Victorian Railways F class (diesel)

The F Class are a class of diesel locomotive shunters built by Dick Kerr Works for the Victorian Railways between 1951 and 1953. They are similar to the British Rail Class 11 and NS Class 600 shunting locomotives also built by English Electric during this period, but modified for use on the VR's 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge (also known as Irish Gauge).

History

The F Class were ordered by the Victorian Railways as part of Operation Phoenix, an £80 million program to rebuild a network badly run down by years of Depression-era underinvestment and wartime overutilisation.

The Victorian Railways purchased ten 0-6-0DE diesel shunting locomotives in 1951 from English Electric. The locomotives were built at EE's Preston workshops in the United Kingdom, and entered service from October 1951 onwards. The design is similar to that of the standard-gauge British Rail Class 11 and Nederlandse Spoorwegen 600 class locomotives, which were also being built by EE at this time.

As built the locomotives were originally numbered in the 300-series as F310-319, following on from the last of the S class diesel locomotives, S309, which entered service in February 1958, seven years after the arrival of the first F class locomotives. However, VR then placed a second order for another eight S class locomotives for use on the new North East standard gauge line which were delivered starting in November 1960. In order to vacate the 300-series numbers for the new mainline diesels, all F class locomotives were renumbered into the 200-series on in late May 1958 as F201-211. Unlike their British and Dutch counterparts, the F class locomotives were also later fitted with sideplates covering the side rods and wheel cranks. This modification was made to prevent staff from getting tangled up in the rods and cranks.

Six identical units were purchased by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria in 1952. The SEC later sold all six units to VR; the first, SEC3 in 1956, three more – SEC4, 5 and 6 – in 1959, and the remaining two, the former SEC1 and SEC2, in May 1971. These locomotives received numbers in the 21x-series as F212-216 on entry to VR service. The first sold, F211 (formerly SEC3) received its 200-series number on entry to VR service in 1956, some two years before the ten built for VR were similarly treated.

Withdrawal

Withdrawal of the F class locomotives began in October 1979 with the withdrawal of F214. The remaining locomotives with withdrawn between November 1979 and July 1987, when the last three locomotives, F202, F208, and F216, were taken out of service. Following withdrawal, the locomotives appear to have been placed in storage although most were later scrapped. Only one locomotive was broken up in the same year it was withdrawn; F215 was withdrawn in April 1983 and scrapped later that year.

Preservation

Six of the sixteen F class locomotives were purchased from VR or donated for preservation in the early 1980s. All except F212 are owned by VicTrack and allocated to various preservation groups:

• F202, formerly F311, is allocated to the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre until deemed surplus 2017. It was used by SRHC as a shunting locomotive around their depot. It was then reallocated to 707 Operations and was again deemed surplus in 2023 awaiting disposal.
• F204, formerly F313, is in storage at 707 Operations' operational base at Newport Workshops, as a source of spare parts. Alike F202 is awaiting disposal due to being surplus to requirements.
• F208, formerly F317, was known unofficially as the Dynon Donk. It is currently operated by 707 Operations and they have renumbered the engine back to F317. (Has been renumbered back to 208 as of 2023). It is currently preserved-operational and has been restored to a Red with Yellow stripe livery.
• F211, formerly SEC3, is statically displayed at the Newport Railway Museum in V/Line tangerine and grey Livery. It was informally known as Little Trimmer, as shown by the plaques with that name, attached to each side of the cab.
• F212, formerly SEC4, was withdrawn in November 1986 and purchased by the Victorian Goldfields Railway It is preserved-operational.
• F216, formerly SEC2, is statically displayed at the Newport Railway Museum. Unlike F211, it has been painted to resemble its original SEC livery, and bears the number plate SEC2.

Locomotives

Key:	Preserved	Scrapped

Number	Name	Original number	In service	Renumbered	Out of service	Current allocation	Status	Notes
F201		F310	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped January 1989	South Dynon, April 1983
F202	Freddy	F311	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	VicTrack	Stored Awaiting New Allocation	Limited to Seymour yard. Naming was unofficial. (Dec 2021) Ex Newport yard pilot, April 1983. Sold to 707 Operations where the locomotive underwent a Minor overhaul to become Operational within Newport. Had a Major Failure and is now been given back to VicTrack for being Surplus of use at 707 Operations.
F203		F312	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped January 1987
F204		F313	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	VicTrack, Ex 707 Operations	Spare parts/Stored	Was Spare Parts for F208 "Dynon Donk" Now has been given back to VicTrack after 707 Operations deemed it Surplus of use
F205		F314	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped January 1987
F206		F315	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped June 1981
F207		F316	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped January 1987
F208	Dynon Donk	F317	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	707 Operations	Preserved – Operational	Naming was unofficial. Renumbered back to F317 in preservation. Is back as F208 as of 2023.
F209		F318	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped June Template:Dts
F210		F319	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped June 1981
F211	Little Trimmer	SEC3	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Newport Railway Museum	Preserved – static	Renumbering date reflects transfer to VR. Naming was unofficial. Geelong, April 1983
F212		SEC4	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Victorian Goldfields Railway	Out of traffic – repaint	Renumbering date reflects transfer to VR Geelong, April 1983
F213		SEC5	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Condemned March 1982	Renumbering date reflects transfer to VR
F214		SEC6	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Scrapped June 1981	Renumbering date reflects transfer to VR
F215		SEC1	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts		Condemned May 1983	Renumbering date reflects transfer to VR
F216		SEC2	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Template:Dts	Newport Railway Museum	Preserved – static	Renumbering date reflects transfer to VR. Renumbered back to SEC2 in preservation. Newport yard pilot, April 1983