Introduction When the new Chief Commissioner, Edward Eddy, took office in 1888, he was anxious to have additional locomotives manufactured within the colony of
New South Wales, and the Government sought the formation of a manufacturing company in New South Wales by interested parties. When this failed, designs were prepared prior to inviting tenders in England.
Beyer, Peacock & Company was selected to build the new locomotives. The first batch of 50 locomotives were delivered between February 1892 and July 1893. They became known as the
Manchester Engines. The final engine was built with a superheater, and tests showed a significant improvement in performance. As a result the remaining 190 engines were similarly fitted as they became due for boiler renewal between 1914 and 1939. The first passenger locomotives used on the
Trans-Australian Railway the 26 strong
Commonwealth Railways G class, were of similar design.
Into service When first introduced, the class was assigned to the Northern and Southern mail and express trains. Following the strengthening of the
Murrumbidgee River railway bridge, Wagga Wagga in 1901, they worked the full length of the
Main South line from
Sydney to
Albury, the express covering the 621 km in 12 hours and 35 minutes, including 14 stops. They also began hauling the
Caves Express to
Mount Victoria and the
South Coast Daylight Express to
Bomaderry. Following the arrival of the
48 class diesels from 1959, withdrawals began in earnest. On 24 July 1971, the last regularly steam-hauled passenger train in New South Wales was hauled by 3246 from Newcastle to Singleton. In December 1971, 3229 (a shunting locomotive at
Goulburn Depot) was the last of its class to be withdrawn. The member of the class which attained the highest distance travelled in its life was 3210, with a figure of which was also the highest distance travelled by any New South Wales steam locomotive. ==Preservation==