707 Operations

R707 as restored, in 2007

707 Operations is a railway preservation group based in Melbourne, Australia. The volunteer organisation was established in 1980 to restore R class locomotive R707. The company has its own section of the Newport Workshops that is used for storing carriages and locomotives when not in use for trips (charter or regular). They are located in roads 7 and 8 of the Newport West Block Workshops.

707 Operations run regular trips across the broad gauge rail network in Victoria and also charter trains. People who motorcade the train to photograph it are asked to consider donating $10 towards the costs of running the train. This has been controversial among the railway fraternity. For the donation, 707 Operations provide a detailed schedule and tour notes 24 hours prior to departure and SMS updates should the train fall behind schedule in excess of 30 minutes.

History

In 1980, a committee of six men got together to inspect the withdrawn steam locomotive R707 at Newport Workshops. This locomotive had been withdrawn from service in 1974. After close examination of the locomotive, which showed some disrepair, a proposal was put forward to VicRail for restoration with work commencing in 1981. The restored locomotive made its debut on a return trip to Bacchus Marsh in July 1985. ^[1]

Operations

Today 707 Operations run heritage special trains in Victoria. ^[2] In 2020 most trips were cancelled due to COVID restrictions, however since 2022, 707 Operations have resumed running their popular mainline day trips and sleeping car trips around Country Victoria and Tocumwal (NSW). Destinations include Bendigo, Bacchus Marsh, Quambatook and the Silo Art Trail, Tocumwal, Ballarat, Swan Hill, Echuca and Seymour. ^[3]

Fleet

After the restoration of R707, the organisation expanded their fleet further with R753 being bought as well as diesel locomotives F204, T413 and Y127. The organisation owns former West Coast Railways S and Z type carriages as well as South Australian Railways carriage 708 for use on special trips. No West Coast Railways liveried cars remain with all S and Z type cars having been repainted in 707 Operations red or VR Blue and Gold. A list of the entire fleet of rolling stock is shown below.

Locomotives

Number	Image	Year built	Builder	Status	Notes	Livery
A62 (ex B62)		1952 (rebuilt 1983)	Clyde Engineering, Granville (rebuilt Clyde Engineering, Rosewater)	Operational		V/Line orange and grey
F202		1951	Dick Kerr Works, Preston, England	Stored		VR blue and gold
F204				Stored	Handed back to Victrack for Re-Allocation [Surplus to use]	VR blue and gold
F208				Operational		VR red and gold
P13 (ex T340)		1956 (rebuilt 1984)	Clyde Engineering, Granville (rebuilt Martin & King, Somerton)	Operational	Transferred from V/Line to 707 Operations ownership in November 2024. [4] On Standard Gauge	V/Line Passenger Mk2
P20 (ex T337)		1956 (rebuilt 1985)		Operational	Acquired from Pacific National in 2023	V/Line orange and grey
R707			North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow	Operational	Named City of Melbourne	Black and red
R753		1952		Stored		Black and red
S 300		1957	Clyde Engineering, Granville	Operational	Privately owned, on Standard Gauge	CFCLA Silver and Blue
S306		1957		Operational	Purchased from Pacific National in September 2023 after being leased from the company since 2019. [5]	PN blue and yellow
T387		1965		Operational	Privately owned, on Standard Gauge	CFCLA Silver and Blue
T392				Operational	Purchased from Pacific National in September 2023 after being leased from the company since 2019. [6]	PN Blue and Yellow
T413		1968		Operational	Delivered as D1 for Fyansford Cement Works	VR blue and gold
W244		1960	Tulloch Limited, Rhodes, New South Wales	Stored	Handed back to Victrack for Re-Allocation [Surplus to use]	V/Line orange and grey
Y108		1963	Clyde Engineering, Granville	Stored		V/Line orange and grey
Y127		1965		Operational	First locomotive painted into V/Line orange and grey in preservation.	V/Line orange and grey
Y143		1965		Stored		V/Line orange and grey

Passenger carriages

Z cars

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
255 ACZ		Broad	1957	Vintage Rail Travel Mk3 - Red and 2 white stripes	Guards Van/First Class - Saloon Style
270 BZ			1959		Second Class - Saloon Style
257 BCZ			1958	Grey Livery (Stripped of PTV Purple & Grey, including PTV and V/Line logos)	Guards Van/Second Class - Saloon Style. Transferred 14/05/2023
251 BTN			1956		Second Class - Saloon Style. Ex 1AZ.
259 BTN			1959		Saloon car converted to Dining Car. Transferred 06/07/2023

S Cars

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
205 BS		Broad	1950	Vintage Rail Travel Mk3 - Red and 2 white stripes	Stored. Second Class - Compartment Style
212 BS			1949	VR Blue and Gold	Second Class - Compartment Style
215 BS			1955
224 BRS			1940	Vintage Rail Travel Mk3 - Red and 2 white stripes	Second Class - Compartment Style - Buffet

N Carriages

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
ACN 45		Standard	1983	Grey Livery (Stripped of PTV Purple & Grey, including PTV and V/Line logos)	Guards Van/First Class - Saloon Style. Transferred August 2022
ACN 48
BN 5			1981		Second Class - Saloon Style. Transferred August 2022
BN 22			1982
BRN 43			1983		Second Class - Saloon Style - Buffet. Transferred August 2022

H Carriages

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
BTH 174		Broad	1958, Converted to H Car 1989	Grey Livery (Stripped of PTV Purple & Grey, including PTV and V/Line logos)	Transferred 12/12/2024. ex Harris 688T
BIH 193			1957, Converted to H Car 1990		Transferred 12/12/2024. ex refurbished Harris 3505T
BCH 134			1962, Converted to H Car 1990		Transferred 12/12/2024. ex refurbished Harris 902M

Sleeping Cars

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
Sleeper 5 Wando		Broad	1923	VR Carriage Red	Twinshare Sleeping Car
SJ 284 Dorai			1950	Overland Maroon	Twinette Sleeping Car - Air Conditioning
JTA 6 Kuldalai			1957
LAN 2352			1961	Stainless Steel	Roomette Sleeping Car - Air Conditioning. Owned by THNSW
LAN 2354			1961		Roomette Sleeping Car - Air Conditioning. Privately Owned
NAM 2336			1961		Twinette Sleeping Car - Air Conditiong
NAM 2373		Standard	1963

Vans & Special carriages

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
PCP 294		Broad	1957	Vintage Rail Travel Mk3 - Red and 2 white stripes	Power Van
PCO 3 (PCJ 492)			1970	Overland Maroon	Power Van
PCJ 493		Standard	1970	Silver	Power Van
PHA 2395			1984	Stainless Steel	Power Van. Owned by THNSW
PHN 2362			1961		Power Van. Owned by THNSW
2 CO		Broad	1970		Guards Van. Privately Owned
35 CP			1958	Red	Guards Van
37 CP			1958	Grey	Guards Van
708 BK			1941	Vintage Rail Travel Mk3 - Red and 2 white stripes	Lounge Car. Privately Owned
DC 783 Lowanna			1942	Maroon	Commissioner's crew car. Privately Owned
Club Car 1 Victoria			1970	Overland Maroon	Lounge Car
DF 935			1968	Stainless Steel	Indian Pacific Dining Car. Privately Owned
Sleeper 4 Buchan			1923	VR Blue and Gold	Twinshare Sleeping Car - Paritally converted to Crew Car

Electric Multiple Units

Carriage	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
3 M		Broad	1973	Stainless Steel	Hitachi Motor Car
304 D			1973		Hitachi Driving Trailer Car
178 M			1979		Hitachi Motor Car

Freight Wagons

Wagon	Image	Gauge	Year built	Livery	Notes
DT 318		Broad	1959	707 Ops Black	Luggage Van
VOAF 100				Black	Bogie Open Wagon for carrying coal
L 1174				Red	Former NSWGR Water Gin. Owned by THNSW
HH 5			1902	Red	Loco Breakdown Van
VLCX 187			1966	Red	Louvre Van
DT 361			1959	Red
VLPY 125			1956	Red
VWBA 2			1960	Red	Well Wagon. Holds Boiler ex R753

References

1. R707 City of Melbourne Restoration Archived 2 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine 707 Operations
2. Past Mainline Trips Archived 9 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine 707 Operations
3. "TrainReview's guide to 707 Operations". Archived from the original on 29 July 2021.
4. "VICSIG - Locomotives - P13". vicsig.net. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
5. "VICSIG - Locomotives - S306". vicsig.net. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
6. "VICSIG - Locomotices - T392". vicsig.net. Retrieved 25 January 2024.

External links

• Official website