Newport Railway Workshops

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Overview of the 'West Block' section of the workshops, with the clocktower and admin block to the left and Steamrail depot to the right.
Overview of the 'West Block' section of the workshops, with the clocktower and admin block to the left and Steamrail depot to the right.

The Newport Railway Workshops is a facility in the Melbourne suburb of Newport, Victoria, Australia that builds, maintains and refurbishes railway rollingstock. It is located between the Williamstown and Werribee railway lines.

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[edit] History

Construction commenced in 1884, and was completed in 1888/9.[1] The first carriages built by the workshops were completed in 1889, and the first locomotive in 1892.[1] The main elements of the workshops are a central office block and clock tower, the 'East Block' for carriage and wagon works, and 'West Block' for heavy engineering and locomotive building.[2] Expansion followed in 1905–1915, and 1925–1930. At the peak of operation it was one of Victoria's largest and best-equipped engineering establishments, with up to 5,000 employees on site.[3]

In the 1980s the original segments of the workshops were removed from everyday use, and modern workshops built along the eastern side of the site, which remains in use today.

[edit] Tenants

In the EDI Rail section, BL class, G class, and N class diesel locomotives are undergoing overhauls
In the EDI Rail section, BL class, G class, and N class diesel locomotives are undergoing overhauls

Current revenue operations are carried out in the eastern section of the workshops by EDI Rail, who carry out work including locomotive and carriage maintenance, and diesel engine, bogie and wheelset overhauls;[4] for customers including V/Line. The workshops is also provided with the only broad gauge underfloor wheel lathe in Victoria. A section of the workshops is also leased to Siemens for maintenance of their Siemens suburban trains.

The original 1880s workshops have been maintained for heritage uses. The 'West Block' area are occupied by a number of railway preservation groups such as Steamrail Victoria and R707 Operations, while the 'East Block' has been retained by the Department of Infrastructure for the storage of disused trams and other rail rollingstock.[2] The ARHS Railway Museum is located south of the workshops, near North Williamstown railway station.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b ARHS Railway Museum: History 1839 - 1900 (HTML). ARHS Railway Museum. Retrieved on 2008-02-05.
  2. ^ a b The Railway Heritage Centre of Victoria (Newport Workshops) (PDF). ARHS Railway Museum. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  3. ^ Public transport history (HTML). Department of Infrastructure. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  4. ^ Newport (Melbourne) (HTML). EDI Rail. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.

[edit] External links