Victorian Railways Safety Campaign Sign Green and white tin sign with rotating number wheels. Used to signify the number of days that there had not been an accident in the Workshop.Historic - Victorian Railways Safety Campaign SignVictorian Railways Safety Campaign Sign Green and white tin sign with rotating number wheels. Safety Campaign Victorian Railways We Have Worked for X X X Days Without A Time Lost Injury X X X Previous Record Todays Date XX XXXsafety sign, puffing billy, victorian railways

Velvet Soap was a widely used laundry bar soap launched in 1906, produced by J. Kitchen & Sons, owned by John Ambrose Kitchen (1835 - 1922). Kitchen was born in Britain and emigrated to Victoria in 1854. After a less than successful period at the Caledonian and Blackwood diggings, Kitchen returned to Melbourne and joined his father and brothers in establishing a tallow candle making works. Through merger and expansion the company became the pre-eminent manufacturer of soap and candles in the eastern colonies in the mid to late 19th century. Kitchen also speculated in a number of enterprises but suffered financial setbacks as a result of the 1890s bank crashes. Despite this, the company continued to grow in the early twentieth century with the introduction of products such as Velvet Soap and Solvol. The company merged with the British company Lever Bros in 1914 who eventually took full control of the company in 1924, becoming Lever and Kitchen. Advertising for Velvet Soap in Australia was extensive and pervasive. All manner of surfaces were used to advertise the product such as building walls, roofs, and most commonly, enamelled sheet metal signs which were fastened to any available surface internally and externally. The most common form of sign that Velvet Soap used was the words 'PURE VELVET SOAP' in white lettering within a vivid dark blue, elongated Maltese cross. On the enamelled metal signs the Maltese cross sat on a red background with a yellow border. While this was the dominant form for Velvet Soap signs, there were variations from the standard. The Velvet Soap sign is of historical significance as a representative of painted signs that were once a common form of advertising during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. - : http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/14447#sthash.Vb6KAUWl.dpufHistoric - Advertising Sign - Velvet SoapTin sign with white, yellow, red and blue enamel. Pure velvet soap.puffing billy, enamel sign, pure velvet soap

Advertising fitted to NBH carriages.Historic - Puffing Billy Railway - Carriage Sign - Milk Advertising fitted to NBH carriages.Carriage Sign - Milk Advertising Hand painted masonite sign. Drinka Pinta Milka day Milk's a marvellous drink nbh, puffing billy, milk, advertising

Advertising fitted to NBH carriages.Historic - Puffing Billy Railway - Carriage Sign - Milk Advertising fitted to NBH carriages.Carriage Sign - Milk Advertising Hand painted masonite carriage sign.Hey Kids ! milk's a marvellous drink Drink plenty eveyday puffing billy, nbh, milk, advertising

18½-inch (460mm) gauge wagon came from the Commonwealth Explosives factory at Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s western suburbs. It has gun-metal wheels, as avoiding sparks was understandably a priority in an explosives factory. It also has water tanks to drip water on the wheels as an added precaution Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge Railway - Commonwealth Explosives factory, Maribyrnong, Victoria, AustraliaExplosives Wagon - Four wheel wagon with timber frame, copper water tanks and bronze wheels.explosives wagon, puffing billy, commonwealth explosives factory, maribyrnong explosives factory

Saw Bench - New Record Saw Bench Timber framed with steel wheels, belt driven saw blade powered by a Rosbery internal combustion engine. The Rosebery Engine No C28437 R.P.M 800 H.P. 6 Manufactured By Westinghouse Rosebery Pty.Ltd. Sydney Rosebery Engine Works Ltd began as the engine and pump manufacturing division of Buzacott & Company, and in 1923 became an incorporated company. In 1935, Westinghouse gave Rosebery Engine Works the right to manufacture and sell nearly all Westinghouse products. The name of the company then changed to Westinghouse Rosebery Ltd From the late nineteenth century, petrol engines gradually supplanted steam engines for running a wide range of machines, and in turn petrol engines were largely supplanted by electric motors. The Champion was a successful small petrol engine made by the large Sydney company, Westinghouse Rosebery, based on the American-designed Fuller and Johnson engine. With hopper cooling and a fuel tank between the skids, and weighing only 240 pounds (109 kg), it was easy to mount on wheeled transport, making the Champion a self-contained mobile source of power. Engines of this type were used in rural areas for driving chaff cutters, small saw benches, pumps and orchard sprayers. These engines were also commonly used in both rural and urban areas for powering concrete mixers. Both Westinghouse Rosebery in NSW and Toowoomba Foundry in Queensland made these engines in large quantities, beginning in the 1920s when tariff protection made local manufacturing viable. The production of small petrol engines continued in Australia until the 1970s, when reduced tariff protection led to increased competition from cheaper imported engines. Historic - Industrial Timber working - belt driven saw blade powered by a Rosbery internal combustion engine. Timber framed with steel wheels, belt driven saw blade powered by a Rosbery internal combustion engine. The Rosebery Engine No c28437 R.P.M 800 H.P. 6 Manufactured By Westinghouse Rosebery Pty.ltd. Sydneysaw bench, puffing billy, new record, internal combustioin, westinghouse rosebery pty.ltd., rosebery pty, internal combustion engine.

Early Industrial Timber working Flat Belt driven saw bench Historic - Early Industrial Timber working Flat Belt driven saw bench Wood framed with a sliding table and a steel shaft with a pulley on one end and a saw blade on the othersaw bench, puffing billy, flat belt driven

Early Industrial Timber working sawHistoric - Early Industrial Timber working sawLong metal hand saw.saw, metal, metal saw, hand saw

Flat Belt Driven MillHistoric - Industrial - Flat Belt Driven MillMade from iron.flat belt driven, mill, puffing billy

Industrial - Flat Belt Driven Drill PressHistoric - Industrial - Flat Belt Driven Drill PressDrill press. - made of Metal and Steel and cast ironHercus Made in Australiaflat belt driven, drill press, puffing billy

The Lister Auto-Truck was a small monowheel tractor built for moving light loads around factories, railway yards and similar sites. They were built by R A Lister and Company of Dursley, Gloucestershire, well known for their range of small stationary engines The Auto-Truck was one of several monowheel tractors to appear in the 1920s and '30s, with the availability of small, reliable petrol engines, as developed for motorcycles and the stationary engines for which Lister were already known. These were tricycle vehicles, with the single leading wheel used for both drive and steering. Their simple construction carried most of the mechanism on this wheel as a single unit, the chassis with the trailing wheels being little more than a trailer for balance. Simplicity was a key feature. The engines were single-cylinder and air-cooled. Ignition was by magneto, rather than requiring a battery and electrical system. One of these designs was produced in the 1920s by George Grist of the Auto Mower Co., Norton St Philip, Somerset. The engine was a JAP 600 cc four-stroke air-cooled sidevalve, a typical small engine of the time. The Auto Mower Co. were Lister agents and when Lister heard of this 'Auto-Truck' they bought one for use in their own factory. It was used to carry heavy engine castings from the foundry to the machine shop. Lister customers saw them and there was such interest in wanting to buy them that Lister negotiated with Auto Mower to build them under licence. Although Lister were already well known for their small petrol stationary engines, these were heavy cast-iron engines with water hopper cooling and unsuitable for vehicle use. Lister remained with the JAP engine for the Auto-Truck. The Auto-Truck was designed for use in factories or other places with smooth surfaces of concrete or tarmac. This allowed the use of small solid-tyred wheels with only simple suspension, making the vehicle simple, cheap and lightweight. They had little ability on soft surfaces though and could even topple over if driven carelessly across slopes. Their design was a compromise between the top-heavy nature of the tall engine grouping above its wheel and a well thought-out chassis for stability. The bearing between them was a large diameter ring roller bearing, mounted at the lowest part of the chassis. This gave rigidity and stability, even after long wear. A ring of rolled channel girder was attached to the engine group and rollers on the chassis carried the load upon this. On early Auto-Trucks this bearing is set very low, in line with the chassis members, and is covered by thin steel plates. The front panel of the engine cover is distinctive with large ventilation holes and a Lister signature cut through it. Strangely this panel is made of thick cast iron, providing substantial weight high on the engine and only adding to its top heaviness. To improve visibility of moving vehicles in noisy factories, this panel was often painted white, the rest of the vehicle being Lister's usual brunswick green. The driver was seated on a Brooks bicycle saddle, which in recognition of the lack of vehicle suspension, was carried on the end of a cantilevered bar that acted as a leaf spring. A wide handlebar on the engine group was used for steering. A squeeze bar the width of this handlebar engaged the clutch. Controls included a hand throttle, a gear lever with two forward and one reverse gears, and a large handbrake lever. The engine unit rotated freely for a full 360° rotation. When used in reverse, the Auto-Truck could either be driven from the saddle, looking backwards over the driver's shoulder; or they could dismount, swivel the engine unit around and control it as a pedestrian-controlled truck from behind. Under the engine cover were two equal diameter tanks, a fuel tank for petrol and a shorter oil tank. Engine and chain-drive lubrication used a total-loss oil system, controlled by a small pump and needle valve. Info Ref: Lister Auto-Truck - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lister_Auto-TruckHistoric - Industrial monowheel tractor for moving light loads around factories, railway yards and similar sites.The Lister Auto-Truck - small monowheel tractor Made of steel with three wheels. Powered by a J.A.P single cylinder petrol motor which is Hand Cranked to start.Lister puffing billy, lister, lister auto truck, monowheel tractor

Blacksmith's Bellow Used by the Blacksmith to blow more air into his fire which further heats the flame to provide a temperature hot enough to heat the steel that he is working onHistoric - Industrial - Blacksmithing equipment Blacksmith's bellow. made from wood and leather and wrought iron fittings puffing billy, bellow, open hearth, blacksmith, heat

The locomotive was supplied new by Decauville to the Metropolitan Gas Company Ltd, Melbourne, for use at their gasworks in West Melbourne, where it was named Carbon suppied in 1889 (Couillet builder's number 986, Decauville serial number 90). It was named Carbon. The West Melbourne gas works sourced its coal from Maitland, New South Wales, and the coal was brought by ship to a wharf adjacent to the West Melbourne gas plant. John Benn and Carbon were used to haul the coal over a 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge railway from the wharf to the gasworks, a distance of about 450 metres (500 yards). West Melbourne Gas Works No. "Carbon" Wheels: 0-4-0T Builder: Couillet Build Date: 1890 Construction No.: 986 Empty Weight: Unknown Weight on Drivers: Unknown Driver Diameter: Unknown Tractive Effort: Unknown Boiler Pressure: Unknown Cylinders: Unknown Fuel: Coal Gauge: 30 Decauville locomotives The firm Société Anonyme Decauville located at Petit Bourg, France, was founded to manufacture light railways pioneered by French farmer Paul Decauville to transport crops from the field in 1875. Decauville began designing their own locomotives in 1882, although initially manufacture was contracted out to other builders, notably the Belgian firm Hainault at Couillet Although not well known in Australia, in Europe Couillet was a significant builder of steam locomotives of many different gauges and sizes over a long period of time. The locomotive was supplied new by Decauville to the Metropolitan Gas Company Ltd, Melbourne, for use at their gasworks in West Melbourne, where it was named Carbon (986) . Carbon ( 986 ) The locomotive weighs approximately seven tons. It has the Couillet builder's number 986. of 1889 It was built for Decauville & Cie. of Paris, suppliers of portable and industrial railway equipment, and has their serial number of 90 of 1890. Built in 1889 for the West Melbourne site of the Metropolitan Gas Company, it is a four-wheel tank locomotive and was named “Carbon”. It was withdrawn from service in the 1930s and stored until sold privately in 1962. For a few years in the 1960s it was used on a circle of track at Walhalla, before going to the Whistle Stop Amusement Park in Frankston. Although a number of similar locomotives still exist, as far as is known Carbon is the only one still operating in its original condition. Historic - Industrial railways - Metropolitan Gas Company Ltd, Melbourne Steam Locomotive Small Decauville Couillet Steam locomotive. - Iron & wrought iron framesCouillet builder's number 986, Decauville serial number 90puffing billy, narrow gauge, industrial narrow gauge railway, couillet 986, decauville 90, steam locomotive, metropolitan gas company, carbon

Builders plate from locomotive "Delta" No. 1.Historic - Perry Engineering Locomotive Builders plate used on Steam Locomotive "Delta" No. 1.Perry Engineering Co. Builders Plate Made from cast IronMade by Perry Engineering Co. 7967.50.4steam engine, perry engineering, puffing billy, builder plate, delta

Historic - Railway - No Road Plate Sign Historic - Railway - No Road Plate Sign No Road Plate Sign Long rectangular plate that has been painted black and white with the words "no road" written across it. made of cast metal"No Road"puffing billy, sign, plate, no road sign

Phoenix Foundry Plate - replica Made about 2010 cast off original from locomotive Y112 The Phoenix Foundry (1857-1906) fabricated iron and brass products - including engines and pumping gear for the mining industry, locomotives, steam rollers, water pipes, water gauges and diverse small items. Throughout its operation the business was located at premises on Armstrong Street, Ballarat . Background In 1852, at the age of thirty-three and after a year of operating his own engineering business at Williamstown, Lancashire-born blacksmith and engineer George Threlfall (1819-1897) arrived on the Sebastopol gold plain and immediately undertook blacksmith work repairing picks and tools for the miners. Little did he know that this fledgling business would be the genesis of the most iconic business of nineteenth-century Ballarat. At approximately thirty-nine years of age, English mechanical engineer Richard Carter (c1814-1883) came to Australia on board the Arrogant - arriving in Melbourne on 19 April 1853. He soon travelled to the Ballarat goldfields. Born in the year 1830 in Belfast (Ireland), mechanical engineer William Henry Shaw (1830-1896) arrived in Australia in October 1853. He worked briefly with George Threlfall at Sebastopol, then moved to Geelong to manage the small foundry of Frederick Moore. Twenty-four year old English-born iron moulder Robert Holden (c1831-?) left his home in Belfast (Ireland) in late 1854 and travelled from Liverpool to Melbourne on board the James Baines - arriving in February 1855. Afterwards he joined his brother-in-law William Henry Shaw in Ballarat. History Foundation to Incorporation In March 1857 George Threlfall joined in business with Richard Carter, William Henry Shaw and Robert Holden. They relocated Threlfall's successful engineering enterprise from Sebastopol to new premises in Armstrong Street, Ballarat. This business was then known variously as the Phoenix Iron Works Company, Phoenix Foundry or Messrs Carter and Co. By 15 April 1857 they were advertising that they were open for business as engineers, millwrights, boiler makers, smiths, iron founders and brass founders. In January 1858 George Threlfall left the partnership. Incorporation to 1889 1890 to Closing locomotive Y112 Builder: Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat Builder’s Number & Year: 238 of 1889 Designer: Kitson & Co Wheel Arrangement: 0-6-0 No. in class: 31 Entered Service: 24 July 1889 Taken off Register: 11 May 1961 The origins of the Victorian Railways Y-class lay with the decision by Kitson & Co, Leeds to place a 0-6-0 freight locomotive on display at the Centennial International Exhibition, Melbourne in 1888, together with a 2-4-2T suburban passenger locomotive. This marketing initiative proved successful as the Victorian Railways were clearly impressed with these machines, with both purchased after the exhibition and becoming the patterns for new standard locomotive types. Thirty examples of the 0-6-0 heavy freight design were ordered from the Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat, becoming the Y-class for main line heavy freight duties, while the 2-4-2T design became the E-class for Melbourne suburban passenger duties (represented by preserved locomotive E 236). The Y-class prove successful in service and accrued high mileages. They were inevitably superseded by more modern and powerful steam locomotives and a number cascaded into shunting and yard pilot duties, often with the addition of shunters steps along both locomotive and tender. Y 112 was one of the last in service when withdrawn in 1961. Fortunately it was saved for preservation and plinthed in central Ballarat, ostensibly in commemoration of Phoenix Foundry. I understand it is owned by the Sovereign Hill Museums Association. During the 1980’s, Y 112 was leased to Steamrail Victoria and restored to operation at an industrial site in Ballarat. Y 112 features an attractive lined apple green livery and has performed various rail tours around Victoria since restoration. It is normally based at the Steamrail depot in Ballarat East. Y 112 is the only 19th century design in operational condition in Victoria and as such is one of the oldest working steam locomotive in Victoria . Historic - Phoenix Foundry Plate - replica Made about 2010 cast off original from locomotive Y112Phoenix Foundry Plate Oval shaped plate with an image of a phoenix centered at the top with lettering surrounding it.Phoenix Foundry No 238 Ballarat Company Limited 1889.puffing billy, phoenix foundry, ballarat, locomotive y112, phoenix foundry plate - replica

Historic - Railway - Trespassers Prosecuted Plate Sign Historic - Railway - Trespassers Prosecuted Plate Sign Trespassers Prosecuted Plate Sign Oval shaped iron plate, painted black and white with large lettering. made of cast metal"Trespassers Prosecuted"puffing billy, trespassers prosecuted, plate

Official Victorian Railways crest. Victorian Railways Crest Reproduction / copy of what was possibly used on the head offices in the 1900s. Victorian Railways, Emblem featuring a kangaroo atop of a shield depicting the Southern Cross. Historic - Official Victorian Railways crest.Victorian Railways Coat of Arms Crest Victorian Railways, Emblem featuring a kangaroo atop of a shield depicting the Southern cross. Made of cast ironVictorian Railways with coat of arms.puffing billy, victorian railways, victorian railways crest.

Historic - Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate used on Steam Locomotive 5A Loco: 5A In service Saturday, 23rd March 1901 Scrapped Monday, 7th July 1958 Livery Black Owner VR Gauge 762 Status Scrapped Service History : Mar 1901 Colac - initial allocation of a new locomotive Mar 1901 - Feb 1902 Colac Dec 1902 - Oct 1908 UFTG. Nov 1908 - Oct 1912 Colac Nov 1912 - May 1913 Other Jun 1913 - Jun 1915 UFTG. Sep 1915 - Sep 1920 Moe Oct 1920 - Nov 1921 UFTG. Mar 1922 - Jan 1927 Colac Mar 1927 - Aug 1927 Moe Oct 1927 - Jan 1928 UFTG. Feb 1928 - Dec 1934 Colac Jan 1935 - Mar 1935 Moe Apr 1935 - Sep 1942 Colac Mar 1943 - Mar 1949 Moe Apr 1949 - Nov 1957 Colac Dec 1957 Colac - Stored. Feb 1958 - Jul 1958 Workshops - ScrappedHistoric - Victorian Railways Locomotive Number Plate used on Steam Locomotive 5AVictorian Railways produced 5a number plate. made of cast iron5a5a, puffing billy, victorian railways

Fowler Diesel Locomotive Diesel Locomotive fitted with a Detroit 471 engine. One of the early diesel locomotives used to work on the Queensland canefields. Privately Owned - Exhibit on loan Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge Railway - Diesel Locomotive that worked in the Sugar cane fields in Queensland Diesel Locomotive made out of steel wrought iron and iron puffing billy, fowler, locomotive, diesel, detroit 471, industrial narrow gauge railway

KBW Slotting MachineHistoric - Industrial - Slotting MachineLarge metal KBW Slotting Machine KBWbelt driven, puffing billy, slotter, kbw, slotting machine

Weir Pumps - these types of vertical pumps were used extensively with both land and marine steam pumps. The pumps were also used for various duties from pumping oil fuel and feed water for boilers, to draining bilges on steam ship[s They are a single cylinder, double acting vertical pumps used by G. & J. Weir Ltd. , of Cathcart, Glasgow The large pump serial number 231703 was built in 1948 and worked at the old Victoria Brewery in East Melbourne before coming to the Museum in 1985. Historic - Weir Vertical Pump used at the old Victoria Brewery in East Melbourne The large pump serial number 231703 was built in 1948 and worked at the old Victoria Brewery in East Melbourne before coming to the Museum in 1985.Weir Vertical Pump - Large Steel PumpWeir puffing billy, weir vertical pump, victoria brewery

Weir Vertical Pump Weir Pumps - these types of vertical pumps were used extensively with both land and marine steam pumps. The pumps were also used for various duties from pumping oil fuel and feed water for boilers, to draining bilges on steam ship[s single cylinder, double acting vertical pumps used by G. & J. Weir Ltd. , of Cathcart, Glasgow .Weir Vertical Pump ( no. 2 ) - Steel vertical pumpWeirpuffing billy, fluid pump, weir, vetical pump

Sugar Cane Truck "1076" Gauge 2'0" A four wheel truck of simple construction typical of many hundreds used on the canefield tramways of Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Donated by Moreton Sugar Mill, Nambour, Queensland in 1965Historic - Industrial narrow Gauge railway - sugar cane truck used at Moreton Sugar Mill, Nambour, QueenslandWooden Truck with Winch 1076 puffing billy, sugar cane truck, industrial narrow gauge railway, moreton sugar mill

Allen Twin Cylinder Engine Driving A Brush Electrical Generator Built by W. H. Allen & Co, Ltd ., Bedford, England ( serial Number R1/14738/4) it was used at Kodak Australia, Abbotsford plant , to provide power through the attached Brush Electrical Generator ( serial 21177 of 1929 ) for the photographic plant. Donated by Kodak ( Australia ) Ltd. in 1966Historic - Industrial Twin Cylinder Engine Driving A Brush Electrical Generator used by Kodak Australia, at their Abbotsford plant, Abbotsford, Victoria, AustraliaTwin Cylinder Engine Driving A Brush Electrical Generator made of steel , iron, wrought iron, brassBuilt by W. H. Allen & Co, Ltd ., Bedford, England ( serial Number R1/14738/4)puffing billy, twin cylinder engine, brush electrical generator, w. h. allen & co, ltd

Zeehan & North East Dundas Tramway Bogie 1896 The North East Dundas Tramway (NEDT) was a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge tramway on West Coast Tasmania that ran between Zeehan and Deep Lead (now Williamsford). It was part of Tasmanian Government Railways. The line was opened in 1896 to carry ore from the Williamsford mines to Zeehan where it would be loaded onto another train for shipment to Burnie. The narrow-gauge (2 ft) was chosen because of the extremely difficult terrain that the railway crossed, requiring several big trestle bridges, including one at the foot of Montezuma Falls. After some rain the engine and carriages would get soaked by spray from the falls. There was a break-of-gauge with the mainline 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) system at Zeehan. The railway was closed in 1932. The rolling stock for the Tramway was built in the Launceston Railway workshops, and comprised twenty five eight-wheel low-side trucks, tare 3 tons 1 cwt. 1 qr., load 10 tons; six eight-wheel flat trucks, tare 2 tons 18 cwt. 1 qr., load 10 tons; two four-wheel bolster trucks, for carrying long timber, tare 1 ton 19 cwt., load 5 tons; and four passenger cars, each with six cross-seats with reversible backs, to carry eighteen passengers, also a locker for mails and parcels. All trucks and cars have cast-steel wheels 21 inches in diameter and are fitted with automatic vacuum brakes. The trucks have side levers and the cars have hand-screw brakes. The vacuum brake can be worked from the engine or from the passenger cars, which act as brake vans. When this brake was introduced, one effect was to accelerate the journey speed by about 10 minutes owing to more even running on down gradients. Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge railway - Bogie used on the Zeehan & North East Dundas Tramway, Tasmania, Australia Bogie made from steel, iron and wrought ironZN & NTDS ML TRAM 1896 Griffinpuffing billy, bogie, zeehan & north east dundas tramway bogie, zeehan & north east dundas tramway, industrial narrow gauge railway, gauge: 2' (610 mm)

Averys Ltd was the holding company for the 32 operating companies in the Avery Group. The Group's main activity was the design, manufacture, sale and servicing of a wide range of weighing machines, physical testing machines and fluid measuring equipment. The company's history can be traced back to 1730, with the manufacturing by hand of steelyards and beam scales in a small workshop in Birmingham. When legislation was introduced at the turn of the century requiring the stamping of all weighing machines used for trade Avery branches were set up in some 100 towns in the United Kingdom. This was the beginning of the sales and service organisation that expanded to cover not only every important town in the United Kingdom but was also established in many overseas countries. Historic - Railway Platform Scales Avery Platform Scales - Iron and glassavery scales, puffing billy, platform scales, scales

Porters Luggage Barrow Used on railway station platforms across Victoria to carry luggage and goods between two locations. Historic - Victorian Railways - Porters Luggage BurrowPorters Luggage Barrow made of Timber - wood and with wrought iron fittings puffing billy, porters luggage barrow, victorian railways

V.R NC Class Full Guard's Van body 3 NC ( marked underneath as 22 NQR) 3 NC Brake Van (4 ton capacity) Service History : *NC 3.VA - 17/ 6/1914 NWS Built new - / 5/1928 - Modified AC Malco BO 13/ 8/1932 NWS Into Workshops - 26/10/1932 NWS Out of Workshops (75 days) 11/ 8/1937 NWS Into Workshops - 21/ 9/1937 NWS Out of Workshops (42 days) 19/ 3/1945 NWS Into Workshops - 17/ 8/1945 NWS Out of Workshops (152 days)Historic - Victorian Railways - narrow gauge rolling stock - NC Class Full Guard's Van body 3 NCTimber Guards Van body sitting on wrought iron frame of 22 NQRV.R NC Class Full Guard's Van body 3 NC ( marked underneath as 22 NQR) puffing billy, victorian railways, narrow gauge, nc guards van, narrow gauge rolling stock

BENWERRIN COAL COMPANY SKIP This quarter ton coal truck or skip was used at a small mine situated at Benwerrin near Deans Marsh in Victoria’s Otway Ranges. The mine first opened in 1899 and closed in 1904. With the fuel shortages due to World War 2, the Benwerrin Coal Company reopened the mine in 1941. The coal was loaded into skips and winched out of Box’s Creek valley on a narrow gauge incline to a loading point that was close to the Deans Marsh-Lorne Road. It was then taken by road to the Deans Marsh Railway station. The average gradient of the tramway was 1 in 4 over a length of just under 500 metres (1600 feet). The gauge of the tramway has often been referred to as 375mm (or 15 inches) as shown on the map opposite taken from “Sawdust and Steam”. However, actual measurements of the wheels show the gauge to be 400mm (or 16 inches), which is quite unusual as is the small size of the skip itself. The mine produced up to 30 tonnes of brown coal each week until it closed in 1949 and the incline tramway and its skips were abandoned. Preservation of this coal truck came as a result of interest by the Tramway Museum Society of Victoria (TMSV) in the Barlow or Box type rails that it ran on. These rails had originally come from the Beaumaris Horse Tramway and were obtained by the Benwerrin Coal Company from Hayden Bros’ abandoned timber tramway at nearby Barwon Downs. Members of the TMSV visited the mine in the 1960s only to find that most of the tramway had recently been recovered for scrap. There remained a significant number of relics around the mine adits including most of the skips. One of these remained in good condition and it was recovered for preservation in May 1967. It was restored but never displayed and a second restoration took place by the author over 2012/13 so that it could be placed in the Menzies Creek Museum where it was delivered in February 2013. Little remains of the mine today with trestles and sleepers destroyed in the “Ash Wednesday” Bushfires in 1983. References: Houghton, N (1975), Sawdust and Steam, Light Railway Research Society of Australia. Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge Railway - Benwerrin Coal Company , Benwerrin , Victoria, AustraliaCoal Skip - made of Iron sheet and wrought iron frame & wheelsB,C.Co Melbournepuffing billy, coal skip, benwerrin coal company, narrow gauge