The Victorian Railways F class locomotives were built in 1874 (the pattern engine), 1876–77 and 1879–80 by Beyer, Peacock & Company and the

Phoenix Foundry The Phoenix Foundry was a company that built steam locomotives and other industrial machinery in the city of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Over 30 years they built 352 locomotives for the Victorian Railways, of 38 different designs. History ...

in Ballarat as 2-4-0 tender locomotives. They were normally used on passenger trains. In 1911 the

Victorian Railways 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 companie ...

decided to convert seven of them into "motor" locomotives. These became 2-4-2 tanks. They kept their numbers 172–184 (evens only). The unrebuilt tender engines were taken off register between 1916 and 1922. The "motors" were taken off register between 1920 and 1929. One of the class, number 176, survived after being sold to

Sunshine Harvester Works The Sunshine Harvester works, was an Australian factory making agricultural equipment founded by industrialist H. V. McKay, and with engineering development headed by H.B. Garde. History Early years Having established an agricultural impl ...

in 1920, where it stayed there shunting until 1961. It was then donated to the

Newport Railway Museum 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 alloca ...

in North Williamstown and is now the oldest surviving Victorian Railway locomotive, being built in 1880.

External links

Victorian Preserved Steam Locomotives
detailed information about all surviving ex-VR steam locos.
Diagram of 2-4-0 F class locomotive

Diagram of 2-4-2T F class locomotive

Picture of F 172

Pattern engine 98

F 182

References

F class Broad gauge locomotives in Australia 2-4-0 locomotives 2-4-2T locomotives {{VictoriaAU-rail-transport-stub