Newport Railway Museum

Newport Railway Museum

Steam locomotive E 236 and electric suburban carriage 8M on display at the museum
Established	10 November 1962
Location	26 Champion Road, Newport, Victoria
Coordinates	37°51′22″S144°53′12″E / 37.85611°S 144.88667°E / -37.85611; 144.88667
Type	Railway museum
Website	Official Site

The Newport Railway Museum is located on Champion Road, Newport, Victoria, near the North Williamstown station.

History

The museum opened on 10 November 1962, after the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS) Victorian Division was allocated space at Newport Workshops by the Victorian Railways to develop a collection of key examples of steam locomotives that were then in the process of being replaced by diesel and electric locomotives. By the late 1980s, the early diesel and electric locomotives that had replaced steam traction were themselves nearing end of life, and the museum expanded its collection to incorporate a number of key examples. ^[1]

Following a safety audit by VicTrack, the landlord and owner of most of the exhibits, the museum closed in February 2010. ^[2] After various improvements, it reopened in March 2014.

On 16 June 2020, it was announced that the ARHS had withdrawn from the operation of the museum and a new group, Newport Railway Museum Inc., formed by museum volunteers, had entered into an arrangement with VicTrack to take over the Museum site lease. ^{[3] [4]}

Site improvements

In recent years, projects have been undertaken to construct roof canopies to cover the exhibits and protect the collection from the elements.

• In 2016, a project was announced to construct a 693 m² (7,460 sq ft) roof canopy over four wooden passenger carriages and three of the oldest steam locomotives on the site; ^[5] this project was completed in 2017.
• In 2019, the Victorian Government announced a project to construct a roof canopy to protect the heritage-listed locomotive H220 Heavy Harry. ^[6] A 1,134 m² (12,210 sq ft) structure that covered H220 and several adjacent exhibits was completed in 2020. In announcing the completion of the second roof canopy, Newport Railway Museum stated its intention to continue to construct further roofing over remaining exhibits to ensure their preservation. ^[7]
• In late 2023, the second canopy was further extended by 567 square metres (6,100 sq ft) to bring several additional exhibits under cover, including steam locomotive C10, the last-remaining member of a class the museum describes as representative of a step change in the haulage of freight in Australia. ^{[8] [9]}

Opening hours

The museum's regular opening hours are between 12 noon and 5 pm on Saturdays, and the third Sunday of each month between 12 noon and 5 pm ^[10] During school holiday periods, the museum opens on both Saturdays and all Sundays, between 12 noon and 5 pm. ^[11]

Collection

The museum contains the largest existing collection of Victorian Railways steam locomotives, a wide range of other Victorian Railways rolling stock, and numerous Victorian Railways artefacts. The collection includes: ^[12]

• seventeen steam locomotives
• eight diesel locomotives
• three electric locomotives and four electric suburban carriages
• five country/interstate passenger carriages
• ten freight wagons and two guards vans
• five railway cranes
• rail tractors and postal trolleys
• a signal box
• an O scale model railway

Steam locomotives

Number	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
F 176		F class (Steam)	1880	Phoenix Foundry	Canadian Red
T 94		T class (Steam)	1884	Phoenix Foundry	Two-tone green	Built as T 265. Renumbered as T 94 in 1924. Modified with flangeless wheels and coupled to W Class tender
Y 108		Y class (Steam)	1889	Phoenix Foundry	Two-tone green	Built as Y 395. Renumbered as Y 412 in 1924. Renumbered as Y 108 in 1951
E 369		E class (Steam)	1892	David Munro	Black	Built as E 494. Rebuilt as an 0-6-2T and renumbered as EE 494 in 1919. Renumbered as EE 369 in 1923. Renumbered as E 369 in 1931
E 236		E class (Steam)	1893	David Munro	Two-tone green	Built as E 506. Renumbered as E 236 in 1923
D4 268		D4 class (Steam)	1910	Newport Workshops	Canadian Red	Built as ${\displaystyle \mathrm {D_{E}^{D}} }$ 790. Renumbered ${\displaystyle \mathrm {D_{E}^{D}} }$ 268 in 1923. Renumbered as D4 369
D2 604		D2 class (Steam)	1912	Beyer, Peacock and Company	Canadian Red with blue lining	Built as DD 557. Renumbered DD 580 in 1925. Renumbered DD 795 in 1926. Renumbered D2 795 in 1929. Renumbered D2 604 in 1951
D3 635		D3 class (Steam)	1912	Baldwin Locomotive Works	Black with red lining	built as DD 597. Renumbered D1 597 in 1930. Renumbered D3 635 in 1939
A2 884		A2 class (Steam)	1913	Newport Workshops	Canadian Red	Built as A2 848. Renumbered A2 884 in 1929. Last remaining example of original 125 A2 locomotives built with Stephenson valve gear
A2 995		A2 class (Steam)	1916	Newport Workshops	Canadian Red	Example of later 60 A2 locomotives built with Walschaerts valve gear
C 10		C class (Steam)	1922	Newport Workshops	Black
X 36 / Gerald A Dee		X class (Steam)	1929	Newport Workshops	Black
H 220 / Heavy Harry		H class (Steam)	1941	Newport Workshops	Black
K 165		K class (Steam)	1941	Newport Workshops	Black
N 432		N class (Steam)	1951	Newport Workshops	Jubilee Train - Green and gold	Last steam locomotive built by VR's Newport Workshops. Its green and gold livery was applied to N 430 for the 1951 Centenary-Jubilee train
R 704		R class (Steam)	1952	North British Locomotive Company	Black with red lining	Was displayed at the Festival of Britain in 1951 and retained its commemorative plaques
J 556		J class (Steam)	1954	Vulcan Foundry	Black with red lining	Wears the historically significant plates of scrapped J559, the last steam locomotive to enter service on the VR

Diesel locomotives

Number / Name	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
F 216 / SEC 2		F class (Diesel-electric)	1952	Dick, Kerr & Co.	SEC green	Renumbered back to SEC 2
F 211 / Little Trimmer		F class (Diesel-electric)	1953	Dick, Kerr & Co.	V/Line Orange & Grey	Was SEC 3
B 83		B class (Diesel-electric)	1953	Clyde Engineering	VR Blue and gold
S 308		S class (Diesel-electric)	1958	Clyde Engineering	V/Line Orange & Grey
V 56		V class (Diesel-hydraulic)	1959	Newport Workshops	The Met (Trefoil logo)
W 243		W class (Diesel-hydraulic)	1960	Tulloch Limited	VR Blue and gold
W 255		W class (Diesel-hydraulic)	1960	Tulloch Limited	VR Blue and gold
T 367		T class (Diesel-electric)	1964	Clyde Engineering	V/Line Orange & Grey
Y 137		Y class (Diesel-electric)	1965	Clyde Engineering	V/Line Orange & Grey

Electric rollingstock

Number / Name	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
8M		Swing Door motor	1888	Newport Workshops	Heritage red
E 1102		E class (electric)	1928	Newport Workshops	Black
L 1150 / R G Wishart		L class (electric)	1953	English Electric	VR Blue and gold
795M		Harris motor	1968	Newport Workshops	VR Blue and gold
187M		Hitachi motor	1980	Martin & King	Steel
903M		Refurbished Harris motor	1983	Comeng	The Met (Trefoil logo)	Converted from Harris 744M

Passenger carriages

Number / Name	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
136 AB		AB 1st / 2nd Class	c.1886		Red	Body only, resting on a steel frame
11 AA		AA 1st Class	1880	Wright & Edwards	Red	Display car
Norman		Inspection Car	1890	Newport Workshops	Red	Display car
Torrens		Sleeping Car	1907	Newport Workshops	Overland - Dark green
Wimmera		Medical & Vision Test Car	1908	Newport Workshops	VR Blue and gold
VRS 231 / Mitta Mitta		VRS Refreshment Car	1939	Newport Workshops	V/Line Mk II	Birthday car

Vans

Number	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
ZL 220		ZL Guards Van (Long Shank)	1875		Red	Built as D 45. Renumbered as Z 45 in c.1910. Renumbered as Z 220 in 1954. Renumbered as ZL 220 in 1960
ZLP 25		ZLP Freight / Pass Van	1962	Newport Workshops	Red	Built as ZF 25. Renumbered as ZLP 25 in 1965
VVEY 1		VVEY Modular Cabin Van	1980	Newport Workshops	White	Built as ZMF 1. Renumbered VVEY 1 in 1983. Body on ground
VVEY 10		VVEY Modular Cabin Van	1982	Newport Workshops	White	Built as ZMF 10. Renumbered VVEY 10. Body on ground

Freight wagons

Number	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
IB 5452		IB Open Wagon	1890	Lennon, H., Spottiswoode	Red	Built as I 5452. Renumbered as IB 5452 in c.1929. Renumbered as HD 5452 in c.1960. Renumbered as IB 5452 in c.1968
H 925		H Fixed Wheel Produce Van	1893	Newport Workshops	Red
H 958		H Fixed Wheel Produce Van	1897	Newport Workshops	Red
KR 169		KR Rail Transporter	1905		Red	Built as I 7460. Renumbered as IA 7460 in c.1935. Renumbered as KR 169 in 1959
UB 56		UB Louvre Van	1916	Newport Workshops	Red	Built as U 855. Renumbered as UB 56 in 1934. Renumbered as VLAA 56 in 1981
KR 307		KR Rail Transporter	1917	Newport Workshops	Red	Built as I 14911. Renumbered as KR 307 in 1968
No. 15 Oil Tank		OT Oil Tank	1924	Newport Workshops	BP - Black with yellow stripe
RY 600		RY Open Wagon	1931	Newport Workshops	Red	Built as IZ 600. Renumbered as RY 600 in 1965
VLBY 114		VLBY Louvre Van	1954	Newport Workshops	VR Red	Built as VP 114. Renumbered as VLPY 114 in 1980. Renumbered as VLBY 114 in 1983
VLX 334		1964 - VLX Louvre Van	1966	Newport Workshops	Red	Built as VLX 334. Renumbered VLCX 334 in 1979
HZL 211		HZL Loco Bogie Transport			Red

Other items

Number	Image	Type	Year built	Builder	Livery	Notes
RT 1		Rail Tractor	1932	Newport Workshops	Red
		Ex Geelong Loco Hand Crane
No 2 Steam Crane		Steam crane			Black
No 19 Steam Crane		Steam crane			Black
No 19 Crane Tender		Crane tender			Red
No 36 Steam Crane		Steam crane			Black
No 73 Hand Crane		Hand crane			Green, yellow and black
SEC 37		SEC electric loco
Coal Hopper 637		SEC coal hopper			White and yellow
Mary the Match Truck		Wagon			Red
		Postal motor trolley			Yellow
		Way & works trollies			Yellow	2 trollies
		Cordite trucks			Yellow	2 trucks

Gallery

• 
  X36
• 
  N432
• 
  C10
• 
  H220 with A²884
• 
  A²995
• 
  J556
• 
  Railway artefacts
• 
  Harris-type suburban car
• 
  Modified Harris suburban car ("Grey Ghost")
• 
  V56
• 
  B83

References

1. "Museum - About Us". Australian Railways Historical Society - Victorian Division. Archived from the original on 22 July 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
2. "Museum Closure". Australian Railway Historical Society Victorian Division. Australian Railway Historical Society. 2010. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
3. "Newport Railway Museum". Newsrail . 48 (7): 224. July 2020.
4. "Facebook - Newport Railway Museum". Facebook . 16 June 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
5. "New roof to protect Victoria's historic rail assets". Newsrail. 44 (11): 346. November 2016.
6. "Wild about Heavy Harry". Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay Star Weekly. 15 May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
7. "H220 Heavy Harry finally protected from the elements". Newsrail . 48 (11): 365. November 2020.
8. Pittorino, Jennifer (21 September 2023). "Railway museum works underway". Star Weekly. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
9. "Tourist and heritage rail". Newsrail . 51 (11): 403. November 2023.
10. "Australian Railway Historical Society Museum". Only Melbourne. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
11. "Newport Railway Museum". Newport Railway Museum Inc. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
12. "Visiting The Museum". Australian Railway Historical Society. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.

External links

Media related to Newport Railway Museum at Wikimedia Commons