 H220 in October 2006 | |
 | |
| Established | 10 November 1962 |
|---|---|
| Location | 26 Champion Road, Newport, Victoria |
| Coordinates | 37°51′22″S144°53′12″E / 37.85611°S 144.88667°E |
| Type | Railway museum |
| Website | Official Site |
The Newport Railway Museum is located on Champion Road, Newport, Victoria, near the North Williamstown station.
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On 16 June 2020, it was announced that the ARHS had withdrawn from the operation of the museum and a new group, Newport Railway Museum Inc., formed by museum volunteers, had entered into an arrangement with VicTrack to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]
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; [4] 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. [5] A 1,112 m2 (11,970 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. [6]
The museum's regular opening hours are between 12 noon and 5 pm on Saturdays. [7] During school holiday periods, the museum opens on both Saturdays and Sundays, between 12 noon and 5 pm. [8]
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: [9]
| Number | Image | Type | Year built | Builder | Livery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F 176 |  | F class (Steam) | 1880 | Phoenix Foundry | Canadian Pacific 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. 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 | Maroon | Built as 790. Renumbered 268 in 1923. Renumbered as D4 369 |
| D2 604 |  | D2 class (Steam) | 1912 | Beyer, Peacock and Company | Maroon 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 | Maroon with blue lining | Built as A2 848. Renumbered A2 884 in 1929 |
| A2 995 |  | A2 class (Steam) | 1916 | Newport Workshops | Maroon | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Number / Name | Image | Type | Year built | Builder | Livery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 136 AB |  | AB 1st / 2nd Class | c.1886 | Red | Body on ground | |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
Rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. The network consists of 2,357 km of Victorian broad gauge lines, and 1,912 km of standard gauge freight and interstate lines; the latter increasing with gauge conversion of the former. Historically, a few experimental 762 mm gauge lines were built, along with various private logging, mining and industrial railways. The rail network radiates from the state capital, Melbourne, with main interstate links to Sydney and to Adelaide, as well as major lines running to regional centres, upgraded as part of the Regional Fast Rail project.
Williamstown North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km (6.8 mi) south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Hobsons Bay local government area. Williamstown North recorded a population of 1,622 at the 2021 census.
The Overland is an Australian passenger train service between the state capitals of Melbourne and Adelaide, a distance of 828 km (515 mi). It first ran in 1887 as the Adelaide Express, known by South Australians as the Melbourne Express. It was given its current name in 1936. Now operated by private company Journey Beyond, the train undertakes two return trips a week. Originally an overnight train that stopped at large intermediate stations, it now operates during the day, stopping less frequently.
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 first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations. Most of the lines operated by the Victorian Railways were of 5 ft 3 in. However, the railways also operated up to five 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge lines between 1898 and 1962, and a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 instandard gauge line between Albury and Melbourne from 1961.
The South Gippsland railway line is a partially closed railway line in Victoria, Australia. It was first opened in 1892, branching from the Orbost line at Dandenong, and extending to Port Albert. Much of it remained open until December 1994. Today, only the section between Dandenong and Cranbourne remains open for use. The section of the line from Nyora to Leongatha was used by the South Gippsland Tourist Railway until it ceased operations in 2016. The section from Nyora to Welshpool, with extension trail to Port Welshpool and a portion of the former line at Koo Wee Rup, have been converted into the Great Southern Rail Trail.
The Spirit of Progress was the premier express passenger train on the Victorian Railways in Australia, running from Melbourne to the New South Wales border at Albury, and later through to Sydney.
The Victorian Railways X class was a mainline goods locomotive of the 2-8-2 'Mikado' type operated by the Victorian Railways (VR) between 1929 and 1960. They were the most powerful goods locomotive on the VR, aside from the single H class, H220, which was confined to the North East line, until the advent of diesel-electric traction, and operated over the key Bendigo, Wodonga, and Gippsland mainlines.
The N class was a branch line steam locomotive that ran on the Victorian Railways (VR) from 1925 to 1966. A development of the successful K class 2-8-0, it was the first VR locomotive class designed for possible conversion from 5 ft 3 in to 4 ft 8+1⁄2 instandard gauge.
The Victorian Railways H class was an express passenger steam locomotive operated by the Victorian Railways from 1941 to 1958. Intended to eliminate the use of double heading A2 class locomotives on The Overland services on the steeply graded Western line to Adelaide, wartime restrictions led to only one locomotive being built. Nicknamed Heavy Harry, H220 was the largest locomotive ever built in Australia and the largest non-articulated steam locomotive to run on Australian railways.
The DD class (later reclassified into D1, D2 and D3 subclasses) was a passenger and mixed traffic steam locomotive that ran on Victorian Railways from 1902 to 1974. Originally introduced on mainline express passenger services, they were quickly superseded by the much larger A2 class and were relegated to secondary and branch line passenger and goods service, where they gave excellent service for the next fifty years. The DD design was adapted into a 4-6-2T tank locomotive for suburban passenger use, the DDE (later D4) class. They were the most numerous locomotive class on the VR, with a total of 261 DD and 58 locomotives built.
The Victorian Railways L class was a class of electric locomotives built by English Electric and operated by the Victorian Railways and later V/Line from 1953 until 1987 primarily on the Gippsland line. They were the only class of main line electric locomotive operated in Victoria.
The Tait trains were a wooden bodied Electric Multiple Unit train that operated on the suburban railway network of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They were introduced in 1910 by the Victorian Railways as steam locomotive hauled cars, and converted to electric traction from 1919 when the Melbourne electrification project was underway. The trains derived their name from Sir Thomas James Tait, the chairman of commissioners of the Victorian Railways from 1903 to 1910. The first cars were built during 1909 with the last entering service in 1952.
The A class are a class of diesel locomotives rebuilt from Victorian Railways B class locomotives by Clyde Engineering, Rosewater in South Australia for V/Line in 1984–1985.
The Newport Railway Workshops is a facility in the Melbourne suburb of Newport, Australia, that builds, maintains and refurbishes railway rollingstock. It is located between the Williamstown and Werribee railway lines.
Operation Phoenix was a post-World War II rehabilitation program carried out by the Victorian Railways (VR) in Australia. The program commenced in 1950 and was originally planned to take 10 years and cost £80 million pounds. Operation Phoenix was named after the bird from Egyptian mythology.
Jolimont Workshops was a railway workshop operated by the Victorian Railways beside Jolimont Yard, near the Melbourne CBD, Australia. Opened in 1917 and dedicated to the maintenance and repair of electric multiple units and locomotives, it was the first part of the yard to be closed and relocated, with demolition completed in 1994. The site is now part of the Melbourne Park tennis complex.
The Canberra Railway Museum is located at Kingston in the Australian Capital Territory next to Canberra railway station on the Bombala railway line. Since May 2018, Canberra Railway Museum has been the trading name of a not-for-profit company, Capital Region Heritage Rail Limited, established to run the museum, while ACT Heritage Rail Holdings Limited is the company responsible for safeguarding the heritage assets of the museum.
The South Australian Railways Model Brill railcar were two types of railcars operated by the South Australian Railways between 1925 and 1971. Introduced to run on country rail services, the "Barwell Bulls" serviced most of the state's railway lines until they were eventually replaced by both the Bluebird and Redhen railcars, with the last units withdrawn in 1971.
Media related to Newport Railway Museum at Wikimedia Commons
