The Z class were a class consisting a pair of 2-4-0Ts and a single 0-6-0T that ran on the Victorian Railways of Australia from 1893 to 1978.
History[]
Origin[]
In 1893, Victorian Railways ordered what would be the Z class from the Phoenix Foundry in Ballarat, Victoria. They built 2 locomotives, No. Z522 and No. Z524, both being a pair of 2-4-0T passenger motor locomotives, with their full length covered in with an extended cab. The cab was eventually cut back to reveal parts such as the chimney and dome. Around the same year in June 1893, Victorian Railways would construct the very first locomotive to be made at Newport Workshops, and what would become the 3rd and final member of the Z class. Numbered Z526, this locomotive looked different from the previous 2-4-0Ts that came before it. Z526 was built with an 0-6-0 wheel arrangement and was built more similar to a conventional locomotive.
Service[]
After being built, Z522 and Z524 would work passenger services, with Z526 being allocated to the Princess Bridge Depot for shunting and pilot work. In 1904, Z526 was called to Newport Workshops to be rebuilt, the result had Z526 modified to house a steam powered crane on the top of the boiler and overall resembled VR's other steam crane locomotives. It was also renumbered to No. 3, but was given the nickname of 'Polly'. The first Z class locomotive to be withdrawn was Z522 in 1910, with Z524 following in 1911. Both were subsequently scrapped while 'Polly' remained in service. It was usually based at the former North Melbourne Locomotive Depot, but would travel to help clear derailments, usually alongside crane locomotive No.2. It also got to travel to the Newport Workshops where it was built to assist in the construction of various vehicles, such as the Spirit of Progress' S type carriages in 1937. It would also help clear out any messes or other wrecks caused at the works. During it's career, No.3 would also use various tenders from scrapped locomotives, such as a tender from an 'Old' R class, or one from a H class. These tenders were also shared with other steam crane locomotives. Surprisingly, No. 3 managed to surpass many VR steam locomotives and stayed in active service even long after dieselization had struck Victoria.
Retirement and preservation[]
No. 3 was finally withdrawn in June 1978 having spent it's final working years at South Dynon, prior to withdrawal, it had been the oldest operating steam locomotive in commercial service with Victorian Railways, and one of their last steam locomotives. No. 3 was retained for preservation and in 1981 was restored to it's 1890s appearance of Z526 at Newport Workshops, completely removing the crane. The restoration was undertaken by Victorian Railways in collaboration with the Museum of Victoria. Plans were made to have Z526 displayed at the Newport Railway Museum, but was eventually transferred to it's current home at Museums Victoria (Now Scienceworks). In 2016 for Steamrail's open day at Newport Workshops, Z526 was transferred to Newport and was a static display alongside 19th century carriages 309Y and 40X, both of which are owned by the Victorian Goldfields Railway for their Colonial Express. Following the event, Z526 was moved back to Scienceworks where it now resides inside a garage out the main building and only visible from the front through a window. One of Z526's former tenders from it's life as a crane, a H class tender, is now on display at the Newport Railway Museum and is attached to steam crane No. 2, Victoria's only preserved steam crane locomotive and one of the cranes Z526/No. 3 worked with.
