Victorian Railways N class
Encyclopedia
The N class was a branch line
steam locomotive
that ran on Victorian Railways
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 (1600 mm) broad gauge
to 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) standard gauge
.
from broad to standard gauge. The rationale was that the task of converting VR from broad to standard gauge at a future date would be far easier to achieve if the existing locomotives and rolling stock could be easily modified for standard gauge operation, rather than requiring expensive re-engineering or replacement.
The K class 2-8-0 built by VR in 1922-23 was a success, but with a firebox mounted between frames engineered for broad gauge operation only, it was not readily gauge-convertible. Thus when additional branch line locomotives were required, the VR produced a 2-8-2
'Mikado' variant of the K, the first 2-8-2
tender engine in Australia. It retained the same wheels, cylinders, motion, and much of the frame of the K, but featured a longer boiler with a wider, larger grate, mounted above the frames and supported by a trailing truck. This enabled possible gauge conversion without radical re-engineering of the frames and grate.
Despite these design features, no N class locomotive ever ran on standard gauge. By the time the standard gauge Albury
to Melbourne
mainline opened alongside the existing broad gauge line in 1962, steam locomotives were rapidly being withdrawn from service. Large scale standardisation of Australia's broad gauge rail network did not get underway until 1995, nearly thirty years after the withdrawal of the N class.
between 1925 and 1928. A second batch of ten locomotives followed in 1930-1931. They went into service with road numbers N 110-139.
A third batch of fifty locomotives were later built by North British Locomotive Company
in 1949-1950 as part of 'Operation Phoenix
', the postwar rebuilding of Victorian Railways. A fourth batch of twenty N class of a modified design were also ordered from Newport Workshops. The class at this time was renumbered, with numbers 400-429 assigned to the pre-war Newport locomotives, 450-499 assigned to the North British locomotives, and 430-449 reserved for the postwar Newport locomotives. However, production of the fourth batch ceased in 1951 after just three had been built, as VR opted to order more of a new design of 2-8-0 branch line locomotive, the J class
. VR also decided to sell ten of the North British-built N class locomotives (N's 461, 465, 471, 474, 477, 485, 490, 491, 494, and 495) to South Australian Railways
, which was experiencing a motive power shortage, where they became that system's '750 class'. Many of these locomotives had only run a few days in VR service before being transferred to the SAR.
Thus although a total of 83 N class locomotives were built, only 73 were in actual VR service for any substantial period of time.
almost as light as that of the K, and as such was able to traverse much of VR's "light lines" network built with 60 lb
/yd rail. It was however more limited in area of operation than the K, as its wheelbase
was too long for the 50 and 53 feet (16.2 m) turntables
used on many branch lines.
Notwithstanding the limitation of their longer wheelbase
, they were nevertheless widely used on both branch line and main line goods services. Later in their life, N class locomotives were a common sight assisting other locomotives on heavy wheat trains heading for the ports of Geelong
or Portland
, or shunting in yards such as Ararat
.
A later highlight in the operating life of the class was the assignment of Newport-built N 430 for hauling the special "Centenary-Jubilee Train" in 1951, marking the centenary of the establishment of the Colony of Victoria and the jubilee of the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia. This special train, containing valuable artworks and manuscripts from the National Gallery of Victoria
as well as Commonwealth and Victorian Government displays, consisted of N 430 plus eleven coaches and a van painted in a special green and gold livery. It travelled 6000 miles (9,656 km) throughout Victoria from 1 February to 30 June 1951, visiting 168 stations and attracting 548,000 persons to inspect its onboard exhibits.
The ten N class locomotives sold to the SAR saw service on lightly built lines branching from Tailem Bend
, however they were apparently unpopular with crews due to their cab design being more cramped than other SAR locomotives.
Interestingly, the SAR 750 class was apparently permitted to run speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h), whereas VR limited the N class to a maximum 50 mph (80 km/h).
In 1927, class leader N 110 was equipped with a two cylinder Franklin booster engine
which drove the trailing truck axle. Based on the success of this device, VR built all but two of the much larger X class
2-8-2
s with booster engines. VR also modified the design of the Delta trailing truck on the second (1930-31 built) batch of N class locomotives to enable easy retrofitting of booster engines. Despite this, no further boosters were ever fitted, and in 1945, N 110's booster was removed and fitted to one of the two non-booster equipped X class locomotives.
In 1936, class leader N 110 was again selected to test new features, this time a series of design changes for improved drafting and reduced cylinder back pressure referred to as 'Modified Front End' which had already been successfully applied to the Victorian Railways C class
locomotive. N 110's performance was dramatically improved, and all the original thirty N class locomotives were similarly equipped. The most visible change resulting from these enhancements was that their original cast iron funnels were replaced by a less ornate "flowerpot" funnel. They also saw other improvements during this period, such as the fitting of cross-compound air compressors and smoke deflectors.
The postwar N class locomotives had a revised boiler design featuring a combustion chamber
firebox and thermic syphon
s. The final batch of three Newport-built locomotives had a further evolution of the design, with German "Witte"-style smoke deflectors, and boxpok
wheels.
With industrial action in the late 1940s threatening black coal
supplies, the VR began to convert the class to burn fuel oil
commencing with N 460 in September 1951. However, only 36 conversions were completed before the program was cancelled in 1956 amidst the arrival of large numbers of diesel electric locomotives.
(EMD G8
) diesel electric locomotive from 1955 onwards on VR's branch line network spelt the beginning of the end for the N class, gradually being retired as successive orders of Ts were delivered throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s. Many were put into storage, used only for seasonal grain traffic.
In December 1958, the original class leader N 110 (later renumbered N 419) was the first N to be scrapped. While most of the class remained into the 1960s, wholesale withdrawals during 1965 and 1966 wiped out their numbers. The end for the N class came on 8 October 1966, when N 468 and N 475 hauled an Australian Railway Historical Society
special passenger train, the final run of the class.
Over the border in South Australia, the new 830 class
diesel electrics (ALCO DL531
) began to displace branch line steam power. Most of the 750 class was withdrawn by 1962, with locomotive 752 steaming for the last time in November 1964.
Despite the relatively large number of N class locomotives built, all but one of the 73 locomotives remaining on the VR after 1951 were scrapped.
N 432, the last of the group of three N locomotives built by Newport Workshops in 1951, was withdrawn from service in 1966 after a service life of just 211303 miles (340,058.4 km). It is preserved at the ARHS
Railway Museum in North Williamstown, Victoria. As well as its historical value as the only remaining N class locomotive, N 432 is also notable for being the last steam locomotive built by VR's Newport Workshops.
In addition to N 432, one of the ten North British Locomotive Co. built locomotives sold to the SAR also remains. No. 752 (originally VR's N 477), withdrawn after a service life of 262593 miles (422,601.4 km) is today preserved at the National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide, South Australia.
The preservation group '707 Operations' Inc. is engaged in a project to construct a Victorian Railways N class at the former Victorian Railways Newport Workshops. A feasibility study has been conducted for the N441 - Steam Locomotive Project
to investigate the viability of converting a K class frame into that of a 1st series Victorian Railways N class, using locomotive K 154's frames and wheels together with one of the remaining spare N class boilers, and constructing a trailing axle with components salvaged from a Victorian Railways X class
.
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
that ran on Victorian Railways
Victorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways 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...
from 1925 to 1966. A development of the successful K class
Victorian Railways K class
The K class was a branch line steam locomotive that ran on Victorian Railways from 1922 to 1979. Although its design was entirely conventional and its specifications unremarkable, the K class was in practice a remarkably versatile and dependable locomotive...
2-8-0
2-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels...
, it was the first VR locomotive class designed for possible conversion from 5 ft 3 in (1600 mm) broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
to 4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
.
History
In 1923, in response to the recommendations made by the 1921 Royal Commission on the matter of uniform railway gauge, VR announced a policy that all new locomotive designs were to be capable of conversionGauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
from broad to standard gauge. The rationale was that the task of converting VR from broad to standard gauge at a future date would be far easier to achieve if the existing locomotives and rolling stock could be easily modified for standard gauge operation, rather than requiring expensive re-engineering or replacement.
The K class 2-8-0 built by VR in 1922-23 was a success, but with a firebox mounted between frames engineered for broad gauge operation only, it was not readily gauge-convertible. Thus when additional branch line locomotives were required, the VR produced a 2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
'Mikado' variant of the K, the first 2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
tender engine in Australia. It retained the same wheels, cylinders, motion, and much of the frame of the K, but featured a longer boiler with a wider, larger grate, mounted above the frames and supported by a trailing truck. This enabled possible gauge conversion without radical re-engineering of the frames and grate.
Despite these design features, no N class locomotive ever ran on standard gauge. By the time the standard gauge Albury
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
mainline opened alongside the existing broad gauge line in 1962, steam locomotives were rapidly being withdrawn from service. Large scale standardisation of Australia's broad gauge rail network did not get underway until 1995, nearly thirty years after the withdrawal of the N class.
Production
Twenty N class locomotives were built by VR's Newport WorkshopsNewport Railway Workshops
The Newport Railway Workshops is a facility in the Melbourne suburb of Newport, Victoria, Australia, that builds, maintains and refurbishes railway rollingstock. It is located between the Williamstown and Werribee railway lines.-History:...
between 1925 and 1928. A second batch of ten locomotives followed in 1930-1931. They went into service with road numbers N 110-139.
A third batch of fifty locomotives were later built by North British Locomotive Company
North British Locomotive Company
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp Stewart and Company , Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company , creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe.Its main factories were...
in 1949-1950 as part of 'Operation Phoenix
Operation Phoenix (railway)
Operation Phoenix was a post World War II rehabilitation program carried out by the Victorian Railways in Australia. The program commenced in 1950 and was originally planned to take 10 years and cost £80 million pounds...
', the postwar rebuilding of Victorian Railways. A fourth batch of twenty N class of a modified design were also ordered from Newport Workshops. The class at this time was renumbered, with numbers 400-429 assigned to the pre-war Newport locomotives, 450-499 assigned to the North British locomotives, and 430-449 reserved for the postwar Newport locomotives. However, production of the fourth batch ceased in 1951 after just three had been built, as VR opted to order more of a new design of 2-8-0 branch line locomotive, the J class
Victorian Railways J class
The J class was a branch line steam locomotive that ran on Victorian Railways from 1954 to 1972. A development of the successful Victorian Railways K class 2-8-0, it was the last new class of steam locomotive introduced on the VR...
. VR also decided to sell ten of the North British-built N class locomotives (N's 461, 465, 471, 474, 477, 485, 490, 491, 494, and 495) to South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
, which was experiencing a motive power shortage, where they became that system's '750 class'. Many of these locomotives had only run a few days in VR service before being transferred to the SAR.
Thus although a total of 83 N class locomotives were built, only 73 were in actual VR service for any substantial period of time.
Regular Service
The N class had an axle loadAxle load
The axle load of a wheeled vehicle is the total weight felt by the roadway for all wheels connected to a given axle. Viewed another way, it is the fraction of total vehicle weight resting on a given axle...
almost as light as that of the K, and as such was able to traverse much of VR's "light lines" network built with 60 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
/yd rail. It was however more limited in area of operation than the K, as its wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
was too long for the 50 and 53 feet (16.2 m) turntables
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
used on many branch lines.
Notwithstanding the limitation of their longer wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
, they were nevertheless widely used on both branch line and main line goods services. Later in their life, N class locomotives were a common sight assisting other locomotives on heavy wheat trains heading for the ports of Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
or Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
, or shunting in yards such as Ararat
Ararat railway station, Victoria
Ararat railway station is a railway station located in the city of Ararat, Victoria, Australia. It is located where the Western standard gauge line intersects with the broad gauge Ararat line, and is also the junction for the Ararat - Maryborough line....
.
A later highlight in the operating life of the class was the assignment of Newport-built N 430 for hauling the special "Centenary-Jubilee Train" in 1951, marking the centenary of the establishment of the Colony of Victoria and the jubilee of the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia. This special train, containing valuable artworks and manuscripts from the National Gallery of Victoria
National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites...
as well as Commonwealth and Victorian Government displays, consisted of N 430 plus eleven coaches and a van painted in a special green and gold livery. It travelled 6000 miles (9,656 km) throughout Victoria from 1 February to 30 June 1951, visiting 168 stations and attracting 548,000 persons to inspect its onboard exhibits.
The ten N class locomotives sold to the SAR saw service on lightly built lines branching from Tailem Bend
Tailem Bend, South Australia
Tailem Bend is a town on the Murray River in South Australia. The town was proclaimed in 1887, the year after the main railway came through. At the 2006 census, Tailem Bend had a population of 1,457....
, however they were apparently unpopular with crews due to their cab design being more cramped than other SAR locomotives.
Interestingly, the SAR 750 class was apparently permitted to run speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h), whereas VR limited the N class to a maximum 50 mph (80 km/h).
Design improvements
Booster engine
A booster engine for steam locomotives is a small two-cylinder steam engine back-gear-connected to the trailing truck axle on the locomotive or, if none, the lead truck on the tender. A rocking idler gear permits it to be put into operation by the engineer...
which drove the trailing truck axle. Based on the success of this device, VR built all but two of the much larger X class
Victorian Railways X class
The X class was a mainline goods locomotive of the 2-8-2 'Mikado' type that ran on the Victorian Railways between 1929 and 1961. They were the most powerful goods locomotive on the VR until the advent of diesel-electric traction, and operated over the key Bendigo, Wodonga, and Gippsland...
2-8-2
2-8-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-8-2 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
s with booster engines. VR also modified the design of the Delta trailing truck on the second (1930-31 built) batch of N class locomotives to enable easy retrofitting of booster engines. Despite this, no further boosters were ever fitted, and in 1945, N 110's booster was removed and fitted to one of the two non-booster equipped X class locomotives.
In 1936, class leader N 110 was again selected to test new features, this time a series of design changes for improved drafting and reduced cylinder back pressure referred to as 'Modified Front End' which had already been successfully applied to the Victorian Railways C class
Victorian Railways C class
The C class was a mainline goods locomotive of the 2-8-0 'Consolidation' type that ran on the Victorian Railways between 1918 and 1962. Although its original design had some key shortcomings, a number of improvements were made over the class' long career on the VR, many of which were subsequently...
locomotive. N 110's performance was dramatically improved, and all the original thirty N class locomotives were similarly equipped. The most visible change resulting from these enhancements was that their original cast iron funnels were replaced by a less ornate "flowerpot" funnel. They also saw other improvements during this period, such as the fitting of cross-compound air compressors and smoke deflectors.
The postwar N class locomotives had a revised boiler design featuring a combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
firebox and thermic syphon
Thermic syphon
Thermic siphons are heat-exchanging elements in the firebox or combustion chamber of some steam boiler and steam locomotive designs. As they are directly exposed to the radiant heat of combustion, they have a high evaporative capacity relative to their size...
s. The final batch of three Newport-built locomotives had a further evolution of the design, with German "Witte"-style smoke deflectors, and boxpok
Boxpok
A Boxpok is a steam locomotive wheel that gains its strength through being made of a number of box sections rather than having traditional solid spokes . Being hollow, they allow better counterbalancing than conventional drivers, which is important for fast locomotives...
wheels.
With industrial action in the late 1940s threatening black coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
supplies, the VR began to convert the class to burn fuel oil
Fuel oil
Fuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
commencing with N 460 in September 1951. However, only 36 conversions were completed before the program was cancelled in 1956 amidst the arrival of large numbers of diesel electric locomotives.
Demise
The introduction of the T classVictorian Railways T class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways T class diesel electric locomotive are a small branch line and shunting unit built by Clyde Engineering . They were the most numerous class of diesel locomotives in the state....
(EMD G8
EMD G8
The EMD G8 was a General Motors-built diesel locomotive of which 382 were built between 1954 and 1965 for both export and domestic use. They were built by both Electro-Motive Division in the United States and by General Motors Diesel Division in Canada for use in ten countries, being equipped to...
) diesel electric locomotive from 1955 onwards on VR's branch line network spelt the beginning of the end for the N class, gradually being retired as successive orders of Ts were delivered throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s. Many were put into storage, used only for seasonal grain traffic.
In December 1958, the original class leader N 110 (later renumbered N 419) was the first N to be scrapped. While most of the class remained into the 1960s, wholesale withdrawals during 1965 and 1966 wiped out their numbers. The end for the N class came on 8 October 1966, when N 468 and N 475 hauled an Australian Railway Historical Society
Australian Railway Historical Society
The Australian Railway Historical Society was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. It aims to foster an interest in the railways, and record and preserve many facets of railway operations. Membership now exceeds 2,500, with Divisions in every...
special passenger train, the final run of the class.
Over the border in South Australia, the new 830 class
South Australian Railways 830 class
The 830 class of diesel locomotives were a class of branchline locomotive built by A. E. Goodwin. They had a Co-Co wheelbase and were operated by the South Australian Railways. Most were passed onto Australian National but two were retained by South Australia for the STA but were later sold to...
diesel electrics (ALCO DL531
ALCO DL531
The ALCO DL531 is a model of railroad locomotive.More than 200 ALCO DL531's were built by the A. E. Goodwin Company under license. They were used in Australia. The DL531's operated on all three gauges used on the main lines of South Australia.-See also:...
) began to displace branch line steam power. Most of the 750 class was withdrawn by 1962, with locomotive 752 steaming for the last time in November 1964.
Preservation
N 432, the last of the group of three N locomotives built by Newport Workshops in 1951, was withdrawn from service in 1966 after a service life of just 211303 miles (340,058.4 km). It is preserved at the ARHS
Australian Railway Historical Society
The Australian Railway Historical Society was founded in Sydney in 1933 as The Australasian Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. It aims to foster an interest in the railways, and record and preserve many facets of railway operations. Membership now exceeds 2,500, with Divisions in every...
Railway Museum in North Williamstown, Victoria. As well as its historical value as the only remaining N class locomotive, N 432 is also notable for being the last steam locomotive built by VR's Newport Workshops.
In addition to N 432, one of the ten North British Locomotive Co. built locomotives sold to the SAR also remains. No. 752 (originally VR's N 477), withdrawn after a service life of 262593 miles (422,601.4 km) is today preserved at the National Railway Museum in Port Adelaide, South Australia.
The preservation group '707 Operations' Inc. is engaged in a project to construct a Victorian Railways N class at the former Victorian Railways Newport Workshops. A feasibility study has been conducted for the N441 - Steam Locomotive Project
N441 - Steam Locomotive Project
The N441 project intends to build a Victorian Railways N class steam locomotive out of the frame of a K class locomotive. The project is being carried out by the Locomotive Restoration Group based out of the Newport railway workshops in Victoria, Australia.- Locomotive Restoration Group Inc...
to investigate the viability of converting a K class frame into that of a 1st series Victorian Railways N class, using locomotive K 154's frames and wheels together with one of the remaining spare N class boilers, and constructing a trailing axle with components salvaged from a Victorian Railways X class
Victorian Railways X class
The X class was a mainline goods locomotive of the 2-8-2 'Mikado' type that ran on the Victorian Railways between 1929 and 1961. They were the most powerful goods locomotive on the VR until the advent of diesel-electric traction, and operated over the key Bendigo, Wodonga, and Gippsland...
.
External links
- victorianrailways.net N class locomotive page Details and further photographs of N class locomotives
- Les Brown Train Pics - Roll 9 A photographic essay of the ARHS "Farewell N class" special hauled by N 468 and N 475 in October 1966