Victorian Railways A2 class
 VR photograph of A2 986, as built in 1916. 90 years later, this locomotive is being restored to operating condition. | |
| Power type | steam |
|---|---|
| Builder | VR Newport, Ballarat & Bendigo Workshops |
| Configuration | 4-6-0 |
| Driver size | 73 in |
| Length | 63 ft 3¾ in |
| Axle load | 17 t 10 c |
| Weight on drivers | 52 t 2 cwt |
| Total weight | 121 t 7 c |
| Tender capacity | (after conversion to oil firing) 1,500 gal oil, 4,700 gal water |
| Boiler pressure | 185 psi |
| Fire grate area | 29 ft² |
| Heating surface: Total | 2,040 ft² |
| Cylinders | 2 |
| Cylinder size | 22×26 in |
| Tractive effort | 27,480 lbf at 85% boiler pressure |
| Number in class | 185 |
The A2 class was an express passenger locomotive that ran on Victorian Railways from 1907 to 1963.
Contents
History
The introduction of the A2 class marked a turning point in Victorian Railways locomotive design, as it was entirely designed by VR engineers of the newly established Locomotive Design Section.
For over forty years, the A2 was the main express passenger locomotive on the VR, hauling intrastate and interstate services. With a maximum permitted speed of 70 mph (112 km/h) the A2 was instrumental in the acceleration of timetables on many lines in the years following its introduction.
A2s were also used to haul a number of special services, such as the Royal Trains for the Prince of Wales' and the Duke of York's Australian tours in 1920[1] and 1927 respectively, and also the funeral train of Dame Nellie Melba in 1931.
They were also widely used as a goods locomotive, particularly in their later life.
Production
Based on the success[2] of the prototype A2 572, a total of 125 Stephenson valve gear A2 locomotives were built between 1907 and 1915. The design was then altered to incorporate larger diameter cylinders, a higher pressure boiler and Walschaert valve gear, and a further 60 locomotives of this design were produced between 1915 and 1922.
Design Improvements
The majority of A2 locomotives were originally built with saturated steam boilers. The class was gradually rebuilt with superheated boilers, and to differentiate between the two variants the saturated steam locomotives were renumbered as A1 class, each being reclassified as A2 class again when rebuilt with a superheated boiler.
The A2 class also underwent the same improvements as other post-1900 VR steam locomotive designs during the 1920s and 1930s, including the fitting of electric lighting, cross-compound air compressors, Modified Front End to reduce back pressure in the exhaust system and increase efficiency, and smoke deflectors.
In the years following World War II, problems with the quality and availability of coal supplies caused VR to convert all 60 Walschaert A2s to oil firing.[3]
Late in their life, some of the A2s also received Boxpok driving wheels.
Later Years
In 1928, the A2 was replaced on the principal North-eastern line 'Sydney Limited' and 'Albury Express' services by the considerably more powerful 3 cylinder S class Pacifics. However, new locomotive development ground to a halt during the 1930s[4] as the Great Depression severely affected both VR traffic volumes and operating revenues, and the A2 continued as the main express passenger power on all other VR mainlines.
In 1939, by which time most of the class was already over twenty-five years old, World War II broke out. The massive increase in traffic on the VR the war effort brought saw these ageing locomotives subjected to a punishing regime of heavy utilisation and minimal maintenance.[5]
With VR's locomotive workshops switched to production of armaments and all available manpower given to the war effort, plans to eliminate the double-headed A2 operations on Melbourne-Adelaide passenger services with the introduction of more powerful H class 4-8-4 locomotives and additional S class locomotives did not come to fruition. The extra S class locomotives were never built and the line to Adelaide did not receive the necessary upgrades to take the weight of the H class.[6]
The A2's principal express passenger role continued into the postwar years as the VR, struggling with a backlog of repairs and limited capital expenditure, deferred new passenger locomotive construction.
It was not until 1951, when the first of 70 new R class 4-6-4 express passenger locomotives were introduced, that the A2 was finally superseded. Even so, many of the class (particularly the later Walschaert variants) continued on in secondary roles such as branch-line passenger and goods services and a number lasted into the 1960s. The last, A2 986, was withdrawn from service in December 1963.[7]
Accidents
Some A2 locomotives were unfortunate enough to be involved in major accidents:
- At 2:58am on 7th September 1951, the westbound and eastbound Overland expresses, both hauled by double-heading A2s, collided head-on at Serviceton.[8][9] All four locomotives were written off; three were so badly damaged they were scrapped on site.
- Australia's worst level crossing accident occurred on 8th May 1943, when A2 863 collided with a bus carrying troops at Wodonga. 25 people were killed.[10]
Preservation
Only one of the original batch of 125 Stephenson A2 locomotives survives; A2 884 is today preserved at the ARHS North Williamstown Railway Museum, along with (Walschaert) A2 995. A2 996 is preserved in Victorian regional city of Echuca and A2 964 is preserved in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir.
A2 986 is currently being restored to full working order by Steamrail.
References
- Dee et al, Power Parade, VicRail Public Relations Division, Melbourne, 1981, ISBN 0-7241-3323-2
- Pearce et al, North Williamstown Railway Musuem, ARHS, Melbourne, 1980, ISBN 0-85849-018-8
- The Recorder, ARHS, Adelaide, November 1985, ISSN 0158-1856
- AHRS Railway Museum History 1900 - 1950 retrieved on 6th September 2006
- Specific
- ↑ Public Record Office Victoria Series VPRS 12800/P1 Item H 1027 retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ steamlocomotive.com Locobase #2385 retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ Pearce et al, p. 12
- ↑ AHRS Railway Museum: History 1900 - 1950 retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ AHRS Railway Museum: History 1900 - 1950 retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ Pearce et al, p. 19
- ↑ steamtrainartist.com Victorian Railways 'A2' CLASS 4-6-0 retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ Auditor General's Department EMA Disasters Database retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ Railpage discussion retrieved 2nd October 2006
- ↑ Australian Defence Department: On This Day - 8th May retrieved 2nd October 2006
External links
- National Library of Australia Photograph of prototype A2 572, December 1907.
- victorianrailways.net Stephenson A2 936 hauling a goods train, 11th June 1930.
- victorianrailways.net Walschaert A2 973 leads a Stephenson A2 on The Overland, circa 1930.
- Public Record Office Victoria The end of the line - A2 856 is cut up for scrap.
- victorianrailways.net A2 986, seen around 1962 near the end of its service life. Various modifications over the years have significantly altered its appearance from when photographed in 1916 (see top of this page).
- Steamrail A2 986 page Photos detailing the progress of current restoration work on A2 986.
