Random Bollocks From A Semi-Retired Foamer!: WORLD OF WORLDS PT1

Sunday, August 17, 2025

WORLD OF WORLDS PT1

Welcome to Yet Another Series You Didn’t Ask For (But You’re Getting Anyway)

Featuring the glorious ALCo cab unit locomotives — because surely someone has to care other than me.

Yes, I know. Another series. A huge shock there. But before you roll your eyes so hard they fall out of your head and under the nearest 44-class, hear me out. This one’s about World Series ALCo cab unit locomotives — you know, the burly, grumbling beasts that were built for a number of countries, including our very own land down under. And no, this isn’t just an excuse for me to dust off decades’ worth of photos* and pretend I’m doing something productive with them.

These photos were taken over a ridiculously irresponsible number of years — back when the hobby still felt like a hobby, and not the competitive chaos of a Facebook group with too many moderators and not enough sense.
Yep, back when mates were more busy chasing woman than smoke belching beasts of the rails.
So, you’re getting the good stuff. Or at least the reasonably well-framed stuff.

While the primary focus will be the Aussie ALCo units — the ones I grew up with, chased across the country, and probably irritated my family over — the series may occasionally wander overseas. Why? Because back in the day, I ran an ALCo newsletter (remember newsletters? Paper? Stamps? Stable railfans?) and even contributed a regular column to a US magazine. So yes, there will some foreign units stuff that I've collected along the way . No, they’re not better. But I’ll show them to you anyway.

What else will be included? Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. Possibly some paperwork. Maybe a tech manual or two. A accidently acquired souvenir from 1986. Perhaps even some “random guff” (that’s the technical term). Planning? What planning? It’s currently 2:15am, I haven’t slept, and my brain is powered entirely by Coke (the drink), cornflakes, and a vague sense of nostalgia.

So buckle up (or don’t), and welcome aboard this semi-organised trip down ALCo memory lane. It might be a little rough around the edges like most of the garbage I peddle online, but so were the locomotives — and we loved them for it.

* Actually, I ain't gonna lie, it is the exact reason.

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If you have an interest in aviation and other guff, check out my

Travel and Aviation Blog.

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For Locomotive & Tram - Updates - Status - Photos.

Come have a squiz.

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NOTE: The vast majority of the class have now been scrapped, so rather than depressingly mentioning it for the whole post, I will solely give updates on those that survive.

Current listing here!

Above (Cowra) & Below )Woodstock)

Back in December 1995 the promise of seeing another 44 class up and running again saw us head on west to Cowra to witness the 'Lachlan ALCo Groups' 4486, looking resplendent in the reverse livery, something that is still very poorly represented in preservation.

Sadly she has since returned to the dreary original Indian Red livery, while she has also since been sold to Transport Heritage.

Photos: Brad Peadon

4477 607 Cs4 with a rake of containers heading north along the banks of Mullet Creek through Wondabyne.

4477 is now stored with Qube. The future not looking rosie.

607 was scrapped in 2014, while the C is still operational.

Photo: Brad Peadon

I guess most of us have our favourite locos, in New South Wales it was 4406 and 4460 for me.

For whatever reason they painted out the numbers on 4406 as she sits in the roundhouse. It has long been a sore point for me that she did not go on to be preserved in the museum there.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4493 sitting in the now closed Broadmeadow Depot roundhouse.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4461 drags the Sydney train out of Bomaderry (Nowra).

Photo: Brad Peadon

4464 approaches the now removed Demondrille signalbox with a northbound grain train. As with 4486, 4464 followed its other preserved sister from the 'Lachlan ALCo Group' to 'Transport Heritage'.
While the loco survives, the same can't be said for that lovely old semaphore signal.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4497 passing the golf course on the Botany goods line.

Locomotive is now stored with Qube. Again, without a rosie looking future.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4463 passes through Gelco (Botany line) with a rake of flats from port.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4703 602 4497 on a northbound container train approaching Menangle station.

All three are still currently with us.

16-5-2004

Photo: Brad Peadon

4479 4472 8153 sitting around the Delec Depot turntable.

4472 is stored preserved, while 8153 is now with Pacific National.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4405 after being placed in storage at the Delec Locomotive Depot (Enfield, Sydney).

Photo: Brad Peadon

4492 4475 hauling a steel train around Wingham on the beautiful NSW North Coast line.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4458 nears it destination at Port Botany as it passes Gelco on the Botany Goods Line.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4403 at the Patricks Terminal in Port Botany.

During this time the Port line didn't normally have any traffic on Sunday, but it would come alive in the evening as seen here.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Above and below.

By default, 4403 had the honour of taking the famous Flying Scotsman back to Darling Harbour for its return back home.

It seen in the yard and out on the wharf.

Of the locomotives seen, 4403 and 4821 are both preserved, while 4842 has gone to god.

The whole area has since been redeveloped, with the Dulwich Hill light rail now making use of the right of way.

Photos: Brad Peadon

A grubby old 80s Instamatic shot of 4458 during one of my earliest visit to Delec Locomotive Depot.

Locomotive now stored with Qube.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4483 at the now closed Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot.

After a Qube shunting mishap it spent a number of years stored without it's bogies at Minto. It has since been scrapped.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4403 wearing the special blue/yellow livery it received near the end of it's time in government service is seen leading 8001 through Moss Vale on a limestone run.

As mentioned earlier, 4403 is now preserved, however 8001 was scrapped some years after a bingle at Acacia Ridge in Brisbane (1997)

Photo: Brad Peadon

4486 4857 on the earlier mentioned Sunday evening Port Botany shunt.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4471 GM27 shunting Patricks at Port Botany.

While 4471 is now in storage, GM27 remains a regular on the goods line here, wearing its new dark blue livery.

New blue livery in video here.

Photo: Brad Peadon

A very tired looking 4446 sitting around Delec loco depot.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Also at Delec is 4468 wearing a special livery near the end of it's time in government service.

Today she is privately owned, said not to be operational and stored on a property somewhere.

Photo: Brad Peadon

A slightly earlier shot of 4468 before the addition of the lining seen in the photo above.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Now preserved 4472 passes through Gelco (Botany line) with a rake of containers from port.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4488 begins to smoke it up as it passes through Arncliffe on a spoil train.

Unit now stored with Qube.

Photo: Brad Peadon

4401 runs around it's train after arriving at Sydney Terminal.

The class leader is now on static display at the Junee Roundhouse Museum. I'm told while it is operational, bodgy worn wheels has seen it sidelined.

Photo: Brad Peadon