New South Wales 82 class locomotive. The 82 class are a class of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Braemar for The New South Wales State Rail Authority's FreightRail division (FreightCorp from 1996) in 1994–1995. The sale of FreightCorp and its assets along with National Rail in 2002 saw ownership of all 55 remaining 82 class locomotives (three units had already been destroyed in a major collision at Beresfield train station in 1997) transferred to the newly formed Pacific National and patched over with its logos.
As of October 2024, all but one of these locomotives remains in active service with Pacific National, one having been scrapped in 2016 after sustaining significant fire damage.

History
In 1992, a fleet of 55 EMD JT42C locomotives was ordered from Clyde Engineering, which was later increased to 58. The design was based on the prototype locomotive GML10 built by Clyde Engineering, Kelso in 1990. They have two cabs, built in a hood style. They were originally to be built at Kelso, but a lack of capacity saw Clyde Engineering lease Australian National Industries' Braemar plant.

Early artists' impressions showed them numbered as the 94 class. The first two were originally numbered 9401 and 9402 but renumbered 8201 and 8202 before leaving the factory.

In October 1997, three were destroyed in the Beresfield rail accident (8219, 8246, 8247). The remaining 55 were included in the sale of FreightCorp to Pacific National in February 2002.

On 5 June 2014, 8221 caught fire near Awaba while running as the fourth locomotive on a loaded ER64 coal service. The locomotive was subsequently hauled to EDI Cardiff where examination was undertaken to determine the cause of the fire, ultimately being attributed to a fuel leak. Having suffered substantial damage, the locomotive remained stored at Cardiff for some time before being progressively stripped, and eventually scrapped, in October 2016.

Pacific National having lost a number of coal haulage contracts has seen the majority of the 82 class cascaded into other bulk haulage roles, with most now allocated to grain services throughout NSW and servicing various Boral contracts in the NSW Southern Highlands. They previously could also be seen on flour workings for the Manildra Group, however the cessation of Pacific National's contract hauling all Manildra traffic however has seen this work cease as of October 2024. Only a small number remain in coal traffic, with remaining Pacific National coal services now largely hauled by TT class locomotives.

Liveries

The 82 class are being progressively repainted to Pacific National livery, commencing with 8202 in August 2016. As of May 2024, only 8211, 8242, 8250, 8251, 8253, 8254, 8256 & 8258 remain in FreightCorp blue, with the remaining 44 in Pacific National Blue & Yellow. Some variations exist; 8239 has a moustache on the cab for Movember, and 8224 had an RUOK decal on the long-hood briefly when it was in FreightCorp Blue.

Fleet Status

References

Clyde Engineering locomotives
Co-Co locomotives
Diesel locomotives of New South Wales
Pacific National diesel locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1994
Standard gauge locomotives of Australia
Diesel–electric locomotives of Australia