A member of the first class of mainline diesel electric locomotives to work on the Victorian Railways. All were constructed by Clyde Engineering, Granville NSW between 1952 and 1954.
B83 entered service in December 1953, and was retired in May 1988.
The class were used on basically all lines except light branch lines, running fast passenger and freight services including the Overland to Adelaide.
In the 1980s some members of the class were modified with new engines and control equipment to become the A class. The program was stopped after the costs of upgrading vs buying complete new locomotives were compared.
Constructed by Clyde Engineering of Granville, NSW between 1957 and 1961.
S308 entered service in January 1988 and ended service 30 years later in July 1988.
These locomotives often ran in pairs on the Overland and Spirit of Progress (and later Southern Aurora).
S308 was withdrawn from active service and used at Dynon Locomotive Depot as a Demonstration engine. The internal electrical covers were replaced with Perspex and the number plate was amended to SD308.
One of 6 locomotives ordered by State Electricity Commission of Victoria with the Victorian Railways F class order.
Built by English Electric Dick Kerr Works, Stafford England.
F211 was delivered to the SEC in March 1953 and purchased by Victorian Railways in July 1958.
The class shunted the passenger car sheds at Spencer St yards and other regional depots.
In later years an F class was kept by the Hump Sorting Roads, and would be deployed to retreive any misrouted wagons. It was known as the “Trimmer”. In this role F211 earned the nickname “Little Trimmer”, later getting a cast nameplate with this moniker. On withdrawal it was painted in Vline Tangerine and Grey, the only F class to wear the livery, and placed on a plinth near the hump yard before entering the museum.
The T class became the most common diesel locomotives of the Victorian Railways.
Constructed in 5 batches by Clyde Engineering, Granville NSW to varying designs.
T367 entered service in February 1964 as the first of the 3rd order. While previous batches had a flat roofline with a cab in between 2 cabinets, this variation saw the \”short end\” nose dropped below window level and sloping away from the locomotive, a trend that would carry on through all remaining locomotives and is still used in locomotive design today.
Some first series T locomotives were later modified with the sloping nose and upgraded engines to become the P class.
Some T (and P) class locomotives remain in service today with Southern Shorthaul Railroad, hauling grain and new High Capacity Metro Trains from Newport Workshops to Pakenham East. They are also popular with preservation railways.
Built in 1956 at the Newport Workshops.
V56 was designed to push suburban train sets through the wash plant at Jolimont Workshops, generally at 1km/h.
It used a Fordson 40hp tractor engine and hydraulic motor, with chain driven axles.
V56 was retired by the early 1980s with the closure of Jolimont Workshops.
Constructed by Tulloch, Rhodes NSW and entered service August 1960.
Designed as a shunting engine for the many Victorian Railways yards, but also saw service on Werribee passenger services (briefly) and branchline freight.
The class as a whole were plagued with engine and transmission problems that led to them being very unpopular with crews and fitters.
The original Mercedes engines were replaced with GM versions, but many of the issues persisted. Exhibit W243 shows the original engine.
Photo by Andrew Henderson
The Y class locomotives were built for shunting, and branchline freight with roadside shunting. The controls were set up for good visibility and instant response. They became the second most common class of diesel locomotive ordered by the Victorian Railways, in 3 batches.
Y137 was constructed by Clyde Engineering, Granville NSW as part of the 2nd order of the class, and entered service in July 1965.
The Victorian Railways found the cost of new bogies prohibitive, instead using bogies off scrapped wooden suburban electric trains with suitable modifications.
For many years these locomotives were used on Werribee passenger services and some can still be seen today shunting carriages for Vline at Southern Cross and Geelong.
Constructed at Newport Workshops in 1932, and used on the construction of the Yarrawonga – Oaklands line.
First of a series of “Railtractors”, lightweight locomotives built on disused wagon underframes and fitted with a Fordson tractor engine. They were mainly used for shunting at remote places where staff who could use a tractor would be able to shunt the yards.
Constructed by Tulloch, Rhodes NSW and entered service February 1960.
Ended service as a shunter at Spotswood yard.
Designed as a shunting engine for the many Victorian Railways yards, but also saw service on Werribee passenger services (briefly) and branchline freight.
The class as a whole were plagued with engine and transmission problems that led to them being very unpopular with crews and fitters.
The original Mercedes engines were replaced with GM versions, but many of the issues persisted. Exhibit W255 shows the modifications for the newer engine.
W243 is the last unit in existance with the original Mercedes engine.
Photo by Andrew Henderson