Following concerns about the continued availability of operable heritage
electric rolling stock from the major N.S.W. rail authorities, the
Sydney Electric Train Society embarked on a policy of acquiring its own
rollingstock for operational preservation in late 1997.
SETS first acquired Electric Locomotive 4615 from FreightCorp in 1998.
Rail preservation groups were given the first opportunity to select and
purchase surplus locomotives ahead of their main disposal process.
Shortly afterwards SETS acquired a number of Single Deck Suburban and
Interurban Cars under a State Rail Authority of N.S.W. (SRA) disposal
program. Again preservation groups were given first selection of the
cars available for disposal and some very co-operative negotiations
ensured that all groups were able to secure the cars they each desired.
Subsequently a number of additional cars were acquired from two further
SRA disposal processes by SETS and individual members. The individually
owned cars may in time participate in the SETS Fleet and could be
formally acquired by the Society in the future.
During 2003, SETS was privileged to be able to acquire electric
locomotive 8606 from Pacific National, as part of their disposal process
for surplus locomotives, which included the entire electric locomotive
fleet formerly operated by FreightCorp.
Most recently the society tendered an expression of interest in obtaining
electric cars included in RailCorp's Disposal of non-core moveable heritage
rollingstock in 2008. SETS was successful in obtaining three historically
significant suburban cars.
In most cases SETS has seized one time opportunities to acquire
particular historic cars, locomotives or last remaining examples of
their type, preventing the loss forever of these fine examples of our
transport heritage.
On the following pages we present a history of each of the vehicles
in the SETS' Fleet and also detail their present operational or works
status.
- Electric Locomotives
- 4615 - 1956 Metropolitan-Vickers & Beyer-Peacock NSW 46-class
- 4627 - 1957 Metropolitan-Vickers & Beyer-Peacock NSW 46-class
- 8501 - 1979 Commonwealth Engineering & Mitsubishi Electric NSW 85-class
- 8606 - 1983 Commonwealth Engineering & Mitsubishi Electric NSW 86-class
- 8649 - 1985 Commonwealth Engineering & Mitsubishi Electric NSW 86-class
- Double-Deck Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) Passenger Cars
- Single-Deck Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) Passenger Cars
- Sydney Monorail Set
Our locomotives are presently housed at Lithgow and Werris Creek. Our suburban
cars are accommodated at Chullora and Bilpin. Our six
interurban cars are stored at Lithgow and Rothbury.
We welcome volunteers wanting to help with works and operation of our
cars and locomotives. If you have specific skills we could use or if you
would just like to be involved please
contact us.
We are sure to have a job to suit your level of skill or interest.