South Australia's Fairmont History

Overview

The South Australian history of Fairmonts started back in 1950. Tutt Bryants, the sole agents for Fairmont in Australia approached the South Australian Railways and I assume Commonwealth Railways powers of be during the first half of 1950. A sales booklet from this time has a hand written note inside the front cover dated 2nd May 1950. It describes the M19 Z63 and at a cost of 472 pounds = $944 ( the basic wage was about $2500 pa) with a delivery time of 5-6 months. Interestingly the brochure also has a description of the MR19 and the hand written note describes reverse gear as an option. I have no information as to whether an MR19 was ever in Australia. Now that would be a find!!

The SAR system had two main gauges 42" and 63" at the time. CR had 42" and standard gauge. Unknown quantities of orders were taken by Tutts but the original blue prints tell me that in July of the same year the draftsmen in the Fairmont Drawing office at Minnesota USA put pen to paper and the ST2Z63-H-1, M19Z63-H-1 and M19Z42-F-3 were born. The ST2Z42-H-1 had been designed earlier back in 1949.

The first of the Fairmont fleet hit the rails in early 1951 with a Fairmont MN built M19Z42 and ST2Z63 following on with some local assembled M19Z63's later in the year. The Fairmonts eventually replacing earlier cars as they retired from service. The peak delivery years to South Australia from engine serial number surveys so far of all models appears to be 1957/61.

South Australia ran the biggest range of Fairmont models in Australia and according to Tutt-Bryants, the sole agent for Fairmonts in Australia the two rail systems in that state, SAR and CR both later to become combined under the one Australian National Railways Banner-ANR- were at one time Tutts biggest customer/s.

Models

ST2-H-1, ST2Z42-H-1, ST2Z63-H-1, M19F-3-17, M19Z42-F-3, M19Z63-F-3, M19-AA-5, A5-C-4, A5Z42-C-4, local models A5A, A5H, STE & STT.

As you can see South Australia's model range was extensive compared to other Australian States.

The SAR, CR and later ANR fleet numbering system

SAR allocated a numeric number for each car as it arrived starting at No 1 which was general SAR practice from 1947. The numeric was then prefixed with an alpha code depending on the model/engine. 'F' was allocated for the ST2 series and 'M' for the 'M' series cars. There was no distinction between the gauge sizes. I don't have actual records for the old SAR but matching car numbers/model types with Tutts and Fairmont records seems to bear out the numbering as I have indicated.

The 'F' was chosen to denote the Fairmont model in line with previous SAR practise as with the 'S' series donoting the Sheffield model. The ST2 model was the first so it got the 'F' allocation. The 'M' was used to denote the 'M' series Fairmonts as it appears SAR liked to distinguish between engine types. Again 'SD' being used to denote the diesel powered Sheffield cars.

It appears CR allocated a numeric code only for its standard gauge models and a numeric code prefixed with the alpha code 'N' to denote narrow gauge.

When SAR and CR combined to become Australian National Rail cars sent for overhaul and new models were allocated new alpha coding 'CC' ( Central? division Car ) for the old SAR area and 'NC' ( Northern? division Car) for the old CR area.

Old SAR cars sent for overhaul had the 'F' or 'M' changed to 'CC' with their original numeric number retained. It appears new purchases and overhauls for the old CR area were allocated the new 'NC alpha' code regardless of gauge with the later model Comeng standard gauge cars noted as having the 'NC' alpha coding. I note the small amount of CR narrow gauge stock sent to the old SAR Pt Lincoln Division retained their 'N' coding

I need some history on Commonwealth cars in the early days please and further clarification of the car numbering. You contribution will be greatfully acknowledge.

Parts

SAR was also into plagiarism in a big way and produced quite a number of their own parts for Fairmonts. These included new engine blocks, pistons, crankshafts, water jackets, heads, bearing housings and brakes shoes etc. It is probably easier listing the parts they didn't produce!

By the time they retired from service a lot of South Australian M19's would have contained very little original fit Fairmont parts...with the exception of carbys, belts and wheels and one or two minor components.

The majority of South Australian produced parts are coded with the prefix RCP/RCH and are therefore easily identified. SA parts manufactured after 1970 went to a new coding system, example 'D-70/238', 'D' for the month..April, '70' for the year 1970 and '238' for the part No. In this case being an M19 wheel bearing housing. I will devote another section in the history pages about Australian produced parts.

Maintenance

South Australia appears to have had three main workshops for Fairmont Maintenance. Islington Workshops for SAR/ANR, Pt Augusta Workshops for CR and Peterborough. Pt Lincoln also had some facilities on a smaller scale. ( does anyone know of anymore depots?)

The Fairmont fleet appears to have been well maintained up to its demise though some from the isolated 42" system on the Eyre peninsular were getting tired at the end.

SAR certainly got there moneys worth out of engine blocks. I have seen ROC blocks bored out to .070 and .075 O/S with home made pistons. Fairmont original pistons only went to .040 O/S for the ROC motor.

A retired fitter from Peterborough tells me that he would get his new apprentices to make up steel frames to replace the worn out aluminium ones on the M19's.

Any additions/corrections/comments please feel free let me know.