Victorian Railways F class (diesel)

Victorian Railways F class

Preserved F202 at the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre in October 2005

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder Dick Kerr Works, Preston, England Build date 1951-53 Total produced 16

Specifications Configuration: ​  • UIC C Gauge 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) Length 9.34 m (30 ft 8 in) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover English Electric 6KT Generator English Electric 801-66 Traction motors English Electric 506A

Performance figures Maximum speed 32 km/h (20 mph) Power output 260 kW (349 hp)

Career Operators Victorian Railways Number in class 16 Numbers F201-F216 (renumbered), F310-F319 (original) First run 1951 Preserved F202, F204, F208, F211, F212, F216 Disposition 6 preserved, remaining 10 scrapped

The F Class were a class of diesel locomotive shunters built by Dick Kerr Works for the Victorian Railways between 1951 and 1953. They are similar to the British Rail Class 11 and NS Class 600 shunting locomotives also built by English Electric during this period, but modified for use on the VR's 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge (also known as Irish Gauge).

The F Class were ordered by the Victorian Railways as part of 'Operation Phoenix', a £80 million program to rebuild a network badly run down by years of Depression-era underinvestment and wartime overutilisation.

The Victorian Railways purchased ten 0-6-0DE diesel shunting locomotives in 1951 from English Electric. The locomotives were built at EE's Preston workshops in the United Kingdom, and entered service from October 1951 onwards. The design is similar to that of the standard-gauge British Rail Class 11 and Nederlandse Spoorwegen 600 class locomotives, which were also being built by EE at this time.

As built the locomotives were originally numbered in the 300-series as F310-319, following on from the last of the S class diesel locomotives, S309, which entered service in February 1958, seven years after the arrival of the first F class locomotives. However, VR then placed a second order for another eight S class locomotives for use on the new North East standard gauge line which were delivered starting in November 1960. In order to vacate the 300-series numbers for the new mainline diesels, all F class locomotives were renumbered into the 200-series on in late May 1958 as F201-211. Unlike their British and Dutch counterparts, the F class locomotives were also later fitted with sideplates covering the side rods and wheel cranks. This modification was made to prevent staff from getting tangled up in the rods and cranks.