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AddBy: Phil Rickard19th Oct 2020 6:32PMThe loco might have been named "First Victorian", but it wasn't, by a long shot! It was built in 1862 for one of the contractors working on Melbourne, Mount Alexander & Murray River Railway. The name was just a bit of Enoch Chambers' advertising puff!
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2-4-0T locomotive, "First Victorian" on side of cab, "The First Locomotive constructed in Victoria", [Prahran, c.1854]
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InformationCaption reads:
Engine built at Prahran Chambers by Enroch Chambers. The First Locomotive built in Victoria. Foreman Barnes is the figure in front of the engine. Enroch Chambers is the third man in the "cab".Date[1854]
The claim made in this image is not quite true. The first locomotive built in all of Australia was built in 1853 by Robertson, Martin & Smith for the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay Railway Company. It was not a thing of beauty, but it was a locomotive, albeit a temporary one.
However, the one shown in this image is of much higher quality, so it is understandable that they were proud of it. It would be interesting to find out more about it.
This image was scanned from an original glass plate or negative, kindly provided by the Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division.
If you have any further information about the image, please contact us.
InformationCaption reads:
Engine built at Prahran Chambers by Enroch Chambers. The First Locomotive built in Victoria. Foreman Barnes is the figure in front of the engine. Enroch Chambers is the third man in the "cab".Date[1854]IdentifierARHSBox122_3075
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CollectionARHS Unidentified CollectionSubjectSteam2-4-0T"First Victorian"PrahranTrainsRailroadsLocomotivesPersonForeman BarnesEncoch ChambersGeotag[1] Prahran VICPlacePrahran
SubjectSteam2-4-0T"First Victorian"PrahranTrainsRailroadsLocomotivesPersonForeman BarnesEncoch ChambersGeotag[1] Prahran VICPlacePrahranEditing is temporarily disabled
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2-4-0T locomotive, "First Victorian" on side of cab, "The First Locomotive constructed in Victoria", [Prahran, c.1854] ([1854]), [ARHSBox122_3075]. Living Histories, accessed 13/02/2026, https://livinghistories.newcastle.edu.au/nodes/view/88189