Victorian Railways E class

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Victorian Railways E class
Kitson locomotive 'Tasmania. Later Victorian Railways E426.jpg
Builders photo of Tasmania, 1888
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerEdward Alexander Jeffreys
BuilderKitson & Company, David Munro & Co, Phoenix Foundry
Build date1888-1894
Total produced71 (E 2-4-2T) + 5 (EE 0-6-2T)
RebuilderVictorian Railways, Newport Workshops
Rebuild date1898-1923
Number rebuilt24
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 •  Whyte 2-4-2 T (71) & 0-6-2 T (5), later 24x 2-4-2 converted to 0-6-2.
Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
Driver dia.5 ft 0 in (1,524 mm)
Wheelbase:​
 • Engine20' 10" (E 2-4-2) 20' 7" (EE 0-6-2)
 • Coupled6' 8" (E 2-4-2) 14' "2 (EE 0-6-2)
Length33 ft 8 in (10.26 m)
Height12 ft 9+1⁄2 in (3,898.9 mm)
Axle load 16 long tons 8 cwt (36,700 lb or 16.7 t) ​
 • Coupled16 long tons 8 cwt (36,700 lb or 16.7 t)
Loco weight2-4-2: 53 long tons 8 cwt (119,600 lb or 54.29 tonnes) 0-6-2: 55 long tons 0cwt (110,000 lb or 55.88 tonnes)
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity2 long tons 10 cwt (5,600 lb or 2.5 t)
Water cap.1,600 imp gal (1,900 US gal; 7,300 L)
Boiler pressure2-4-2: 100 lb per sq in (later 160 lb per sq in) 0-6-2: 140 to 170 lb per sq in (depending on the engine)
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox83.50 sq ft (later 83.40 sq ft)
 • Total surface1,054.50 sq ft (later 1,072.08 sq ft)
Career
OperatorsVictorian Railways, South Australian Railways
Numbers426 (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)
Delivered1888
First run1889
Last run1970
PreservedE369, E371, Unclassed 236
Scrapped1915-1967
Current ownerVicTrack Heritage, Victorian Goldfields Railway.
Disposition1 original E class and 2 EE class preserved, remainder scrapped

The E class was a class of suburban tank steam locomotive that ran on Australia's Victorian Railways (VR).

Contents

History

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 Jeffreys, who designed 5 classes of locomotive for Victorian Railways, all using standard parts. These would become 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.

After the design for Jeffreys' 2-4-2T design was finalised by VR, a contract was awarded to the Phoenix Foundry of Ballarat for construction of 45 locomotives, while an example was built by Kitson & Co of Leeds in 1888 for the Melbourne Centennial Exhibitions at the Royal Exhibitions Building, built to Jeffreys' original design without the local changes done by VR. The engine, named Tasmania , was displayed alongside an example of Jeffery’s 0-6-0 goods engine design (later Y class) named Victoria , also built by Kitson. In 1889, Tasmania entered service as E426.

Although considered to be a prototype due to it being the first E class delivered, Tasmania did not serve as the pattern engine of the class, as the Phoenix Foundry examples were already ordered by the time it was built. [1]

In April 1890, Victorian Railways awarded another contract to David Munro & Company of South Melbourne. They would finish their first locomotive in 1892 and built more locomotives until the last one was completed in 1894.

Seventy engines were eventually built locally. They were numbered 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). [2]

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. [2]

E426 (the Kitson locomotive) 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. [2] 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. [2]

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. [2]

Class table

BuilderNo.TypeOn registerEConvertRenumberNew EE no.Reclass as ESold to SARNew M no.Off registerNotes
Kitson30882-4-2T18894261915Pattern engine
Phoenix2512-4-2T18893461920Damaged in accident 1891. Phoenix No.252 was not of this class.
Phoenix2532-4-2T18893481923192338019291959
Phoenix2542-4-2T18893501920256
Phoenix2552-4-2T18893521920262
Phoenix2562-4-2T18903541924
Phoenix2572-4-2T18903561917
Phoenix2582-4-2T18903581924
Phoenix2592-4-2T18903601924
Phoenix2602-4-2T18903621922-36219311954
Phoenix2612-4-2T18903641922-364Unknown [2] 1955Collision with engine M 316, 1903
Phoenix2622-4-2T18903661921267
Phoenix2632-4-2T18903681924Accident 1890, derailed 1900, collision 1902
Phoenix2642-4-2T18903701922-37019291959
Phoenix2652-4-2T18903721920257Fitted with Gibson patented link-motion 1893; in Richmond 1908 accident
Phoenix2662-4-2T18903741921-37419301961At Ararat 1915-1916; first engine (with E386) painted red and chocolate livery in 1903.
Phoenix2672-4-2T18903761921-37619301955
Phoenix2682-4-2T18903781922-378Unknown [2] 1951
Phoenix2692-4-2T18903801921268
Phoenix2702-4-2T18903821920
Phoenix2712-4-2T18903841921269
Phoenix2722-4-2T18903861921270First engine (with E374) painted red and chocolate livery in 1903.
Phoenix2732-4-2T18903881924
Phoenix2742-4-2T1890390Unknown [2] -390Unknown</ref>1955Assume upgraded, else it would have been renumbered 237-245 range?
Phoenix2752-4-2T18903921920
Phoenix2762-4-2T18903941924
Phoenix2902-4-2T1892121924
Phoenix2912-4-2T1892341921192535019291953
Phoenix2922-4-2T1892361921266
Phoenix2932-4-2T18924281922192535119291954
Phoenix2942-4-2T18924301921271
Phoenix2952-4-2T18924321924
Phoenix2962-4-2T18924341920258
Phoenix2972-4-2T189243619231923377Unknown [2] 1962
Phoenix2982-4-2T18934381923192338119291954Casualty at Jolimont 1901 with E 494
Phoenix2992-4-2T18934401920263
Phoenix3002-4-2T18934421924Ran off end of siding, Hawthorn, 1899
Phoenix3012-4-2T18934441924
Phoenix3022-4-2T18934461920264
Phoenix3032-4-2T18934481924
Phoenix3042-4-2T18934501920
Phoenix3052-4-2T18934521920259
Phoenix3062-4-2T18934541920192335219311954
Phoenix3072-4-2T18934561921272
Phoenix3082-4-2T18934581921273
Phoenix3092-4-2T18934601917
Phoenix3100-6-2T1893462As built19233531929195417in cylinders from new.
Phoenix3110-6-2T1893464As built19233551929195617in cylinders from new.
Phoenix3120-6-2T1893466As built19233561929195417in cylinders from new.
Phoenix3130-6-2T1893468As built19233571929196017in cylinders from new. Ran into North Melbourne Depot turntable pit
Phoenix3140-6-2T1893470As built19233591929193717in cylinders from new.
Munro012-4-2T18924721924
Munro022-4-2T18924741924Ran through South Yarra floods 1907
Munro032-4-2T18924761924
Munro042-4-2T18924781907192336119291954EE upgrade used 18in cylinders. Ran off end of siding at Ringwood and overturned, 1908
Munro052-4-2T18924801924Fitted with Gibson patented link-motion 1893
Munro062-4-2T189248218981924363Unknown [2] 1955EE upgrade used 17in cylinders; 18in cylinders fitted in 1929. Collision with engine R 324, 1927
Munro072-4-2T18924841921192436519301954
Munro082-4-2T189248619201924366Unknown [2] 1956
Munro092-4-2T18924881924Damaged in Newport Yards 1896
Munro102-4-2T189249019061923367Unknown [2] 1956EE upgrade used 18in cylinders.
Munro112-4-2T18924921921274
Munro122-4-2T18924941919192336919311962 (Preserved)EE upgrade used 17in cylinders. Accident with E 438 at Jolimont 1901 and Richmond 1908
Munro132-4-2T18924961898192337119291963 (Preserved)EE upgrade used 17in cylinders; 18in cylinders fitted in 1929.
Munro142-4-2T18934981920192537219311959
Munro152-4-2T18935001920Accident at Spencer Street Station 1910
Munro162-4-2T18935021924
Munro172-4-2T18935041920260
Munro182-4-2T18935061954 (Preserved)Renumbered 236 (unclassed) in 1923
Munro192-4-2T18935081920265
Munro202-4-2T18935101922192437319291956Broken connecting rod pierced boiler, 1899
Munro212-4-2T18935121924
Munro222-4-2T18945141923192337919311962Hauled royal train from Port Melbourne, 1901
Munro232-4-2T18945161920261
Munro242-4-2T189451819201922375Unknown [2] 1955
Munro252-4-2T18945201921275

Retirements and preservation

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 continuing 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 1954. The locomotive had been selected by V.R for display at Spencer Street Station to mark the 100th anniversary of Victoria's railways as it was in good enough condition and unaltered from its original form, ultimately sparing it from immediate scrapping. The engine was restored and displayed from the 11th to the 25th of September, 1954. [3] It was then stored at Newport Workshops and later allocated to the newly established ARHS Railway Museum in Newport as one of its first display pieces, where it resides today.

E369 and E377 were written off the register in February 1962, but were kept operational at Newport Workshops to act as yard pilots, which left only E371 to be the last 0-6-2T to be on the register, continuing until being written off in November 1963. E371 was moved to Newport Workshops for storage but returned to operation in 1967 to replace E377, which was poor condition. E377 was later scrapped, leaving only E369 and E371. Both continued to work as yard pilots at Newport Workshops until they were finally retired sometime in 1970.

E369 was placed into storage at Newport awaiting scrapping, but it avoided being broken up. In April 1972, E369 and L1157 were towed by R707 to Spencer Street Station for display purposes. Following this, E369 was once again placed into storage at Newport, but was rescued for preservation in 1973 with efforts of Gerald Dee. E369 now resides at the ARHS's Museum alongside 236.

E371 was also moved into storage at Newport Workshops and remained until the 1980s when it was bought by the Castlemaine & Maldon Railway Group. It would be transferred to Spotswood so it could be dismantled for future restoration. It was eventually found out that the locomotive had sustained significant damage to parts of its frames and boiler, which was considered too costly to repair at the time. Therefore, E371 was reassembled sometime in the 1990s and transferred to Maldon Railway Station for display.[ original research? ]

References

  1. ↑ Newsrail April 2024 Volume 52-Number 4. ISSN   0310-7477.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Cave, N.; Buckland, J.; Beardsell, D. (2002). Steam Locomotives of the Victorian Railways. Vol. 1: The First 50 Years. Australian Railway Historical Society, Victorian Division. pp. 150–158. ISBN   1876677384.
  3. ↑ Newsrail April 2023 Volume 51-Number 4. ISSN   0310-7477.
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