Morwell Advertiser (Morwell, Vic. : 1888 - 1954), Thursday 12 April 1945, page 8


Giant Locomotive. "HEAVY HARRY" Railwaymen throughout the State are rightly proud- of the giant locomotive called "'Heavy Harry" by the workmen who constructed it. This engine, one of the largest in Australia, was designed and built at the Newport workshops, and was launched in February, 1941, when the then Minister of Railways and Transport, Mr. H. J. Hyland, the first oc-cupant of that position to be the holder of a first class engine driver's certificate. The Railways Commissioners recently advised that this locomotive's perform-ance has been highly satisfactory. It has already run over 150,000 miles, and is employed in fast goods running between Melbourne and Wodonga, doing a return trip daily with a load of 830 tons for five days per week, and covering 1,870 miles weekly. The maximum load on the same "through" run which could be taken by "X", "C" or "A2" class engines is set out hereunder:"X" Class .. .. .. .. .. 650 tons "C" Class .. .. .. .. .. 555 tons "A2" Class .. .. .. .. .. 385 tons and whilst "Heavy Harry" only needs to stop once, viz., at Benalla, to take water, the othe types engines require to stop at both Seymour and Benalla to take coal and water. Large consignments of stock are often hauled by "Heavy Harry" from Wo-donga to Newmarket and, on a "through" run between Wodonga and Melbourne, there is a saving of approximately four hours compared with other classes of locomotives. Moreover, its arrival time of 3.50 p.m. at Melbourne, affords con-nection with the out-going evening goods services to the country, such as the 7.20 p.m. to Orbost, 8.10 p.m. to Yar-ram, and 7 p.m. to Port Fairy, etc., whereas, if the stock were hauled by an engine of another class, they would often require to be spelled overnight at New-market.