707 Operations
707 Operations is a railway preservation group based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer organisation was established in 1980 to restore R class locomotive R707. The company has its own section of the Newport Workshops that is used for storing carriages and locomotives when not in use for charter trips. They are located in roads 7 and 8 of the Newport West Block Workshops.
707 Operations run regular trips across the broad gauge rail network in Victoria and also charter trains.
Contents
History
A committee of 6 men got together, and inspected a withdrawn (6 years) R class steam locomotive in the Newport Workshops. After close examinations of the locomotive (although it was in some form of disrepair), a proposal was put forward to VicRail for restoration and commencing started in 1981 (actual restoration). After the restoration of R707, the locomotive made a return trip to Bacchus Marsh and back.
Fleet
After the restoration of R707, the organisation expanded their fleet further with R753 being bought as well as the diesels F204, Y127 and T413. The organisation owns former WCR S and Z type carriages as well as former SAR carriage 708 for use on special trips. One car remains in its former West Coast railway livery still applied, with the remainder of the S and Z type cars having been repainted in 707 Operations red. A list of the entire fleet of rolling stock is shown below.
- J class locos: J536
- R class locos: R707, R753
- W class: W241, W244
- F/T/Y classes: F204, T413, Y127
- Power Vans: D318, PCP294
- S and Z carriages: ACZ255, BS205/212, BRS244, BZ270
- Ex Overland and Vinelander carriages: SJ284
- Ex South Australian Railways carriage 708. Purchased in condition Northern Rivers Railroad restored it in 1990s.
