J536 – Service History

1953 – built by the Vulcan Foundry, England. Builders number 6082
20 July 1954 – arrived in Melbourne on the MV Irish Hayel
26 August 1954 – entered VR service
Depot allocations:
    26 August 1954 – North Melbourne
    19 November 1954 – Traralgon
    10 October 1965 – Ballarat
    May to September 1963 – Major overhaul (re-tube and major examinations) at Ballarat North Workshops
Storage periods:
    Maryborough 26 October 1966 to 02 December 1966 – Maryborough
    02 December 1966 to 3 May 1967 – Unknown
    03 May 1967 to 02 July 1972 – Newport Workshops
    02 July 1972 to 22 July 1972 – Geelong

23 July 1972 – taken off register and sold to Colac City Council for $650 plus $140 transport for public display outside Colac Station
06 July 1997 – towed from Colac to West Coast Rail Workshops at Ballarat East by agreement with the Colac Otway Shire for intended restoration to operational condition. No restoration work was carried out.

???? 2004 – purchased by 707 Operations from Colac Otway Shire
12 February 2005 – after first moving to the Steam Rail Victoria compound at Ballarat for asbestos removal and the considerable maintenance work required to obtain a Roadworthy Certificate, J536 was towed to Newport West Workshops for restoration by 707 Operations
2005 to present – dismantled. Long term restoration project.

Last Updated: 28 December 2008