Victorian Locomotives
The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The State Transport Authority then operated under the trading name V/Line, and provided rail service support to the then Metropolitan Transit Authority which was formed at the same time with responsibility for metropolitan train and tram. The State Transport Authority merged with the Metropolitan Transit Authority in July 1989 to form the Public Transport Corporation operations.
What Locomotive Is That?
Steam - Victoria
D3 Class
The D3 Class is a Victorian Railways 4-6-0 (ten wheeler) locomotive. The D3 derived from the DD class, one of the most extensive classes of the Victorian steam fleet, with some 260 locomotives. These were built between 1902 and 1922 in several locations, by VR Workshops in both Bendigo and Ballarat, Beyer, Peacok and Co. Ltd. England, the Baldwin Locomotive Works, U.S.A, Thompsons Ltd., Castlemaine, Victoria and Walkers Ltd., Queensland.
Through early years, the DD class underwent some major changes, such as superheating, and more efficient, larger boilers (featuring similar designs to the K class boilers). As a result, reclassification occurred to reflect the changes. Saturated engines became D1 units, superheated engines became D2 units and the larger boiler varieties became D3 units. D3 684 was one of the last D3 units to be withdrawn in the late '60s.
K class
The K class is a Victorian Railways 2-8-0 light lines 'consolidation' locomotive. The first batch of 10 locomotives were built in 1922 and numbered K100 to K109. In 1940, the K class was added to with more than forty new engines. The original ten were re-numbered 140-149, and the new order followed on.
The new batch saw some minor changes to the class, such as welded tenders, added smoke deflectors, removal of cab windows, improved funnel design as well as box pok wheels. Some of these changes such as tenders and smoke deflectors were also made to the existing fleet. K161 was a regular North-Eastern line locomotive, often working out of Benalla and Wangaratta with goods and passenger trains bound for Bright, Beechworth, Rutherglen and other locations in north eastern Victoria. It is finished off with a plate pilot and welded tender.
S class
The S class is a Victorian Railways 4-6-2 express passenger 'Pacific' locomotive. First introduced in 1928, these locomotives were intended to replace the double heading of A2 class locomotives on the Albury line. A total of four members of the class were built at Newport Workshops in Melbourne.
In 1937, the four locomotives were modified and streamlined in preparation for the all new 'Spirit of Progress' express passenger train between Melbourne and Albury. Originally painted in wagon red, the four locomotives were soon presented in the regal VR blue and gold livery. The four class members were each named after people of historical significance to Australia and Victoria; S300 - Matthew Flinders; S301 - Sir Thomas Mitchell; S302 - Edward Henty and; S303 - C. J. La Trobe.
R class
The R class is a Victorian Railways 4-6-4 Hudson-type express passenger locomotive. First introduced in 1951, they were the second last steam locomotive ordered and introduced by the VR.
The R class is a kind of hybrid of the 1945 Victorian Railways H class locomotive, and resembles the large 4-8-4 express passenger/heavy goods locomotive in many elements, such as the boiler design, mechanical stoker and aesthetic appearance. The R class however does have a lighter axle load and shorter wheelbase, allowing it to travel a much larger area of the Victorian Railways.
All of the class were coal burners as introduced, with only two being converted to oil burning during VR operation. The distinctive SCOA-P wheels were designed for use on the R class, later appearing on the VR J class and locomotives in Tasmania and Queensland. Steamrail's R761 and R711, and R707 are operational, with R766 undergoing restoration.
J class
The J class is a Victorian Railways 2-8-0 light lines 'consolidation' locomotive. First introduced in 1953, they were the last steam locomotive ordered and introduced by the VR. The J class is virtually an updated design of the highly successful K class locomotives. The J class provided a high boiler and firebox to enable easy conversion to standard gauge at a later date. Despite this, none in the class have been converted under the VR while J512 is currently undergoing restoration and gauge conversion by Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.
J500-529 were coal burners and J530-559 were oil burners. All locomotives featured the distinctive SCOA-P wheels which were designed for use on the R class 'Hudson' locomotives of the VR. These wheels were a unique type with 'U' shaped spokes featuring the strength advantage of boxpok wheels without the additional weight.
Diesel Electric - Victoria
F Class
The F class was a Victorian Railways small 0-6-0 shunting unit, built by the English Electric Company and commissioned into service in 1951. Originally, ten locomotives were ordered and operated by the Victorian Railways, with a further six purchased and operated by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria.
The locomotives weighed 51 tons and produced 349 hp. They have appeared in a vast number of liveries, including black, VR red and yellow, VR blue and gold and V/Line tangerine and grey. The locomotives are similar to the British Rail Class 11.
B class
The Victorian Railways B class was the first mainline diesel electric locomotive delivered in Victoria (the F class shunting units preceded them). Built between 1951 and 1953 by Clyde Engineering at Granville, NSW, the class totalled 26 in number and began to displace the 1928 built Victorian Railways S class pacifics on the Spirit of Progress almost immediately.
The double-ended locomotives soon began to infiltrate the rest of the VR system, effectively beginning the dieselisation of the Victorian Railways. The locomotives feature a Co-Co wheel arrangement, and a weight of 114 tonne. The B class have a maximum permissible speed of 130km/h. Many underwent conversion to the V/Line A class in the 1980s, with many others scrapped since 1982.
T and H class
The Victorian Railways T class is a Clyde built Bo-Bo diesel electric locomotive. Consisting of five separate orders, it is one of the most varied locomotive designs to ever run on the network. Although there are differences between the five orders, generally, the appearance of the engines is divided into three classes. The initial 'flat top' T, high cab T and low nose T. The H class is a slightly modified variety, featuring a heavier axle load and additional driving equipment for operation at low speed. All were delivered in the VR blue and gold colour scheme between 1955 and 1969.
Although the VR didn't claim the T class to be the successor to the newly ordered J class steam locomotive, or the earlier K class, their successful use on both branch line and main line passenger and freight services soon saw the new diesel electrics supersede their steam predecessors.
The locomotives are capable of travel at 60 mph (100 km/h). Their light axle load meant they could travel on all the VR's light rail branch lines. They've seen many liveries over the years, including the V/Line grey and orange and, with the advent of privatisation, Freight Australia green and yellow, West Coast Railway blue and today's Pacific Nation blue and yellow, Southern Shorthaul Railroad black and gold as well as Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia blue and silver.
A rebuild program commenced in the 1980s with the flat top T class units being converted into the P class diesel electrics. Those that were not rebuilt or preserved were scrapped. The preserved units remain today with preservation groups around the state.
Y class
The Victorian Railways Y class was a small Bo-Bo branchline and yard pilot unit built for the Victorian Railways from 1963 to 1968. The VR tendered for a light axle load engine that was to make use of the recycled bogies from former VR swing door suburban electric multiple units. Clyde Engineering built the Y class at its Granville plant.
The Y class is capable of 80 km/h (former commissioner's loco Y 175 had once been re-geared for 96 km/h running) and has an axle load of only 16.25 tons, the Y could travel on any of the VR's lines. Their power output is 480kW.
The first scrapping began to occur in the late 1980s, the surviving units with V/Line eventually being distributed to private and heritage operators such as Freight Australia (now Pacific National), El Zorro, EDI-Rail, Seymour Railway Heritage Centre, 707 Opps, Dayelsford Spa Country Railway among others.
S class
The Victorian Railways S class are a mainline diesel electric locomotive introduced by the VR from 1957 onwards. A Co-Co wheel arrangement, the S class was immediately placed into service for mainline passenger and freight trains, such as the Spirit of Progress. This released the lesser abled B class units for use elsewhere.
The Victorian Railways did away with the second cab that was a feature of the B class and instead opted for a superior power output that the S provided. The class operated and continues to operate on both broad and standard gauge. Weighing in at 116 tonnes, the S class were built by Clyde Engineering's Granville plant, and are capable of 130km/h running. Unfortunately, the S class has been involved in some serious rail accidents in Victoria, and the first two locomotives were scrapped in 1969.
X class
The Victorian Railways X class is a Co-Co diesel electric mainline locomotive built by Clyde Engineering between 1966 and 1975. They we almost immediately put to use on the standard gauge between Melbourne and Sydney, accompanying the already in service S class locomotives.
Due to three orders consisting of a total of 24 locomotives, the X class features some difference within the class between separate orders, such as windows in the cab, nose size and other minor alterations. Two additional locomotives were part of the second order to replace the two S class locomotives destroyed in the Southern Aurora train crash of 1969.
All are still in service, with six having been rebuilt as the XR class locomotive by Pacific National. These rebuilds feature larger engines for bigger power output as well as cosmetic changes to the cab and hood.
N class
The V/Line N class are a mainline diesel electric locomotive introduced by V/Line from 1985. They were built by Clyde Engineering's Somerton plant in Victoria.
The N class have been in operation with V/Line since their introduction, and have worked primarily on passenger train workings, forming the core motive power for intrastate inter-city services but also providing motive power for the Overland and various freight services. The fleet numbers 25 in total with all members still in active service.
The N class weigh 123 tonnes and have a power output of 1,680 kW. The locomotives are all fitted with head end power (HEP) for the provision of electricity to their train. Most units are capable of 115km/h however some have different traction motors equipped, capable of 130km/h.
The N class have spent their operational days almost exclusively on broad gauge. However, as part of the North-East Gauge Standardisation Project, some units are placed on standard gauge for operating the Albury passenger train services.