Victorian Railways R Class 0-6-0 Light Lines Locomotives comprised a group of 25 engines destined for branchline goods traffic. The class were built by Robison's Bros South Melbourne and given road numbers and where, in odd notation, 447 to 495 (builder's no. 9 - 33) and where called 'Kitson's Design' to distinguish them from the Beyer Peacock Design which later became 'Old' R Class. In 1893 the class was re-looked at from it's design and the activities of the class became restricted to mainline goods traffic as the high axle loading of 13tons and 17cwt precluded their use on the light lines which they were intended for. These locomotives were fitted with two inside cylinders, 17in x 26in, the slide valves being actuated by Stephenson's valve gear. Each of the six coupled driving wheels measured 4ft 6in, the boiler had a total heating surface of 1054.00 sq ft, of which the tubes contributed 971.00 sq ft. The firebox of 83.00 sq ft had a fire grate area of 17.8 sq ft. The working boiler pressure was 140lbs, which gave a tractive effort of 15,585lbs, with the axles oddly spaced at 7ft 8in and 6ft 9in. Cast-iron sandboxes were mounted on the running plates adjacent to the smokebox and incorporated the leading splashers.
The 'New' R class was built to be a Light Lines Goods Engine which looks the same as the main Line goods Engine Y Class but was 10 inches shorter and the wheels spaced oddly being 7ft 8in and 6ft 9in. The 6 wheel tender which was standard on the 'New A', 'Y' and 'D' classes carried 10,001 litres of water and 5 tons of coal.
This model represents the Class after it was rebuilt from 1904 with the high pressure boiler designed from the AA Class built 1901 and fitted with 18in Cylinders and gave them the 'Y' Prefix to indicate it's rated the same Tractive Power as the rebuilt Y Class and similar weight.