Victorian Railways X class (1886)

Victorian Railways X class (1886)
Company type	Steam locomotive class
Industry	Railway
Founded	1886
Founder	Phoenix Foundry
Defunct	1920
Fate	All units dismantled
Headquarters	Ballarat, Australia
Products	Steam locomotives
Number of employees	15 (units built)

Victorian Railways X class (1886)

The Victorian Railways X class consisted of 15 steam locomotives constructed by Phoenix Foundry during 1886 and 1887. These coal-powered engines were engineered primarily for mainline freight duties, featuring driving wheels with a diameter of 5 ft and a wheelbase measuring 37 ft 4½ in. Each locomotive had an approximate weight of 41 tons, with its accompanying tender weighing close to 26 tons, resulting in a combined locomotive and tender mass near 67 tons.

Initially, the boilers operated at a pressure of 140 psi; however, they were upgraded in 1900 to run at 155 psi, which enhanced the tractive effort from 14,040 lbf to 17,410 lbf at 80% boiler pressure. The locomotives were equipped with two cylinders sized 18 by 26 inches and featured a total heating surface area around 1,417 sq ft.

The fleet was numbered X353 through X381, using only odd numbers, and these locomotives remained in service with Victorian Railways from their inaugural journey on 3 August 1886 until their final withdrawal on 19 November 1920. Ultimately, all units were dismantled.

Production

Manufactured by Phoenix Foundry in Ballarat between 1886 and 1887, these substantial locomotives followed English design conventions, incorporating a low footplate and continuous coupling rod splashers similar to those found on the 'Old' A class. They featured steel cabs with cutaway side panels and small side windows—design elements that remained consistent throughout their operational life. Their six-wheel tenders bore resemblance in both design and capacity to those of the 'Old' A class, characterized by narrow tanks that allowed space for springs mounted above the footplate. Externally, the locomotives were finished in bright green paint with white lining accents and adorned with polished brass dome covers along with copper chimney caps.

Regular service

Although primarily designated as mainline freight engines, these locomotives also frequently operated extra passenger trains and excursion services. They occasionally hauled express routes such as the Adelaide Express extending to Stawell and Gippsland passenger trains bound for Warragul. Additionally, they managed traffic to race and exhibition venues on the Flemington Racecourse line. By 1894, thirteen units were allocated to North Melbourne while two were stationed at Ballarat, presumably assigned to duties including the Adelaide Express.

Design improvements

During the 1890s, upgrades included fitting cow-catches and installing Westinghouse air-brake systems. Various locomotives were trialed for enhancements in fuel and water efficiency:

Locomotive No. 353 was equipped in 1893 with 'Alve's hot air apparatus,' which preheated combustion air through ducts mounted on the chimney—an innovation that saw limited duration.
Nos. 355 and 357 received Knorr feed water heaters in 1894.
In 1895, No. 353 combined the Knorr feed water heater with Alve's hot water pump.
Between 1889 and 1891, Nos. 355 and 379 were fitted with Adam's vortex blast pipes aimed at improving drafting performance and front-end efficiency.

Reboilering carried out from 1900 to 1903 raised boiler pressure from an initial 140 psi to 155 psi; subsequently, cylinder bores were increased to 18½ inches between 1914 and 1917, resulting in a tractive effort increase up to 18,390 pounds. However, in 1916 boiler pressure was reduced to 145 psi which lowered tractive effort to approximately 17,203 pounds.