# Victorian Railways O class (1861)

The Victorian Railways O class was a class of 0-6-0 goods locomotives operated by the Victorian Railways between 1862 and 1922, built by various builders.

## History

Victorian Railways initially numbered passenger and goods locomotives separately, the engines were delivered with numbers 26–31, 52–63, 70–81, 88–89. This system was changed before these locos entered service to odd numbers for goods locomotives and even numbers for passenger locos with these locomotives taking the odd numbers 19–81, 127–149. This odd and even system remained in use until 1912. In 1886, they were allocated to Class O.

### Production

The first order for six locomotives was placed with Slaughter, Gruning & Co. (builder's numbers 460–465) in April 1861 and twelve locomotives with Robert Stephenson & Company (B/n 1441–1452) in January 1862. The locomotives built by Slaughter, Grüning (B/n 231–237, 261–266) arrived in Port Phillip June 1862, and the Robert Stephenson ones in October 1862. In June 1865, an order for six more locomotives was placed with Beyer, Peacock & Company (B/n 553–558) which arrived May 1966. In 1870, a further order for six more locomotives was placed with Yorkshire Engine Company (B/n 153–158) which arrived March 1971. The last imports were ordered from Beyer Peacock, two in July 1871 (B/n 1040–1041) and three in 1878 (B/n 1709–1711). The imported locos had an average cost of £3919-14-10 for each. Seven locomotives were locally built by the Phoenix Foundry of Ballarat in 1878/9 (B/n 48–54) and a further two by the Victorian Railways at the Williamstown Workshops in 1879 and 1881 at an average cost of £4142-15-0 for each local loco.

### Regular service

Before entering regular service, O129 was exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition in 1880. In 1894, they were allocated; ten at Melbourne; fourteen at Bendigo; ten at Ballarat and ten at Benalla.

### Design improvements

Over the years they were fitted with various alterations to the cabs. There were also various upgrades over the years; with constant improvements to safety — these including things like updates to safety valves (and domes), smokeboxs and chimneys (with spark arrestors), cowcatchers, and brakes. There were subsequent reboilerings which raised the working pressure to 140 psi (970 kPa) then to 160 psi (1,100 kPa), while their cylinder bore was increased from 17 to 17.5 inches (430 to 440 mm) when rebuilt after 1896. These changes led to considerably increased tractive effort.

### Accidents

* 15 October 1862 - O25 derailed after hitting spoil bank at Elphinstone
* 1870 - O57 derailed at Harcourt
* 1872 - O51 boiler exploded at North Melbourne, locomotive was repaired and returned to service
* 20 August 1873 - O23 boiler exploded at Geelong, locomotive was repaired and returned to service
* 1 September 1876 - O49 derailed at Melbourne Yard
* 4 September 1876 - O53 involved in accident at Riddells Creek
* 13 February 1877 - O43 derailed between Epsom and Huntly due to floods
* November 1877 - O53 involved in accident at Woodend
* 5 January 1879 - O149 ran away Melbourne Yard
* April 1879 - O65 broke leading axle at Gisborne
* August 1879 - O65 collided with V17 in Melbourne Yard
* 11 July 1881 - O135 involved in accident on North East line
* 28 August 1883 - O79 collided with L20 at Newmarket
* January 1884 - O27 collided with S215 at Warrenheip Bank
* 2 April 1884 - O49 boiler exploded at Sunbury, locomotive was repaired and returned to service
* 9 July 1884 - O35 broke crank axle
* November 1884 - O145 collided with A202 in Melbourne Yard
* February 1885 - O31 collided with R315 in Melbourne Yard
* November 1887 - O51 boiler exploded at Elphinstone, locomotive was repaired and returned to service
* 22 August 1894 - O71 collided with R477 at Baddaginnie
* July 1895 - O69 collided with B88 at Spencer Street
* October 1895 - O19 ran off road at Williamstown
* 15 March 1897 - O141 involved in accident on Mordialloc line
* April 1905 - O67 in shops after accident
* January 1907 - O27 involved in accident at Williamstown
* 3 February 1910 - O149 derailed with D$^D$616 at Trawalla

### Demise

Some were used as a stationary engines at Newport Workshops; O31 from 24 December 1908, five (O35, O39, O41, O53, O61) from 19 May 1909, and finally the boiler from O149 was used in a forge at Newport from 21 August 1916. In 1912, O57's frames were sold to Mr Freeman of Echuca for £423, while it's tender was sold to Kerang & Koondrook Tramway for £60. On 19 May 1909, O63 converted to stationary engine and sold to Mr Arbuthnott of Koondrook (along with the boiler of R173) and was used in PS Arbuthnot.. The remainder were withdrawn between 1904 and 1921. An unknown boiler from either a O or B class was used until 1941 to power refrigeration plant at Spencer Street where ice was made for T vans.

## Fleet summary

| Key: | In service | Preserved | Stored or withdrawn | Scrapped |
| Locomotive | Previous numbers | Builder no. | Entered service | Withdrawn | Status | Notes |
| O19 | 70 | 553 | September 1866 | 11 August 1906 | Scrapped | |
| O21 | 71 | 554 | October 1866 | 30 June 1906 | Scrapped | Reboilered - 29 July 1884 |
| O23 | 26 | 460 | October 1862 | 25 March 1905 | Scrapped | New chimney - July 1896 |
| O25 | 27 | 461 | October 1862 | 21 November 1908 | Scrapped | New chimney - July 1886 |
| O27 | 28 | 462 | October 1862 | 19 September 1908 | Scrapped | |
| O29 | 29 | 463 | November 1862 | 12 August 1905 | Scrapped | Reboilered - 6 January 1882. New chimney - January 1882 |
| O31 | 30 | 464 | December 1862 | 24 December 1908 | Scrapped | Painted brown - March 1903. Stationary boiler at Newport - 24 December 1908 |
| O33 | 31 | 465 | December 1862 | 1 October 1904 | Scrapped | |
| O35 | 52 | 1441 | February 1863 | 19 May 1909 | Scrapped | Stationary engine at Newport - 19 May 1909 |
| O37 | 53 | 1442 | December 1862 | 25 March 1905 | Scrapped | |
| O39 | 54 | 1443 | February 1863 | 19 May 1909 | Scrapped | New boiler and chimney - 6 May 1882. Stationary engine at Newport - 19 May 1909 |
| O41 | 55 | 1444 | February 1863 | 19 May 1909 | Scrapped | Stationary engine at Newport - 19 May 1909 |
| O43 | 56 | 1445 | February 1863 | 13 August 1904 | Scrapped | |
| O45 | 57 | 1446 | February 1863 | 19 June 1915 | Scrapped | |
| O47 | 58 | 1447 | October 1863 | 13 August 1904 | Scrapped | Reboilered - 28 July 1883. New chimney - 28 April 1887 |
| O49 | 59 | 1448 | November 1863 | 1 April 1905 | Scrapped | |
| O51 | 60 | 1449 | July 1863 | 27 December 1913 | Scrapped | |
| O53 | 61 | 1450 | December 1863 | 19 May 1909 | Scrapped | New chimney - 31 January 1877. New chimney - 15 February 1887. Stationary engine at Newport - 19 May 1909 |
| O55 | 62 | 1451 | December 1863 | 29 July 1905 | Scrapped | |
| O57 | 63 | 1452 | January 1864 | 24 July 1912 | Scrapped | Frames sold to Mr Freeman of Echuca (£423). Tender sold to Kerang & Koondrook Tramway (£60) |
| O59 | 72 | 555 | September 1866 | 16 June 1906 | Scrapped | |
| O61 | 73 | 556 | October 1866 | 19 May 1909 | Scrapped | New chimney - 10 July 1885. Stationary engine at Newport - 19 May 1909 |
| O63 | 74 | 557 | September 1866 | 19 May 1909 | Scrapped | New chimney - 24 September 1885. Converted to stationary engine and sold to Mr Arbuthnott of Koondrook with boiler of R173 - 19 May 1909. Boiler used in PS Arbuthnot |
| O65 | 75 | 558 | July 1866 | 27 September 1913 | Scrapped | |
| O67 | 88 | 1040 | June 1872 | 26 April 1919 | Scrapped | |
| O69 | 89 | 1041 | June 1872 | 19 February 1920 | Scrapped | |
| O71 | 76 | 153 | June 1871 | 22 November 1919 | Scrapped | |
| O73 | 77 | 154 | July 1871 | 27 September 1913 | Scrapped | |
| O75 | 78 | 155 | May 1871 | 28 October 1905 | Scrapped | |
| O77 | 79 | 156 | April 1871 | 7 July 1906 | Scrapped | |
| O79 | 80 | 157 | May 1871 | 27 April 1921 | Scrapped | Tender fitted to O149 - 10 February 1910 |
| O81 | 81 | 158 | May 1871 | 19 September 1918 | Scrapped | |
| O127 | - | - | September 1879 | 30 January 1909 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 17 May 1888 |
| O129 | - | - | June 1881 | 26 April 1919 | Scrapped | Exhibited at the Melbourne International Exhibition - 1880 |
| O131 | - | 48 | October 1878 | 10 May 1919 | Scrapped | Tender fitted to O149 - 9 February 1907 |
| O133 | - | 49 | January 1879 | 19 May 1917 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 15 July 1891 |
| O135 | - | 50 | February 1879 | 10 June 1922 | Scrapped | New chimney - 17 February 1887 |
| O137 | - | 51 | March 1879 | 13 October 1919 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 6 June 1891 |
| O139 | - | 52 | May 1879 | 22 November 1919 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 29 November 1890 |
| O141 | - | 53 | June 1879 | 10 May 1919 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 16 April 1891 |
| O143 | - | 54 | July 1889 | 13 October 1919 | Scrapped | |
| O145 | - | 1709 | February 1878 | 20 August 1917 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 6 September 1890 |
| O147 | - | 1710 | March 1878 | 28 June 1919 | Scrapped | Cowcatcher fitted - 3 August 1888. New chimney - 4 August 1888 |
| O149 | - | 1711 | March 1878 | 17 June 1916 | Scrapped | New cab - 10 March 1891. Tender from O131 fitted - 9 February 1907. Tender from O79 fitted - 10 February 1910. Boiler in forge at Newport - 21 August 1916 |