Complex sentence: For a period of time the VR had been using old steam locomotives that were past their best to shunt at their Newport workshops so the VR decided to construct 2 small shunting locomotives for use at their facilities.
Split into simpler sentences: For a period of time the VR had been using old steam locomotives that were past their best to shunt at their Newport workshops. The VR decided to construct two small shunting locomotives for use at their facilities.