Number of Images on this Page = 8


A2 Class 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler

The Victorian Railways could not make up their minds about these locomotives: some had Walschart's valve gear, some Stephenson's; some had smoke deflectors, some not; and some had Boxpok wheels, and some had plain spoked.

A2 798

  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 70219 bytes, 741x600 pixels
  • Date : early 1910's?, catalogued 04 Nov 2010
  • Photographer : C.S.Woodward
  • Medium :
  • Description :
    Little is known about this photo, which was discovered amongst a collection of glass plate negatives owned by the Melbourne Camera Club. It shows A2-798 and an unidentified AA class train engine, believed to be somewhere near Geelong. According to Wikipedia, the AA class were all withdrawn by the beginning of 1932, so this image must date from 1930 or earlier (thought in fact to be pre WW1). Note the freshness of the embankment). If anyone can shed further light upon it, please contact me!
    In fact, Frank Mitchell has written to me with some further insights. I quote Frank:
    Interesting photo of what appears to be a 'very new' A2 double heading with a 'Pheonix AA'
    A2 798 was brand new in December 1910, your 'Wiki' reference to the AA's lasting until c.1930 is a little late, they were mostly gone by 1923-25, certainly from Main Line duty as depicted here. Only 4 lasted a little beyond then.
    A2 798 was renumbered in 1923 to A2 842 during a reclassification, so this photo has to be early in its career and pre WW 1 - I suspect, she looks very resplendant in the "Canadian Red" livery of Railway Commissioners Chairman Thomas Tait.
    Tait came from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1903, and bought his 'colour code' with him!
    Thanks for those comments, Frank.


A2 884

  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 163007 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : Oct 1988, catalogued 10 Apr 2000
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 17534
  • Description : A2 884 in the Williamstown Railway Museum


A2 995

  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 115801 bytes, pixels
  • Date : Oct 1979, catalogued 24 Feb 1998
  • Photographer :
  • Medium : Ektachrome, slide number 8005
  • Description : A2 995 at the Williamstown Railway Museum.


  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 122376 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : Oct 1988, catalogued 09 Apr 2000
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 17531
  • Description : A2 995 at the Williamstown Railway Museum.


A2 996

  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 118392 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : Jul 1997, catalogued 27 Nov 1997
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium :
  • Description : Sans boiler cladding, A2-996 hints at her past glories. Once the mainstay of the passenger system, the A2s were displaced by the R class in the post war period. Note that in comparison with her immediate predecessor A2-995 , A2-996 does not have smoke deflectors.


  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 101374 bytes, pixels
  • Date : May 1988, catalogued 28 Jan 2000
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : Kodachrome, slide number 17281
  • Description : Another view of A2 996 at the Echuca wharf, this one taken some 9 years previously. I have heard rumours that this loco is being restored to operational condition ...


  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 95517 bytes, 800x600 pixels
  • Date : 25 Jun 2001, catalogued 25 Sep 2001
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : digital camera (Kodak DC290), image location P0009614
  • Description : Well, still no restoration as of June 2001! But (writes Paul Dalton of the South Western Railway Society) since this photo was taken the shed which can be seen in the background has since been demolished and reassembled in another part of the port precinct to make way for the restoration of "Heritage" Rail services back to the Port Of Echuca Station. Where the shed stands is now where the rail line runs. (Paul also comments that) A2 996 was scheduled for removal on 16 December 2002 to the WCR workshops at East Ballarat for restoration.


  • Image : dir=vic/A2class/ page=index 124103 bytes, 900x600 pixels
  • Date : 25 Jun 2001, catalogued 25 Sep 2001
  • Photographer : John Hurst
  • Medium : digital camera (Kodak DC290), image location P0009615
  • Description : Well, still no restoration as of June 2001 ... but they have emptied the ashpan, and restored the black smokebox!


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