Victorian Railways 4-6-0 No. D 640
Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia 		Location: Pioneer Settlement
Status: Display
Posted: Nov 19, 2018 @ 11:11:03 by Robin R Beck
This is the first steam locomotive built by Thompsons Foundry, Castlemaine, Victoria. It is one of a class of 261 locos built as a Victoria Railways DD class. The class was built to operate mainline services, but found unsuitable. More powerful locomotives saw them quickly relegated to branch lines. Over the years various attempts were tried to improve their performance based on experience from the new K class. In 1929 one DD class was fitted with a larger super-heated boiler. It proved a success so 93 further locos were also altered. These locos became Victoria Railways D3 class, becoming a popular class.

640 was originally numbered DD633 when built 1914. In 1930 it was rebuilt with superheated boiler and renumbered D3 688. Renumbered to D3 640 in 1963, withdrawn in 1964 and sold to Swan Hill Folk Museum which opened in 1966 as Australia's first open air museum. It has since been renamed as Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement and is a collection of period buildings with period dressed staff. Plenty to see and well worth the visit. 640 is on display in the museum grounds. After 50 years display, in good condition.