707 Operations

707 Operations is a railway preservation group based in Melbourne, 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.

History
In 1980, a committee of six men got together inspected withdrawn steam locomotive R707 at Newport Workshops that had been withdrawn in 1974. After close examinations of the locomotive (although it was in some form of disrepair), a proposal was put forward to VicRail for restoration with work commencing in 1981. The restored locomotive made its debut on a return trip to Bacchus Marsh in July 1985.

The restored locomotive made its debut on a return trip to Bacchus Marsh in July 1985.

Operations
Today 707 Operations run heritage special trains in Victoria.

Fleet
After the restoration of R707, the organisation expanded their fleet further with R753 being bought as well as diesel locomotives F204, T413 and Y127. The organisation owns former West Coast Railways S and Z type carriages as well as South Australian Railways 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.


 * R707, R753
 * W241, W244
 * F202, F204, F208
 * T413
 * Y108, Y127
 * H3, H5
 * Power Vans: PCP294, D318
 * S and Z carriages: ACZ255, BS205/212/215, BRS244, BZ270
 * ex The Overland and The Vinelander carriages: SJ284, Victoria
 * ex South Australian Railways carriage 708, purchased from Northern Rivers Railroad
 * E sleeping carriages: Wando, Buchan