In the 1950s the Victorian Railways were looking for alternative locomotive power to replace the aging fleet of steam locomotive which were used for shunting duties.[1] To aid in the replacement of the steam locomotives, in 1959, two shunting locomotives were built by the Victorian Railways at their Newport Workshops.[2] These locomotives featured an Ellison TC 500 diesel-hydraulic transmission powered by an 112 kilowatts (150 hp) EMD power unit. The two engines were given class M and the numbers 231 and 232.[2] When introduced, both locomotives wore a plain, dark red livery with black under frame, similar to the Victorian Railways V class.[3] Both locomotives later in their life would be repainted into the traditional Victorian Railways blue and gold livery. The two M class locomotives would almost exclusively operate in the Newport Workshops compound under the ownership of the Victorian railways.[2]
M232 was sold to Brunswick Plaster Mills, a subsidiary of CSR Limited, on 9 February 1981.[5] M232 would haul gypsum trains from Nowingi, to a gypsum loader on the former Millewa South line.[6] After the closure of the Nowingi gypsum operation in 1987, M232 would fall under the ownership of Steamrail Victoria and would be transferred back to Newport workshops in 1988.[6]
As of 2024, M231 is operational as a shunting locomotive for Steamrail Victoria and is currently painted in its original red paint scheme with a black under-frame.[7] It is notable that M231 has worked its entire life in the Newport Workshops compound. M232 is currently stored in Newport Workshops West block.[8]
