Historical information

The photo was taken at 8.15am on Friday 12 September 1919.
The D class was a passenger and mixed traffic steam locomotive which operated on the Victorian Railways from 1902 to 1974. Originally it was introduced on mainline express passenger services, but they were quickly superseded by the much larger A2 class and were relegated to secondary and branch line passenger and goods service, where they continued in service for the next fifty years. The D716 was probably built at the Newport Workshops, post 1910 and before 1914.
The expansion of Melbourne's population into new suburbs early in the 20th century, and the delay of the suburban electrification project, meant there was the need for faster and more powerful steam locomotives for the suburban rail network. In 1908, the basic design was adapted to create a more powerful locomotive. They were put to work on longer and hillier suburban routes including the Lilydale line. A total of 58 were built between 1908 and 1913.
See wikipedia for a more detailed history of the D class locomotives.
Electric trains replaced steam in 1922. Mr William Holmes of 'Lugano', Mont Albert Road was in charge of the design and introduction of the electrification of the Melbourne rail system.

Physical description

Black and white photo of a steam train approaching the platform at Mont Albert station.

Inscriptions & markings

Rear in blue biro in Jocelyn Hall's handwriting: "Hamilton St Mont Albert / probably 1919".