48101

Time for a tale of a 'class leader', of sorts... and one of my favourite 48s. Little old G-3420-16 entered service in February 1967 and was dispatched west.  It spent its formative years at Dubbo, which mean that it became a regular on the Coonamble Mail when passenger loadings warranted a locomotive hauled set.  

While it was still under warranty, 48101 was caught by the Senior Train Hunter heading north through Eumungerie.

If you want to read more about the railway life, times and history of Eumungerie, then my other blog is for you.  Reading about wheat trains? Love to, thanks!

Anyway, back to 48101.  Like all 48s, 101 got to the spiritual home of all little alcos, the South Coast line.  By the time of its third decade of existence it was trundling workers' trains throughout the Illawarra.  On a gloomy 1985 day it was to be found at North Wollongong, with an afternoon passenger services.

Unlike most 48s, 48101 managed to escape.  Two years later it was to be found in the Hunter.  On a sunnier August 1987 day it was resting at Broadmeadow, in the shadow of its more powerful cousin, 4512.

I next found the beastie at Rozelle yard, on 16 June 1993.  By this time it had received a 'red terror' repaint, though on this day it appeared that it had also been lightly dusted in icing sugar.

Eighteen months later, 48101 was discovered passing a quiet Christmas back on the coast - here it is at Port Kembla on Boxing Day 1994.

The all red livery succumbed eventually to an all blue version towards the end of that decade.  On 11 April 2001 some lovely dappled autumnal light flickered across this newish livery as it worked through Canterbury towards Enfield.

In August later that same year 101 joined 4819 on a spoil train on the Sydney underground.  A family yum cha was interrupted to dash across Belmore Park that day.

48101 has been spied many times over the past decade by this fan - Moss Vale in March 2004, the Short North in May 2007 and regularly at Clyde over the past two years.  Still, I will leave the final glimpse to the Senior Train Hunter - who found 48101 back in its childhood district on 21 October 2010 at Peak Hill loading grain with 48164 and interloper X36.

I trust you have enjoyed this review of 48101 - truly an unsung little work horse.