WCR bulldogs not in the least due to the fact that all six WCR bulldogs were declared a failure due to stress cracks in the loco underframes by the Public Transport and Safety Office on 21 May 2004. All bulldog noses were sold to other companies (see the sections of other railway companies on this page).

    A detailed history of the WCR bulldogs can be found on the site of the South Western Railway Society.

    To be nostalgic, here are some pictures of the good old WCR days:

    WCR B 61 + T 360 + B 76 in Geelong on 2 January 2001

    WCR B 76 in Buckly on 3 January 2001

    WCR B 76 in Warrnambool on 3 January 2001

    WCR S 311 + T 369 in Little River on 30 December 2000

    WCR S 311 in Winchelsea on 30 December 2000

    WCR S 311 in Rothwell on 2 January 2001

    WCR S 311 in Warrnambool on 4 January 2001

    WCR S 311 in Lara on 10 January 2001


    Preserved Australian bulldog nose locomotives

    In the state of New South Wales:

  • New South Wales Rail Transport Museum (Thirlmere): 4201 in a green & yellow 'NSWR 125th Anniversary of the Railways' livery. This locomotive is used for NSW Rail Transport Museum (NSWRTM) excursion trains which ride under the name of Heritage Express;
  • 4203 is a shortened shell (as an eye-catcher in lilla and green livery) in the BBQ area of O'Donoghue's Pub in EMU Plains (adjacent to the station);
  • Lachlan Valley Railway Museum (Cowra): 4204 in original Indian red livery and is operational;
  • Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum Ltd (Dorrigo): 4206 stored in an operational condition in original Indian red livery and 42102. The 42102 had a cosmetic overhaul and was repainted in the SRA Candy stripe livery in the end of 2005;
  • 42101 (owned by James Gray; in NSWGR livery) is operable in Goulburn;
  • The private Streamliners Australia initiative has bought CLP10 and is restoring it at SSR in Cootamundra. In October 2022 it will re-emerge as CL17, the last built streamliner in the world.

    In the state of Victoria:

  • Steamrail Victoria: B63 (stored at Newport in V/Line orange and grey livery), B72 (under restoration in Newport, in white undercoat as of October 2006) and S313 (broad gauge; in VR blue/gold livery; rented in the recent past to Qube for the Deneliquin - Melbourne rice trains).
  • Seymour Rail Heritage Centre (Seymour): B74 in VR blue/yellow livery (broad gauge), GM36 in CR maroon/silver livery (standard gauge), S303 in VR blue/yellow livery (broad gauge) and SRHC S310 (in V/Line orange and black livery) as well. All are operational and are sometimes hired out for freight duties. Currently, B74 is used to haul the Qube Logistics' Hanson Apex quarry trains between Kilmore East and the Hanson Australia plant at Brooklyn in Melbourne's western suburbs.
  • ARHS-North Williamstown Railway Museum (North Williamstown): B83 (in VR blue/yellow livery) and S308 (in V/Line orange/grey livery; resides at Newport).

    In the state of South Australia:

  • National Railway Museum (Port Adelaide): GM2 (in CR maroon/silver livery);
  • Long time Port Pirie resident GM28 (wearing the identity of GM22; CR maroon/silver livery) has been sold to the Seymour group and moved there for restoration.

    In the state of West Australia:

  • Rail Heritage WA owns GM1 which resides in the Railway Museum in Bassendean. The non-operational locomotive will soon move from the Islington Workshops in Adelaide to the Railway Museum in Bassendean in West Australia. It is the intention of the museum to return the GM1 in operational condition.
  • PRHS Museum at Seven Mile yard in the Pilbara region: F7A 5450 (in yellow/orange livery). This bulldog nose is actually a roundnose as it was built in the USA in 1951. Previously owned by Western Pacific Railroads Company (USA), 5450 was one of two F7A's purchased by Mt. Newman Mining for construction of their railway. Out of service by late 1971, 5450 was donated to the Museum by Mt. Newman Mining in 1978. In May 1985 the engine of this loco was started for the first time in nearly 14 years, and the loco has since been restored to mainline standard. 5450's first mainline trip was to Camp Curlewis prior to it's closure at the end of November 1987.
  • The other ex-Western Pacific and ex-Mt. Newman Mining F7A is the 5451 which stands as a static display at Port Hedland.