Victorian Railways Y class No. 108

Y108 (formerly Y395) is a Y class 0-6-0 that formerly ran on the Victorian Railways of Australia from 1889-1963.
== History ==
=== Origin ===
The locomotive was built by the Phoenix Foundry of Ballarat as number Y395 in 1889. It was one of 30 strong Y class 0-6-0 goods locomotives, the design of which originated from 1885 when an engineer named Edward Alexander Jefferies designed the prototype locomotive and had it built by Kitson & Sons of Leeds, England. The locomotive in question was sent to Australia for display at the Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building alongside the prototype E class 2-4-2 Tasmania (later E426) The engine entered service as Y121.
=== Service ===
Y395, with the rest of the Y class, were confined to freight duties as they were most suited for this role, but later found use on the Victorian Railways' branch lines due to the advent of them being laid with better rails. They also found work on Melbourne's suburban network hauling long distance trains along with the E, DDE (later D4), and M/ME classes. 
But by 1919, the suburban lines were electrified and all the steam locomotives were made redundant thanks to the introduction of the Tait and Swingdoor trains, as a result many steam locomotives that formerly ran the lines were withdrawn and scrapped, and in the case of 20 E class locomotives, sold to South Australia. However, in the cases of the remaining E classes (most of which were rebuilt into 0-6-2Ts except E506), DDE classes, and Y classes, they would get second chances at being shunters post electrification (the M classes weren't given this opportunity and all were scrapped by 1920). 
Y395 was one of the locomotives repurposed for this role and in 1924 was renumbered as Y412, a number it would wear until 1950, when the locomotive was finally given it's final and current number, Y108. Y108 also had the chance to haul various excursion specials throughout the years during it's shunting duties.
=== Retirement and preservation ===
Y108 was the last ever Y class in commercial service, with it being officially withdrawn in 1963, having clocked up a distance of 2,218,228 km (1378342.98 mi) over a 74 service life, it had been the oldest locomotive in Victorian Railways service upon retirement. Rather than being scrapped, it was restored to its 1880s look and allocated to the Newport Railway Museum where it now resides today, but has had it's boiler shell removed due to asbestos and rust removal during a restoration. The dome, and railings are also absent.
Category:Victorian Railways
Category:Victorian locomotives
Category:Australian Locomotives
Category:Built in 1889
Category:Preserved steam locomotives
Category:0-6-0 locomotives
Category:Steam locomotives
Category:Steam Locomotives of the 19th Century
Category:Tender locomotives