Victorian Railways F class (1874)
The Victorian Railways F class was originally a class of 2-4-0 light line passenger locomotives operated by the Victorian Railways between 1874 and 1929.
An F Class locomotive in the Central Highlands region, c. 1875
F Class branch locomotive in the Newport Railway Museum, 2016
F176 on display at Newport Railway Museum in 2022
The Victorian Railways (VR), trading from 1974 as VicRail, was the state-owned operator of most rail transport in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations. Most of the lines operated by the Victorian Railways were of 5 ft 3 in. However, the railways also operated up to five 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge lines between 1898 and 1962, and a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard gauge line between Albury and Melbourne from 1961.
Preserved S303 in Victorian Railways blue and gold livery in Seymour, Victoria
The Spirit of Progress headed by S301 Sir Thomas Mitchell near Kilmore East in 1938
Head office at 67 Spencer Street
Norman Charles Harris