| Weight | 97t |
| Driving Wheels | 5ft 1ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 175psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 18in x 26in |
| Tractive Effort | 20,530lbf |
The DD class was introduced on the Victorian Railways (VR) in 1902 following the setting up of a Locomotive Design Section for in-house development of motive power. Previously much of the design work on new locomotives had been done in conjunction with British organisations.
In all 261 locomotives of the class were built-
- In Australia
- Newport Workshops – 138
- Ballarat North Workshops – 8
- Bendigo Workshops – 8
- Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat – 7
- Walkers – 20
- Thompsons Ltd, Castlemaine – 40
- Baldwin Locomotive Works in the USA – 20
- Beyer Peacock & Company in England – 20
Not surprisingly this was the most numerous class of locomotive on the Victorian Railways.
The first locomotives were produced by the Victorian Railways at Newport Workshops in 1902.
As part of the competitive tendering process, in early 1912 contracts were signed with each of Beyer, Peacock & Company of Manchester, England, Baldwin Locomotive Works of the USA, Walkers Limited of Maryborough, Queensland and Austral Otis, to compare against the cost of building engines at Newport Workshops. Ritchie Brothers of Sydney had also tendered but failed to win any of the orders. The contracts were for 20 engines each, with rights to a 20-engine extension and the possibility of up to a total of 100 engines. Austral Otis encountered difficulties and withdrew from the contract in November 1912.
In 1922 a complex renumbering and reclassing of VR locomotives saw the DD class split into two subclasses, the D1 class (comprising all the original saturated steam locomotives with 18 in. cylinders) and the D2 class (comprising superheated locomotives with either 18 or 19 in. cylinders).
With the large increase in the amount of traffic and the weight of trains in the early years of the 20th century the locomotives were replaced on main line duties by more powerful engines. As the locomotives had a light axle load they were quickly reassigned to branch line activities on the Victorian Railways where they were employed for the next fifty years.
The first two members of the class were scrapped in 1927 and 1928 and a further twenty the following year. By 1951 120 locomotives had been scrapped and by which time the remaining D1 class locomotives were employed as shunters. The D2 locomotives were still employed on suburban and bran line freight and passenger services whilst the D3 engines were still used on branch and main line services.
The remaining locomotives were then replaced by the introduction of the J class in 1954.
This locomotive (D604) was originally numbered DD 557 before being renumbered 580 in 1925, 795 in 1926 and finally D2 604 in 1951.
D2 604 is the only surviving D2 locomotive and differs from the D3 class by having a slightly smaller boiler. D2 604 was sold to Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd in 1956 for use as a shunter at Morwell. It was converted to oil-burning by APM & still has its converted tender, consisting of an oil-burner A2 tender tank on a D2 tender frame.
In 1962 the locomotive was donated by the Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd to the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS). It is now on static display at the North Williamstown railway museum in Melbourne.
D2 604 was donated by Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd to the Australian Railway Historical Society in 1962. It is displayed among the locomotive exhibits at the North Williamstown railway museum.
Six other class D locomotives are preserved.
• Built by Victoria Railways at Newport
- D3 608
- D3 619
- D3 638
- D3 640
- D3 658 but carries the number 639
• Built by Dalwin
- D3 635
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