Blue and Gold liveried Victorian Railways L Class, L1162, reflected in the adjacent carriage. The English Electric built L Class were Victoria’s only mainline electric locomotive. They were used on the Gippsland line hauling passenger trains and heavy briquette trains. L1162 hauled the last V/Line electric passenger service in 1987, and operated some Steamrail tours in the early 2000s.
A 1963 EH Holden Sedan – RTB959 – at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026.
The Clock Tower and office block of the Newport Railway Workshops during the 2026 Open Day.
A police car at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026. This is one of the cars belonging to the Victoria Police Historical Society. This 1995 VS Commodore was used for general duties from the Winchelsea station between 1995 and 1996.
Victorian Railways T Class diesel-electric T364 sit at the head of of rake of carriages. T364’s train is alongside the West Block of the Newport Railway Workshops during the 2026 Open Day.
The Buffalo-Springfield scarifier pressure cylinder on the back of Maffra’s Golden Roller at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026. The scarifier is used to rip up the old road surface before resealing. Even this cylinder has a panel picked out and fully-lined to blend in with the rest of the steam roller.
Buffalo-Springfield
Pressure Cylinder Scarifier
Shop Number – 2412
[Patent Details]
DIRECTIONS
1. Teeth must be set at least 7 inches below tooth holder arms
2. Keep cylinder well lubricated with steam cylinder oil
3. To avoid loosening by vibration keep all nuts and bolts tight
4. Use only number of teeth cylinder will force fully into the road when scarifying. Gauge wheels should touch the ground
5. For best results use genuine Buffalo-Springfield scarifying teeth.
Built only by
The Buffalo-Springfield Roller Co.
Springfield Ohio U. S. A.
Victorian Railways Walschaerts fitted A2 Class, A2 986, at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026.
A2 986 is one of the final batch of 60 A2s built with Walschaerts valve gear instead of Stephensons used on the first 125. This change, higher boiler pressure and larger cylinders, meant that the later engines had a higher tractive effort. The original spoked driving wheels had developed fatigue cracks, and were replaced with Boxpok wheels.
Victorian Railways A2 Class, A2 986, and Y Class, Y419, take their turn at the head of the photo line-up at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026.
A2 986 has featured on the blog before, as a mural on the Mooroolbark Miniature Railway.
Victorian Railways R Class R711 basks in the sunshine at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026. West Coast Railway restored R711 and used her on their regular steam-hauled Saturday service to Warrnambool. With the collapse of West Coast in 2004 R711 returned to Bendigo Council, and Steamrail became her custodian. In 2011 she returned to the mainline.
R711 was repainted in Victorian Railways Blue and Gold livery in time for the 2026 Open Day. This matches the Steamrail S-type coaches and they will be able to run a train reminiscent of the original Spirit of Progress.
A pair of Alstom X’Trapolis 2.0 electric multiple units (8002 and 8005) sit securely in the Newport Garden Platform compound during the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026. The X’Trapolis 2.0 units will replace the remaining 1982 vintage Comengs on the Craigieburn, Upfield, and Frankston lines. 8005 was the first of this type to enter service in early May 2026.
The builder’s plate for Klondyke, seen at the Newport Railway Workshops Open Day 2026.
Built at the Perry Engineering Company Works
Dec 1927
No 271
Adelaide & Gawler South Australia
