F CLass
By Alex Thorn
F212 at Maldon. 14/5/22
Photo By: Alex Thorn
Photo By: Alex Thorn
The Victorian Railways were running a run-down system at the end of the 1930s as a result of the Great Depression and very little finance for new locomotives. In an attempt to recover, VR decided that purchasing diesel locomotives would be the way forward, as parts of Europe and America had experimented with diesel shunting units. In 1948, an order of 10 small shunting locomotives was placed with English Electric after deciding that their model was the most ideal. These units would become the F class diesel electric shunting locomotives.
The units were to be constructed at the Dick, Kerr & Co workshop in Preston, England, then shipped to Australia. The first units arrived in July 1951, with modification for local standards such as broad gauge wheelsets, knuckle couplings and electric headlights being fitted at Jolimont Workshops. All locos would also be painted into a basic all-over black livery. By September, the first unit numbered F311 entered service at Melbourne Yard. They were numbered up to F319.
Soon after the first unit entered service, others would join working Spencer Street yards, Dynon and Melbourne Yards. The fleet was tested and monitored by VR. In 1951, the State Electricity Commission had taken over operations at the Newport power station as well as the power stations at Yallourn and Morwell from VR. However, they had no locos to perform their shunting duties with. 6 further ‘F class’ locos were ordered by SEC, but were classified as SEC1 to SEC6. Once in service, some of the fleet would see hire to VR when work wasn't busy with SEC.
As for the F class, they were now not only found in Melbourne, but also found in Geelong as the 1950s continued. The Fs were also gradually repainted into a red livery with a yellow stripe. When SEC3 was purchased by VR, the entire fleet was renumbered as F201 to F216. This was as a result of the numbers being too similar to that of the new T class locomotives numbered from T320.
As the 1960s began, shunting work continued for the fleet making the older steam locomotives redundant. As new W and Y class locomotives entered service through, work began to be taken from the F class. The locomotives were also being repainted into the standard VR blue and gold livery to match other diesel locomotives.
In the early 1970s, SEC1 and SEC2 were both sold to VR to become F class. The fleet had begun operating in Albury, Wodonga, Benalla, Ballarat and Bendigo during this decade too. They also began to be used at Newport Workshops to replace the last of the steam power used in Victoria. In the latter half of the 70s, the units were in a poor mechanical state. Their workloads had also decreased drastically with the more powerful Y class locomotives becoming the preferred shunting unit. The first withdrawals took place in 1979. The majority of the locomotives would eventually be scrapped.
Some of the fleet would survive in service into the 1980s mainly in South Dynon and Newport Workshops. In 1985, F211 was repainted into V/line orange and grey and was nicknamed ‘Little Trimmer’ (named after its regular job as the hump yard ‘trimmer’). In 1986, ‘Dynon Donk’ F208 and F211 were both withdrawn. F212 was the final unit taken out of service later that year.
In preservation, F208 was sold to 707 Operations where it was repainted into original black and renumbered F317. F212 was purchased by the Victorian Goldfields Railway at Maldon and used as an occasional shunter. ARHS obtained F202 and F216, with F202 later finding its way to SRHC. F216 is on static display at the North Williamstown museum. F211 was initially placed on a plinth at South Dynon, but was later moved to the ARHS too.
Today, F208 has been restored to an operational condition as F317 in the red scheme with a yellow stripe by 707 Operations. In July 2017, it took part in the ‘Best of British Suburban Tour’ with R707, running to some unusual locations on the suburban system.
The units were to be constructed at the Dick, Kerr & Co workshop in Preston, England, then shipped to Australia. The first units arrived in July 1951, with modification for local standards such as broad gauge wheelsets, knuckle couplings and electric headlights being fitted at Jolimont Workshops. All locos would also be painted into a basic all-over black livery. By September, the first unit numbered F311 entered service at Melbourne Yard. They were numbered up to F319.
Soon after the first unit entered service, others would join working Spencer Street yards, Dynon and Melbourne Yards. The fleet was tested and monitored by VR. In 1951, the State Electricity Commission had taken over operations at the Newport power station as well as the power stations at Yallourn and Morwell from VR. However, they had no locos to perform their shunting duties with. 6 further ‘F class’ locos were ordered by SEC, but were classified as SEC1 to SEC6. Once in service, some of the fleet would see hire to VR when work wasn't busy with SEC.
As for the F class, they were now not only found in Melbourne, but also found in Geelong as the 1950s continued. The Fs were also gradually repainted into a red livery with a yellow stripe. When SEC3 was purchased by VR, the entire fleet was renumbered as F201 to F216. This was as a result of the numbers being too similar to that of the new T class locomotives numbered from T320.
As the 1960s began, shunting work continued for the fleet making the older steam locomotives redundant. As new W and Y class locomotives entered service through, work began to be taken from the F class. The locomotives were also being repainted into the standard VR blue and gold livery to match other diesel locomotives.
In the early 1970s, SEC1 and SEC2 were both sold to VR to become F class. The fleet had begun operating in Albury, Wodonga, Benalla, Ballarat and Bendigo during this decade too. They also began to be used at Newport Workshops to replace the last of the steam power used in Victoria. In the latter half of the 70s, the units were in a poor mechanical state. Their workloads had also decreased drastically with the more powerful Y class locomotives becoming the preferred shunting unit. The first withdrawals took place in 1979. The majority of the locomotives would eventually be scrapped.
Some of the fleet would survive in service into the 1980s mainly in South Dynon and Newport Workshops. In 1985, F211 was repainted into V/line orange and grey and was nicknamed ‘Little Trimmer’ (named after its regular job as the hump yard ‘trimmer’). In 1986, ‘Dynon Donk’ F208 and F211 were both withdrawn. F212 was the final unit taken out of service later that year.
In preservation, F208 was sold to 707 Operations where it was repainted into original black and renumbered F317. F212 was purchased by the Victorian Goldfields Railway at Maldon and used as an occasional shunter. ARHS obtained F202 and F216, with F202 later finding its way to SRHC. F216 is on static display at the North Williamstown museum. F211 was initially placed on a plinth at South Dynon, but was later moved to the ARHS too.
Today, F208 has been restored to an operational condition as F317 in the red scheme with a yellow stripe by 707 Operations. In July 2017, it took part in the ‘Best of British Suburban Tour’ with R707, running to some unusual locations on the suburban system.
Data Table
Loco |
In Service |
Owner |
Livery |
Status |
F201 (F310) |
11/51 |
V/line |
VR |
Scrapped |
F202 (F311) |
09/51 |
VicTrack |
VR |
Stored |
F203 (F312) |
11/51 |
V/line |
VR |
Scrapped |
F204 (F313) |
10/51 |
VicTrack |
VR |
Stored |
F205 (F314) |
10/51 |
V/line |
VR |
Scrapped |
F206 (F315) |
09/51 |
VicRail |
VR |
Scrapped |
F207 (F316) |
10/51 |
V/line |
VR |
Scrapped |
F208 (F317) |
12/51 |
707 Operations |
VR Red and Yellow |
Preserved In Service |
F209 (F318) |
11/51 |
V/line |
VR |
Scrapped |
F210 (F319) |
02/53 |
VicRail |
VR |
Scrapped |
F211 (SEC3) |
03/53 |
ARHS |
V/line |
Static Display |
F212 (SEC4) |
04/53 |
VGR |
VR |
Preserved In Service |
F213 (SEC5) |
04/53 |
VicRail |
VR |
Scrapped |
F214 (SEC6) |
04/53 |
VicRail |
VR |
Scrapped |
F215 (SEC1) |
01/52 |
VicRail |
VR |
Scrapped |
F216 (SEC2) |
01/52 |
ARHS |
SEC Black |
Static Display |
Credits:
Power to the Rails
Wikipedia
Vicsig
Updated 13/10/22
Power to the Rails
Wikipedia
Vicsig
Updated 13/10/22