E369 (formerly E494) is an 0-6-2T that ran on the Victorian Railways of Victoria, Australia from 1892-1972.
History[]
Origin[]
The locomotive was built by the Melbourne Locomotive & Engineering Works of South Melbourne as number E494 in 1892. It was one of 70 strong E class suburban passenger 2-4-2T locomotives, the design of which originated from 1888 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 given the name 'Tasmania' and was sent to Australia for display at the Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building alongside the prototype for the Y class 0-6-0 (later Y121). The engine entered service in 1889 as E426 and had it's Tasmania name dropped completely and would last until 1915.
Service[]
The locomotive entered traffic and, much like it's siblings. would serve as motive power for Melbourne's extensive suburban network operated by the Victorian Railways at the time alongside the M, DDE, and Y Classes. By this time, locomotives would've worn the VR Brunswick Green livery and after 1900, Canadian Red. They continued serving passengers until 1919, when the network was electrified. E494, alongside all of the other E class locomotives on the system, were all made redundant when the Tait and Swingdoor electric trains arrived. As a result, between 1919 and 1923, twenty were converted from 2-4-2Ts to 0-6-2Ts to the EE Class design, which dated back to 1893, while another twenty-five were withdrawn. Of the ladder group, 20 were sold to the South Australian Railways and became their second M Class in 1920. They would run from 1920 with retirements beginning in 1925, until the last examples were retired in 1935 and were all scrapped. An additional eighteen were withdrawn in 1924.
E494 was taken off the passenger roster in 1919 and was brought to Newport Workshops to be rebuilt to the EE 0-6-2T design and was reclassed as such, but retaining its original road numbers (EE494). However this would not last long as in 1923 it gained it's new number, EE369, and in 1931 the loco would gain it's final and current number, E369, when it was reclassed as E. The locomotive would be mainly used as a shunter post 1919, but it was also used for other purposes; The engine was chosen to haul a special train for celebration of Melbourne's electrification. It was also the primary shunter for the Newport Railway Museum, moving exhibits onto it's site before it's opening in 1962. But E369's last years of service was spent mostly at Newport Workshops where it was used for shunting work alongside fellow sister engine E371 and both were the last of the class in service.
Accidents[]
On the 18th of July 1910, E494 was involved in a rear-end collision at Richmond station, with it crashing into the rear carriage of another train. 9 people were killed and 114 were injured as a result, but the locomotive would survive the wreck and was put back into traffic.
Retirement and preservation[]
E369 was finally retired in 1972 alongside E371. They had gained a millage of over 1 million kilometers over a career of 80 years at most. Luckily for them, railway preservation had gained enough momentum at the time, which subsequently led to the preservation of the engines. While E371 was stored at Newport awaiting restoration (which never commenced due to high costs), E369 was moved to the Newport Railway Museum for static display, it resides there today and has enjoyed a much more peaceful retirement. It is displayed alongside the sole surviving E 2-4-2T, 236.
Gallery[]
