page_title: Victorian Railways S class
section_title: Demise
hierarchical_section_title: Victorian Railways S class / History / Demise
caption_attribution_description: English: Seymour, July 1952: Victorian Railways' new diesel electric locomotive, B 60, passes on its delivery run to Melbourne one of the S class 'Pacific' steam locomotives it ultimately replaced. Official Victorian Railways Photo.
context_page_description: The Victorian Railways S class was a class of 4-6-2 express passenger steam locomotive operated by the Victorian Railways in Australia between 1928 and 1954. Built when the VR was at its zenith and assigned to haul the broad gauge-leg of its Melbourne to Sydney interstate express passenger services, the S class remained the VR's most prestigious locomotive class until the advent of diesel electric locomotives in the early 1950s.
  They were the first Pacific-type locomotives on the VR, as well as its first 3-cylinder locomotive type. Renowned for their power and speed, in the ten years that followed their introduction the running time of the premier Sydney express service they operated was progressively reduced by one and a half hours. These service improvements culminated in 1937 with the replacement of the Sydney Limited with the Art Deco streamliner Spirit of Progress, and the S class locomotives were fitted with streamlined casings to match the new train set. They were also equipped with long-range tenders to enable the entire 190 ¹⁄₂-mile journey to be run non-stop at a speed that remained for the next 20 years Australia's fastest train service.
context_section_description: The S class was the first casualty of the Victorian Railways dieselisation program, which began in earnest with the delivery of B class mainline diesel electric locomotives in 1952. With their very limited route availability due to their high axle load, and the maintenance costs associated with their age and relatively high mileage, the decision was taken by the Victorian Railways Commissioners to withdraw from service and scrap the S class locomotives as mechanical condition dictated. First to go was S301 in September 1953 with worn cylinders, being recorded as scrapped on the 16 October 1953. Usable parts were stored for use in maintaining the three remaining S class locomotives while they remained in service, however the end was drawing near. Following successful trials, B class locomotives replaced the S class locomotives on the Spirit of Progress from April 1954 onwards. The superseded locomotives were rapidly withdrawn and scrapped, with S302 being recorded as scrapped on 2 July 1954 and S303 being recorded as scrapped on 28 May 1954. In June 1954 the last remaining example, class leader S300 was withdrawn, being recorded as scrapped three months later on 17  September 1954.
caption: S302 at Seymour in July 1952 as B60 completes its delivery run to Melbourne
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