A2 986

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Victorian Railways A2 class

>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Railways_A2_class

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Twitter

Vicsig ‏@vicsig 33m

Restored steam locomotive A2 986 on test runs between Newport and Sunshine.



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Steam Returns! A2 986 Back On The Mainline

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A2 986 Steam Locomotive - Steamrail Newport Yard.

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http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/victorias-steam-train-heritage-roars-to-life/

Victoria's Steam Train Heritage Roars To Life

11 March 2016

A 101-year-old steam locomotive will be enjoyed by the public for the first time in more than 50 years, thanks to a team of volunteers which have brought it back to full working order.

Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Heritage Victoria Executive Director Tim Smith were at the Newport Railway Workshops in Melbourne's west on Friday to see the locomotive in full steam ahead of the Steamrail Victoria open weekend.

The restored A2 986 locomotive was built in 1915, ferrying passengers until 1963 when it was withdrawn from service and later retired to a park in Warragul.

In 1986, Steamrail Victoria volunteers brought the A2 back to its Newport workshops home and, 30 years later, it is now the only working engine of its type.

The A2 will be one of 13 locomotives on display this long weekend, including the first and last locomotives ever to be built at the Newport rail yards in 1893 and 1959.

Polly, the first train built at Newport, is on loan from Scienceworks for the event and will feature alongside the Ballarat-built Y112, the oldest working steam engine in Australia.

Other displays will include the 113-year-old Victorian Railway Commissioner's locomotive, and sleeping carriages from the Southern Aurora, the Overland and the 1910 Adelaide Express.

Throughout the year, Steamrail Victoria run locomotive trips around the Melbourne suburban lines and the VLine network and open the workshops every two years to the public.

The Newport Railway Workshops, built from 1888, are listed on the Victorian Heritage register for their historic, scientific and archaeological significance to Victoria.

Built in the style of British railway workshops from the same era, the Newport Railway Workshops are regarded as one of the best intact 19th century rail workshops in the world.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Planning Richard Wynne

"It is extraordinary to think the A2 locomotive spent 20 years dormant in a park, but that is where it would still be if it was not for 30 years' worth of volunteer effort."

"The work which goes into these old engines means they can haul tourist trains across the state, offering children the chance to experience steam travel."

"The rolling stock on display at the Newport Railway Workshops are a reminder of how significant the railways were to Victoria's industrial and manufacturing industries."

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My Grandfather's favourite locomotive was the A2.  Superb locomotive.

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Melbourne Age --> Steam locomotive No. 986 back on track





An outstanding effort to return this locomotive to service.

Well done Steamrail Volunteers.

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Last day of the @SteamrailVic open #weekend, so much fun, get out to Newport! #longweekend #Melbourne #LaborDay pic.twitter.com/bTbsmx1m7f

— Rebecca Thistleton (@RebeccaThiso) March 14, 2016

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The mighty and magnificent .. A2 986 comes alive ..
>> https://t.co/a7BYoFwYlX

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) March 14, 2016

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Twitter

Sean Kelly ‏@electromotive67 18h

@SteamrailVic CONGRATULATIONS SRV on return of A2 986 to main line service today after 53 years in retirement.



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Magnificent.  An A2 returns to duty after a 53 year spell ..

Test run Geelong 29th May 2016

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Victorian Railways' photograph of 4-6-0 A2 class express passenger locomotive No. 986, on the turntable at the former North Melbourne locomotive depot, circa 1916.

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A2 986 Load Trial to Seymour  30 July 2016

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A2 986 is 101 years old.  The A2s were the main stay of VR fast passenger services in steam days. 

The last broad gauge Spirit of Progress was hauled from Albury to Melbourne by double-header A2s almost as a tribute to this fine class of locomotive.

Marvellous effort to return this locomotive to mainline service.   

A longer vid of run to Seymour on 30/7/2016.

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Weston Langford Railway Photography
http://www.westonlangford.com/

16 April 1962


Kilmore East up side Up last broad gauge Spirit of Progress A2 995 A2 996


Spencer Street Up last broad Gauge Spirit of Progress A2 995 A2 996

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The age of steam will return to Victorian railways this weekend, as a restored engine makes its first trip in more than half a century. pic.twitter.com/mfg0p33MQ0

— 7 News Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) May 11, 2017

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https://www.facebook.com/steamrail/posts/10158631971395627

Steamrail Victoria

It has been a very busy day with preparation for tomorrow's big trip! A2 986 and its carriages have been prepared and the final touches are being made. We wish everyone who is travelling with us on board tomorrow has a fantastic trip and we look forward to having you on board
to help us celebrate this magnificent milestone!

Below are a list of the scheduled times tomorrow's journey to Warragul. Please Note: All passengers, please aim to be at the station you are boarding from at least 20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time and listen to all station announcements regarding the arrival of our train. Note our train will NOT be stopping or Picking up/Dropping off at Caufield, Oakleigh & Dandenong in either direction. Pick up and set down stops are Southern Cross and Flinders Street only.

To allow A2 986 to turn for the return journey to Melbourne it will continue down the line to Traralgon, which are listed below as well.

Timetable - Journey to Warragul/Traralgon.

*Southern Cross (Platform 13) Arr: 7:57am Dep: 8:00am
*Flinders Street (Platform 9) Arr 8:03am Dep: 8:13am
Caulfield 8:32am (not stopping)
Oakleigh 8:43am (not stopping)
Dandenong 9:05am (not stopping)
Pakenham 9:30am (not stopping)
Bunyip 9:47am (not stopping)
*Warragul (Platform 1) Arr: 10:10am Dep: 11:10am
Note: 'Welcome back' ceremony held at Warragul.
Moe 11:35am (not stopping)
Traralgon Arr: 12:25pm

Timetable - Return Journey to Melbourne

Traralgon Dep: 3:08pm
Moe 3:46pm (not stopping)
*Warragul Arr: 4:12pm Dep: 4:40pm
Bunyip 5:03pm (not stopping)
Pakenham 5:24pm (not stopping)
Dandenong 5:47pm (not stopping)
Oakleigh 6:05pm (not stopping)
Caulfield 6:14pm (not stopping)
*Flinders Street (Platform 10) Arr 6:29pm Dep 6:34pm
*Southern Cross (Platform 13) Arr: 6:37pm Dep: 6:40pm

There will be an active A2 986 sightings post made and general updates throughout the day.

SAFETY NOTE:

Steamrail Victoria operates Saturday's train as a celebration for returning A² 986 to service after nearly 31 years of restoration by our volunteers. The train is running on the V/Line railway network and as such high speed V/Line trains will be running past the train and past areas where people may be gathered to see the train come past. As excited as we know everyone is about A2 986's return, we do remind you about some important safety messages.

In the interests of your safety, if you chose to see the train from a passenger platform, ensure you remain behind the yellow line at all times and if viewing the train line-side ensure you do not enter the Railway Corridor or Trespass at anytime and remain well clear from the edge of any railway track, this includes Railway Sidings, Yards (Used & Disused) and the Main Lines where trains pass by. Thank you for your cooperation.

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@SteamrailVic A2 986 making its first journey in over 50 years down to Warragul, then onto Traralgon about to go over Clyde rd in Berwick 😊🚂 pic.twitter.com/4ROMyo27rI

— Luke Hildred (@LukeHildred) May 12, 2017

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The significance of this first revenue service to Warragul is that A2 986 used to be  ' stuffed and mounted ' in a park at Warragul. Part of the conditions that was agreed to when the locomotive was recovered from the park ( a J was swapped ) was that when the A2 was restored to running condition the first real passenger journey be back to Warragul.  And so it has happened.

This is why the 'Welcome back' ceremony is being held at Warragul.   

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A2 986 storms through Hawksburn on the way to Gippsland this morning ..

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People everywhere to see the loco roll into #Warragul great to see so many out perfect day for it #gippsnews #springst #gippsland pic.twitter.com/l85p1j14oK

— Gary Blackwood (@GaryBlackwoodMP) May 13, 2017

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My goodness ...  Arrival at Warragul



https://www.facebook.com/steamrail/photos/a.10152682503285627.1073741825.89596750626/10158635882925627/?type=3&theater

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A historic locomotive is back on track, steaming through Melbourne at the ripe old age of 102. Full details in #9NewsAt6 pic.twitter.com/ROCvLsQhZA

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) May 13, 2017

Murrumbeena <> Hughesdale.  Crikey, must have been in a chopper ..

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It was full steam ahead for a 102 y/o train as it weaved its way through Melbourne this morning. #9News pic.twitter.com/BjWhoZza7O

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) May 13, 2017

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Excellent video this.  Has some great footage of sky rail construction as the A2 heads east to Gippsland ..

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Steamrail's A2 986 (steam) and T356 (diesel) locomotives along with V/Line's N472 haul the last Broad Gauge steam train down Wycheproof's famous Broadway main street. This railway line will be converted to Standard gauge in early 2018.

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An A2 Hauls a V/Line H-Set! (Steamrail's Driver Training run to Bendigo) | A2 986

9th October 2021

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" In a day of several firsts, Steamrail Victoria's A2 986 "Spirit of Warragul" was used on 8095 crew training run from Southern Cross to Bendigo hauling water tank VZVF 1 and V/Line H sets SH29+LH32. The only member of its' class operational, the 116 year old veteran is seen first hurrying north away from Malmsbury on what was once a familiar stamping ground for the class before being caught again winding upgrade through the bush away from Harcourt. V/Line's 8098 transfer from the Bendigo North workshops to Southern Cross is also seen, with N472 hauling another H set.

This was the first of these crew training trips to run to Bendigo and the first with the A2, with previous runs having taken place to Ballarat and using Steamrail's R761 and 707 Operations' R707. In another first, this was the first time a member of the venerable A2 Class steamers had hauled a V/Line H set, having been withdrawn long before the first of the rebuilt Harris cars had entered service, though it's quite likely that they had appeared behind an A2 at some point in their original form as VR Harris suburban stock."

9th October 2021

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A2 986 Driver Training Run to Bendigo 9/10/21

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