Victorian Railways E class | |
Powertype: | steam |
Designer: | Edward Alexander Jefferies |
Builder: | Kitson & Company, David Munro & Co, Phoenix Foundry |
Builddate: | 1888-1894 |
Totalproduction: | 76 |
Rebuilder: | Victorian Railways, Newport Workshops |
Numberrebuilt: | 24 |
Whytetype: | 2-4-2 (71) & 0-6-2 (5), later 24x 2-4-2 converted to 0-6-2. |
Driverdiameter: | 5 ft 0 in (1,524 mm) |
Length: | 33 ft 8 in (10.26 m) |
Height: | 12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3,898.9 mm) |
Axleload: | 16 long tons 8 cwt (36,700 lb or 16.7 t) |
Coupled All: | 16 long tons 8 cwt (36,700 lb or 16.7 t) |
Locoweight: | 53 long tons 8 cwt (119,600 lb or 54.3 t) |
Fueltype: | Coal |
Fuelcap: | 2 long tons 10 cwt (5,600 lb or 2.5 t) |
Watercap: | 1,600 imp gal (1,900 US gal; 7,300 L) |
Operator: | Victorian Railways, South Australian Railways |
Fleetnumbers: | 426 (Kitson), 346 to 394 (even numbers, Phoenix Foundry), 12, 34, 36, 428 to 460 (even numbers, Phoenix Foundry) and 472 to 520 (even numbers, David Munro) |
Deliverydate: | 1888 |
Firstrundate: | 1889 |
Lastrundate: | 1972 |
Preservedunits: | E369, E371, E236 |
Scrapdate: | 1915-1960s |
Currentowner: | VicTrack Heritage, Victorian Goldfields Railway. |
Disposition: | 3 preserved, remainder scrapped |
The E class was a class of suburban tank steam locomotive that ran on Australia's Victorian Railways (VR).
During the late 19th century, Victorian Railways had ended up with a mixed fleet of locomotives of various designs, which had caused maintenance difficulties. To solve this, Richard Speight, a VR commissioner who had worked for the Midland Railway, set out a program to adopt standardized locomotive designs based on British practices. Tasked with designing locomotives for the scheme was Edward Alexander Jefferies, who had designed 5 classes of locomotive for Victorian Railways, all using standard parts. These included the D class and New A class 4-4-0s, the New R class and Y class 0-6-0s, and the E class 2-4-2T.
The prototype E class locomotive, named "Tasmania", was built by Kitson & Co of Leeds, England in 1888 in collaboration with Jefferies, and was displayed in the Centennial International Exhibition in the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings alongside the Y class prototype in 1888. 'Tasmania' entered service as E426.[1]
Seventy-one engines were built locally based on the 'Tasmania', numbered 426 (pattern engine), 346 to 394 (even numbers, Phoenix Foundry), 12, 34, 36, 428 to 460 (even numbers, Phoenix Foundry), and 472 to 520 (even numbers, David Munro).
Phoenix delivered five additional locomotives designated as the EE class, numbered 462, 464, 466, 468, and 470. These had a new wheel arrangement of 0-6-2T, specifically designed for shunting use. After evaluation, engines 482 and 496 in 1898, followed by 490 and 478 in 1906-1907, were converted to the same format, although the latter two used 170psi boilers and 18-inch cylinders in place of the earlier 140psi boilers and 17-inch cylinders.
E426 was the first E class to be withdrawn in 1915, and two more units in 1917. Melbourne's suburban electrification project made the 2-4-2T engines quickly obsolete. Between 1919-1923, twenty were converted to match the nine existing shunters' 0-6-2T configuration (all bar 494 upgraded to 18-inch cylinders), while another twenty-five were withdrawn. Of the latter group, twenty were sold to the South Australian Railways to become their second M class. An additional eighteen were withdrawn in 1924, leaving only a single 2-4-2T type in service.
In the 1923 locomotive renumbering scheme, the EE class engines were reclassified in the 350-379 group. By 1929, this had expanded to 390, and the group was reclassified as E.
The original 2-4-2T engines were intended to take numbers 236-245 without a class letter. However, only one engine survived long enough to have the new number applied. Thus, 506 became 236.
Builder | No. | Type | On Register | E | Convert | Renumber | New EE no. | Reclass as E | Sold to SAR | New M no. | Off Register | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kitson | 3088 | 2-4-2T | 1889 | 426 | 1915 | Pattern engine | ||||||
Phoenix | 251 | 2-4-2T | 1889 | 346 | 1920 | Damaged in accident 1891. Phoenix No.252 was not of this class. | ||||||
Phoenix | 253 | 2-4-2T | 1889 | 348 | 1923 | 1923 | 380 | 1929 | 1959 | |||
Phoenix | 254 | 2-4-2T | 1889 | 350 | 1920 | 256 | ||||||
Phoenix | 255 | 2-4-2T | 1889 | 352 | 1920 | 262 | ||||||
Phoenix | 256 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 354 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 257 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 356 | 1917 | |||||||
Phoenix | 258 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 358 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 259 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 360 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 260 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 362 | 1922 | - | 362 | 1931 | 1954 | |||
Phoenix | 261 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 364 | 1922 | - | 364 | Unknown | 1955 | Collision with engine M 316, 1903 | ||
Phoenix | 262 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 366 | 1921 | 267 | ||||||
Phoenix | 263 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 368 | 1924 | Accident 1890, derailed 1900, collision 1902 | ||||||
Phoenix | 264 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 370 | 1922 | - | 370 | 1929 | 1959 | |||
Phoenix | 265 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 372 | 1920 | 257 | Fitted with Gibson patented link-motion 1893; in Richmond 1908 accident | |||||
Phoenix | 266 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 374 | 1921 | - | 374 | 1930 | 1961 | At Ararat 1915-1916; first engine (with E386) painted red and chocolate livery in 1903. | ||
Phoenix | 267 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 376 | 1921 | - | 376 | 1930 | 1955 | |||
Phoenix | 268 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 378 | 1922 | - | 378 | Unknown | 1951 | |||
Phoenix | 269 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 380 | 1921 | 268 | ||||||
Phoenix | 270 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 382 | 1920 | |||||||
Phoenix | 271 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 384 | 1921 | 269 | ||||||
Phoenix | 272 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 386 | 1921 | 270 | First engine (with E374) painted red and chocolate livery in 1903. | |||||
Phoenix | 273 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 388 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 274 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 390 | Unknown | - | 390 | Unknown | 1955 | Assume upgraded, else it would have been renumbered 237-245 range? | ||
Phoenix | 275 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 392 | 1920 | |||||||
Phoenix | 276 | 2-4-2T | 1890 | 394 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 290 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 12 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 291 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 34 | 1921 | 1925 | 350 | 1929 | 1953 | |||
Phoenix | 292 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 36 | 1921 | 266 | ||||||
Phoenix | 293 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 428 | 1922 | 1925 | 351 | 1929 | 1954 | |||
Phoenix | 294 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 430 | 1921 | 271 | ||||||
Phoenix | 295 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 432 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 296 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 434 | 1920 | 258 | ||||||
Phoenix | 297 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 436 | 1923 | 1923 | 377 | Unknown | 1962 | |||
Phoenix | 298 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 438 | 1923 | 1923 | 381 | 1929 | 1954 | Casualty at Jolimont 1901 with E 494 | ||
Phoenix | 299 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 440 | 1920 | 263 | ||||||
Phoenix | 300 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 442 | 1924 | Ran off end of siding, Hawthorn, 1899 | ||||||
Phoenix | 301 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 444 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 302 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 446 | 1920 | 264 | ||||||
Phoenix | 303 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 448 | 1924 | |||||||
Phoenix | 304 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 450 | 1920 | |||||||
Phoenix | 305 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 452 | 1920 | 259 | ||||||
Phoenix | 306 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 454 | 1920 | 1923 | 352 | 1931 | 1954 | |||
Phoenix | 307 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 456 | 1921 | 272 | ||||||
Phoenix | 308 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 458 | 1921 | 273 | ||||||
Phoenix | 309 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 460 | 1917 | |||||||
Phoenix | 310 | 0-6-2T | 1893 | 462 | As built | 1923 | 353 | 1929 | 1954 | 17in cylinders from new. | ||
Phoenix | 311 | 0-6-2T | 1893 | 464 | As built | 1923 | 355 | 1929 | 1956 | 17in cylinders from new. | ||
Phoenix | 312 | 0-6-2T | 1893 | 466 | As built | 1923 | 356 | 1929 | 1954 | 17in cylinders from new. | ||
Phoenix | 313 | 0-6-2T | 1893 | 468 | As built | 1923 | 357 | 1929 | 1960 | 17in cylinders from new. Ran into North Melbourne Depot turntable pit | ||
Phoenix | 314 | 0-6-2T | 1893 | 470 | As built | 1923 | 359 | 1929 | 1937 | 17in cylinders from new. | ||
Munro | 01 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 472 | 1924 | |||||||
Munro | 02 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 474 | 1924 | Ran through South Yarra floods 1907 | ||||||
Munro | 03 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 476 | 1924 | |||||||
Munro | 04 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 478 | 1907 | 1923 | 361 | 1929 | 1954 | EE upgrade used 18in cylinders. Ran off end of siding at Ringwood and overturned, 1908 | ||
Munro | 05 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 480 | 1924 | Fitted with Gibson patented link-motion 1893 | ||||||
Munro | 06 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 482 | 1898 | 1924 | 363 | Unknown | 1955 | EE upgrade used 17in cylinders; 18in cylinders fitted in 1929. Collision with engine R 324, 1927 | ||
Munro | 07 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 484 | 1921 | 1924 | 365 | 1930 | 1954 | |||
Munro | 08 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 486 | 1920 | 1924 | 366 | Unknown | 1956 | |||
Munro | 09 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 488 | 1924 | Damaged in Newport Yards 1896 | ||||||
Munro | 10 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 490 | 1906 | 1923 | 367 | Unknown | 1956 | EE upgrade used 18in cylinders. | ||
Munro | 11 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 492 | 1921 | 274 | ||||||
Munro | 12 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 494 | 1919 | 1923 | 369 | 1931 | 1972 (Preserved) | EE upgrade used 17in cylinders. Accident with E 438 at Jolimont 1901 and Richmond 1908 | ||
Munro | 13 | 2-4-2T | 1892 | 496 | 1898 | 1923 | 371 | 1929 | 1972 (Preserved) | EE upgrade used 17in cylinders; 18in cylinders fitted in 1929. | ||
Munro | 14 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 498 | 1920 | 1925 | 372 | 1931 | 1959 | |||
Munro | 15 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 500 | 1920 | Accident at Spencer Street Station 1910 | ||||||
Munro | 16 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 502 | 1924 | |||||||
Munro | 17 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 504 | 1920 | 260 | ||||||
Munro | 18 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 506 | 1953 (Preserved) | Renumbered 236 (unclassed) in 1923 | ||||||
Munro | 19 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 508 | 1920 | 265 | ||||||
Munro | 20 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 510 | 1922 | 1924 | 373 | 1929 | 1956 | Broken connecting rod pierced boiler, 1899 | ||
Munro | 21 | 2-4-2T | 1893 | 512 | 1924 | |||||||
Munro | 22 | 2-4-2T | 1894 | 514 | 1923 | 1923 | 379 | 1931 | 1962 | Hauled royal train from Port Melbourne, 1901 | ||
Munro | 23 | 2-4-2T | 1894 | 516 | 1920 | 261 | ||||||
Munro | 24 | 2-4-2T | 1894 | 518 | 1920 | 1922 | 375 | Unknown | 1955 | |||
Munro | 25 | 2-4-2T | 1894 | 520 | 1921 | 275 | ||||||
In November 1937, E359 became the first 0-6-2T type to be taken off the register, while the remaining engines stayed on the register until the 1950s, with six of them continued to operate until the early 1960s.
The last original 2-4-2T engine, 236, was used as a shunter at Newport Workshops until it was taken out of service in 1953. The locomotive was then selected for display at Spencer Street Station for the 100th anniversary of Victoria's railways as it was in good enough condition (it's last overhaul was in 1949). The engine was restored and displayed in September 1954. It was then stored and later allocated to the newly established ARHS Railway Museum in Newport as one of its first display pieces where it now resides.
The last two locomotives in service, 369 and 371, worked as yard pilots at Newport Workshops until their withdrawal in 1972. After retirement, E369 was allocated to the ARHS for static display at the Newport Railway Museum.
In the 1980s, attempts were made to restore E371, initially at Steamrail's tarp shop facility and later at the Spotswood reclamation depot. Unfortunately, the engine was found to have suffered significant damage during its career, including damage to the frame and boiler that would be prohibitively expensive to rectify; in short, it would likely be cheaper to build a new locomotive from scratch. Therefore, E371 was reassembled and transferred to the Victorian Goldfields Railway (VGR).
Around April 2022, E371 was cosmetically overhauled with a brand-new coat of black paint, including painted cab and number plates in the form of stickers, and was moved to the Maldon Dock Platform for display.