Victorian Railways E506

[LEGOsnStuff]

E506 was built in 1893 by David Munro & Co in South Melbourne as an E class 2-4-2T, of which 71 were built in total.

 

This engine was initially outshopped in a green livery with brass boiler bands and dome as well as a coppertop chimney and a tool box on the fireman side with reservoirs on the drivers side. It was first pressed into Melbourne suburban passenger trains and was highly successful. At some point during the 1900s this engine was repainted in a Tait Canadian Red/Brown, given safety chains and newer smaller cast number plates for the loco headstocks to fit the safter chains.

By 1919, most of the E class 2-4-2Ts were redundant thanks to electrification of the suburban lines and most were scrapped from 1920 to 1924, with 20 being sold to South Australian Railways in 1920/21. A total of 20 were rebuilt into the EE class 0-6-2T (a heavy shunting version of the E class from 1893 and initially had 5 built new, with 4 2-4-2Ts rebuilt from 1898 to 1906 to that design).

E506 was the last E class in passenger service, being withdrawn in June 1927. Rather than being scrapped, rebuilt or sold off, E506 was retained as is and was renumbered to unclassed locomotive 236.

Prior to it's 1927 withdrawal, E506 would have had a cast iron chimney, an all black livery, and possibly had it's original builder plates replaced with reproductions.

E506, now under its new identity as 236, spent its remaining working days at Newport Workshops as a shunter, likely overseeing constructions or scrapings of many pieces of motive power and rolling stock. The engine was officially withdrawn in 1953 and was retained for display purposes as it was still in reasonable condition. It was put on display at Spencer Street Station in September 1954 and was subsequently moved to Newport for storage. 

In 1961, it was officially embarked for preservation and was one of the first vehicles to be transferred to the Newport Railway Museum, thanks to the efforts of the late Arthur Hill. The museum officially opened in 1962 and 236 has remained on display ever since. 

 

E506/236 is currently the sole surviving E class 2-4-2T.

 

236 as preserved, 29th of April 2023. Photo from Alzaar Ahmed (me).

 

Edited December 5 by LEGOsnStuff
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