Victorian Railways P class (1859)

This article is about the 1859 P class steam locomotive. For the 1984 P class diesel locomotives, see V/Line P class.

The Victorian Railways P class was a class of 0-6-0 goods locomotives operated by the Victorian Railways between 1860 and 1921, built by Beyer, Peacock & Company, Manchester, England.

Victorian Railways P class
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Beyer, Peacock & Company, Manchester, UK Serial number 115 - 119 Build date 1859 Total produced 5
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 0-6-0 Gauge 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) Victorian broad gauge Driver dia. 5 ft 0 in (1,520 mm)[1] Tender wheels 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m)[1] Wheelbase 32 ft 0+1⁄2 in (9.766 m)[1] ​  • Coupled 14 ft 4 in (4,370 mm)[1]  • Tender 11 ft 0 in (3.35 m)[1] Length: ​  • Over couplers 43 ft 1+1⁄4 in (13.138 m)[1] Height 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)[1] Axle load 10 long tons 2 cwt (22,600 lb or 10.3 t)[2] 1904 diagram: 11 long tons 4 cwt (25,100 lb or 11.4 t)[1] 1914 diagram: 11 long tons 12 cwt (26,000 lb or 11.8 t)[3] Loco weight 28 long tons 12 cwt (64,100 lb or 29.1 t)[2] 1904 diagram: 29 long tons 8 cwt 1 qr (65,880 lb or 29.88 t)[1] 1914 diagram: 30 long tons 12 cwt (68,500 lb or 31.1 t)[3] Tender weight 24 long tons 2 cwt (54,000 lb or 24.5 t)[2] 1914 diagram: 21 long tons 6 cwt (47,700 lb or 21.6 t)[3] Total weight 52 long tons 14 cwt (118,000 lb or 53.5 t)[2] 1904 diagram: 53 long tons 10 cwt 1 qr (119,870 lb or 54.37 t)[1] 1914 diagram: 51 long tons 18 cwt (116,300 lb or 52.7 t)[3] Fuel capacity 60 long cwt (6,700 lb or 3,000 kg)[1] Water cap. 1,722 imp gal (7,830 L; 2,068 US gal)[1] Firebox: ​  • Grate area 14.03 sq ft (1.303 m2)[2] Boiler pressure 1904 diagram: 5: 120 psi (827 kPa) 3, 7, 9: 130 psi (896 kPa) 1: 150 psi (1,034 kPa) 1914 diagram: 150 psi (1,034 kPa) Heating surface: ​  • Firebox 88.95 sq ft (8.264 m2)[2] 1914 diagram: 88.5 sq ft (8 m2)[3]  • Tubes 1,097.67 sq ft (101.977 m2)[2] 1914 diagram: 994.1 sq ft (92 m2)[3]  • Total surface 1,186.62 sq ft (110 m2)[2] 1914 diagram: 1,082.6 sq ft (101 m2)[3] Cylinders 2, inside Cylinder size 16 in × 22 in (406 mm × 559 mm)[2]
Performance figures Tractive effort 9,386 lbf (41.75 kN) at 100 psi[2] 1904 diagram - 150psi: 11,264 lbf (50.10 kN)[1]
Career Operators Victorian Railways Number in class 5 Numbers 5-9, 1860: 1-9 (odd only) Delivered 1860 First run March 1860 Last run 18 February 1921 (61 years) Withdrawn 1917 - 1921 Disposition All scrapped

History

Victorian Railways initially numbered passenger and goods locomotives separately, the engines were numbered 5–9. This was changed in the late 1860's to odd numbers for goods locomotives and even numbers for passenger locos with these locomotives taking the odd numbers 1–9.^[4] This odd and even system remained in use until 1912. In 1886, they were allocated to Class P.

Production

The five locomotives were built in 1859 with builder's numbers 115–119 at an average cost of £3779-12-0 for each loco. They arrived in Port Phillip in March 1860.^[4]

Regular service

In addition to regular goods service, some were loaned to contractors, like Cornish & Bruce, for line construction and ballasting purposes. In 1894, all were allocated to Bendigo.^[4]

Design improvements

Over the years they were fitted with various alterations to the cabs. There were also various upgrades over the years; with constant improvements to safety — these including things like updates to safety valves (and domes), smokeboxs and chimneys (with spark arrestors), and brakes.
P1 received a new boiler in December 1894.^[4] Then between 1903 and 1906 they were all reboilered with a new boiler pressures of 150psi.^[4]

Demise

P3 was withdrawn in 1917, P5 and P9 in 1919, P7 in 1920, and P1 in 1921.^[4]

Fleet summary

Key:	In service	Preserved	Stored or withdrawn	Scrapped

Locomotive	Previous numbers	Builder no.	Entered service	Withdrawn	Scrapped	Status	Notes
P1	6	116	March 1860	7 June 1919		Scrapped	Hired to Evans, Merry & Co. - 1860. Reboilered - 13 December 1894. Reboilered - November 1903[4]
P3	8	118	October 1860	18 February 1921		Scrapped	Hired to Cornish & Bruce - October 1860. Painted red - 1904[4]
P5	5	115	April 1860	19 February 1920		Scrapped	[4]
P7	7	117	November 1860	19 May 1917		Scrapped	[4]
P9	9	119	September 1860	30 August 1919		Scrapped	[4]