Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company 2-4-0WT (1854)

Victorian 2-4-0WT
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Robert Stephenson & Company, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Serial number 954-957, 1080, 1183, 1184, 1268, 1269, 1377, 1378, 1458-1460, 1620, 1802, 1803, 1991 Build date 1854-1971 Total produced 18
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-4-0WT Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Victorian broad gauge Leading dia. 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) Driver dia. 1st five: 4 ft 7.5 in (1,410 mm) Remainder of class: 5 ft 0 in (1,520 mm) Wheelbase 13 ft 1 in (3.99 m) ​  • Coupled 7 ft 0 in (2,130 mm) Length: ​  • Over couplers 27 ft 9+1⁄2 in (8.471 m) Height 11 ft 6 in (3.51 m) Axle load 11 long tons 0 cwt (24,600 lb or 11.2 t) 11 long tons 13 cwt 3 qr (26,180 lb or 11.88 t) Loco weight 29 long tons 12 cwt (66,300 lb or 30.1 t) 1904 diagram: 32 long tons 0 cwt 3 qr (71,760 lb or 32.55 t) Fuel capacity 5 long cwt (600 lb or 300 kg) Water cap. 510 imp gal (2,300 L; 610 US gal) 1904 diagram: 1,171 imp gal (5,320 L; 1,406 US gal) Firebox: ​  • Grate area 12.25 sq ft (1.138 m2) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 67.15 sq ft (6.238 m2)  • Tubes 664.45 sq ft (61.729 m2)  • Total surface 731.60 sq ft (68 m2) Cylinders 2, inside Cylinder size 1st five: 12 in × 20 in (305 mm × 508 mm) Remainder of class: 14 in × 22 in (356 mm × 559 mm)

History

Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company (M&HBR) 1854–1865

M&HBR's 2-4-0WT (1854)
Specifications
Career Operators Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company: 1854-1865 Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company: 1858-1862 St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company: 1861-1862 Melbourne Railway Company: 1862-1865 Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company: 1865-1878 Number in class 10 Numbers 1 - 4, 6 - 9, 11 Melbourne, Sandridge, Victoria, Yarra, St Kilda, Rapid, Meteor Delivered 1854 First run 25 December 1854 Last run 1 July 1878 (23.5 years) Disposition 5 sold, 5 became Victorian Railways N class

The first two locomotive for the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company (B/n 954–955) arrived in Hobson's Bay aboard the vessel 'Jane Francis' on 23 November 1854 and were unloaded three weeks later. The first commenced running on 25 December and the second on 5 January 1855, thereafter each working the traffic on alternate days. The ship 'Hannah Conner' reached Melbourne on 23 January 1955 with the next two engines (B/n 956–957) and by April 1855 all four were in service, being used in rotation. A fifth locomotive (B/n 1080), ordered in anticipation of the opening of the company's branch to St Kilda, arrived on the 'Magna Bona' on 12 June 1857. These five locomotives were named Melbourne (954), Sandridge (955), Victoria (956), Yarra (957), and St Kilda (1080).

Two locomotives (B/n 1183–1184) were built in 1858, with the same wheel arrangement but with larger dimensions than the first five including 14 in × 22 in (356 mm × 559 mm) cylinders and 5 ft (1,500 mm) diameter wheels. These were named Rapid (1183), and Meteor (1184). In 1860, another two of this larger type were added (B/n 1268–1269), followed in 1863 by third (B/n 1458). Unlike the previous locomotives, these remained unnamed.

Victoria was sold to Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company in 1858 and Melbourne and Yarra were sold to St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company in 1862. Sandridge was taken out of running service in 1863. When the M&HBR was amalgamated with the Melbourne Railway Company on 30 June 1865, the six remaining operating locomotives and Sandridge passed to the newly named Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company.

Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company (M&SR) 1858–1862

M&SR's 2-4-0WT (1861)
Specifications
Career Operators Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company: 1861-1862 Melbourne Railway Company: 1862-1865 Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company: 1865-1878 Number in class 2 Numbers 10, Kew Builders number 1378 Delivered 1861 First run October 1861 Last run 1 July 1878 (16.7 years) Disposition Both sold

The Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company purchased Victoria from the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company in December 1858 (for £2408.13.11) to run from Princes Bridge to Hawthorn, but did not enter service until after the line opened 5 February 1859.

With the extension of the M&SR's line to Hawthorn in 1861, a further 2 locomotives were ordered. The first entered service in October 1861 named Kew (B/n 1377). The other one, builders number 1378, could not be paid for and was sold to Cornish & Bruce, contractors for the Bendigo line.

The company was facing financial trouble and was sold at auction on 31 March 1862 to the Melbourne Railway Company.

St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company (SK&BR) 1861–1865

On 1 February 1861, the St Kilda and Brighton Railway Company hired two engines, Melbourne and Yarra, from the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company, before purchasing them on the 1 February 1862. Working of the SK&BR was later taken over by the Melbourne Railway Company with the stock of the two companies pooled and these two engines passed into the laters control on 1 May 1862 but not into their ownership. The SK&BR was eventually purchased by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company on 1 September 1865, and these two locomotives rejoined the rest of the class.

Melbourne Railway Company (MRC) 1862–1865

MRC's 2-4-0WT (1863)
Specifications
Career Operators Melbourne Railway Company: 1863-1865 Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company: 1865-1878 Number in class 2 Numbers 12, 13 Windsor, Prahran Delivered 1863 First run October 1863 Last run 1 July 1878 (14.7 years) Disposition 1 sold, 1 became Victorian Railways N class

In March 1862 the Melbourne Railway Company purchased Victoria and Kew as part of the sale of the Melbourne and Suburban Railway Company. Then on 1 May 1862, working of the St Kilda and Brighton Railway was taken over by the MRC with the stock of the two companies pooled and the former companies two engines, Melbourne and Yarra, passed into the MRC's control, but not into their ownership.

Two more locomotives were built in 1863, and entered service in October 1861 named Windsor (B/n 1459) and Prahran (B/n 1460).

When the MRC was amalgamated with the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company on 30 June 1865, the four locomotives of the MRC passed to the newly named Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company.

Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company (M&HBUR) 1865–1878

M&HBUR's 2-4-0WT (1866)
Specifications
Career Operators Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company Number in class 4 Numbers 14 - 16 Toorak, Victoria Delivered 1866-1971 First run 1866 Last run 1 July 1878 (12 years) Disposition 1 sold, 3 became Victorian Railways N class

When the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway was amalgamated with the Melbourne Railway Company on 30 June 1865, the newly named Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company acquired eleven locomotives; Sandridge, St Kilda, Rapid, Meteor, Victoria, Kew, Windsor, Prahran, and the three unnamed locos (B/n 1268, 1269, 1458). These were joined on 1 September 1865 by the two locomotives still owned by the St Kilda and Brighton Railway, Melbourne and Yarra. The M&HBUR numbered all their locomotives, except Sandridge which remained out of running service, and retained their original names. They were numbered in the same numerical order as the builder numbers up to No.13 (Prahran), with a gap of three for the soon to be delivered 2-4-0WT's. The three locomotives, No.14–No.16 (B/n 1620, 1802–1803) were put into service 1866–67, with two of them being eventually named; No.14 as Toorak and No.15 as Victoria. A final one (B/n 1991) entered service in 1871, taking the next available number 19. This was the last of this type to be supplied for the private companies, bringing their total to eighteen.

Six were disposed of before the M&HBUR was taken over by the Government Victorian Railways in 1878 (see below).

Demise

Six were disposed of before the M&HBUR was taken over by the Government in 1878: No.1 Melbourne, and Sandridge were sold in 1878 as portable steam plants for operating a steam powered wool press. No.2 Victoria to Cain, Dalrymple and Holtom in June 1872. No.3 Yarra sold to Neil McNeil in September 1873. No.4 St Kilda sold in 1874. No.14 Toorak to Millar and James in 1876.

Fleet summary

Key:	In service	Preserved	Stored or withdrawn	Scrapped	‡ = Operator not owner

No.	Name	Builder no.	Entered service	Withdrawn	Scrapped	Status	Owners	Notes
1	Melbourne	954	25 December 1854				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1854), St Kilda & Brighton Railway (1861)‡, St Kilda & Brighton Railway (1862), Melbourne Railway Company (1862)‡, Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)	Sold for wool pressing - 1878
-	Sandridge	955	5 January 1855	1863			Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1855)	Sold for wool pressing - 1878
2	Victoria	956	March 1855				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1855), Melbourne & Suburban Railway (1858), Melbourne Railway Company (1862), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)	Sold to Cain, Dalrymple & Holtom - June 1872
3	Yarra	957	April 1855				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1855), St Kilda & Brighton Railway (1861)‡, St Kilda & Brighton Railway (1862), Melbourne Railway Company (1862)‡, Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)	Sold to Neil McNeil - September 1873
4	St Kilda	1080	July 1857				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1857), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)	Sold - 1874
6	Rapid	1183	November 1858				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1858), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
7	Meteor	1184	November 1858				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1858), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
8	-	1268	March 1860				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1860), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
9	-	1269	March 1860				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1860), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
10	Kew	1377	October 1861				Melbourne & Suburban Railway (1861), Melbourne Railway Company (1862), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
-	-	1378	-					Could not be paid for and sold to Cornish & Bruce
11	-	1458	August 1863				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay Railway (1863), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
12	Windsor	1459	October 1863				Melbourne Railway Company (1863), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
13	Prahran	1460	October 1863				Melbourne Railway Company (1863), Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1865)
14	Toorak	1620	1866				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1866)	Sold to Miller & James - 1876
15	Victoria	1802	1867				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1867)
16	-	1803	1867				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1867)
19	-	1991	February 1871				Melbourne & Hobson's Bay United Railway (1871)

References

• Dee; et al. (1981). Power Parade. Melbourne: VicRail Public Relations Division. p. 13. ISBN 0-7241-3323-2.
• Cave, Norman; Buckland, John; Beardsell, David (2002). "Chapter 2". Steam Locomotives of the Victorian Railways. Vol. 1: The First Fifty Years. Melbourne, Vic: ARHS Victoria Division. pp. 3–17. ISBN 1876677384.
• Cave, Norman; Buckland, John; Beardsell, David (2002). "Chapter 11". Steam Locomotives of the Victorian Railways. Vol. 1: The First Fifty Years. Melbourne, Vic: ARHS Victoria Division. pp. 95–96, 102–104. ISBN 1876677384.
• Cave, Norman; Buckland, John; Beardsell, David (2002). "Chapter 17". Steam Locomotives of the Victorian Railways. Vol. 1: The First Fifty Years. Melbourne, Vic: ARHS Victoria Division. pp. 168–169. ISBN 1876677384.