Wikipedia

Newport Railway Museum

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

Newport Railway Museum
Steam locomotive E 236 and electric suburban carriage 8M on display at the museum
Map
Established10 November 1962
Location26 Champion Road, Newport, Victoria
Coordinates37°51′22″S 144°53′12″E / 37.85611°S 144.88667°E / -37.85611; 144.88667
TypeRailway museum
WebsiteOfficial Site

History

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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On 16 June 2020, it was announced that the ARHS had withdrawn from the operation of the museum and a new group, Newport Railway Museum Inc., formed by museum volunteers, had entered into an arrangement with VicTrack to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]

Site improvements

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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;[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 1,134 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.[6]
  • 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.[7][8]

Opening hours

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The museum's regular opening hours are between 12 noon and 5 pm on Saturdays.[9] During school holiday periods, the museum opens on both Saturdays and Sundays, between 12 noon and 5 pm.[10]

Collection

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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:[11]

  • 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

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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   790. Renumbered   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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

References

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