About us

Seven-0-Seven Operations Inc. is a small, wholly independent rail heritage group whose mission is bring our moving museum:

to provide an environment in which the skills and work practices associated with railway rolling stock, no longer in regular service are preserved and passed on to future generations

to use these skills in the maintenance of steam locomotive R707, fleet of heritage diesel locomotives, and heritage rolling stock, so that the people of Victoria may continue to experience, and be inspired by, the sight, sound and smell of a steam locomotive at work on the mainline

to support, and to be part of, the tourist industry by providing comfortable family friendly slow rail journey day and weekend train tours to regional centers in in Victoria.
provide stewardship and promote education and culture of railways history.

Seven-0-Seven Operations has exclusive occupation of Roads 7 and 8 in the Newport West Block Rail Workshops where we restore and maintain our heritage locomotives and carriages.

Our purpose and history

The story of Seven-0-Seven Operations Inc and our moving museum goes back to 1980 when a committee of six people (Lyn Helsby, Alan Jones, Peter Martin, Rodney Martin and Neil Tait) formed themselves into a group under the name of 'Plan R'. Inspections of steam locomotive R707 were made at Newport where it had laid in storage for the 6 years since its removal from service. Although it looked to be in a very dilapidated condition on the exterior, closer examination revealed that it was largely superficial and was mechanically in fair condition.

Proposals were then forwarded to the General Manager of VicRail regarding its restoration. Agreements were then put into place and R707 was placed in the old tarpaulin shop, and it was here in February 1981 that the all-volunteer workforce began work on the actual restoration.

The locomotive was dismantled and the complete overhaul began on the boiler, the frame wheels and axles, the cab fittings, smoke box, cylinders, motion gear and the tender. Late in 1984, R707 was steam tested in the presence of the DLI Inspector. Having passed all these tests R707 was almost complete. Final adjustments were made, and then began the task of painting the locomotive and tender in its original livery as delivered.

And so, on the 20th July 1985, R707 was returned to service when she ran a trip to Bacchus Marsh and return. 2025 marks 40 years of operations of R707 by Seven-0-Seven Operations

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In order to cater for R707's future service the name Plan R was changed to Seven-0-Seven Operations. In 1992 the home of Seven-0-Seven Operations was relocated and today we are situated in Roads 7 and 8 of the Newport Workshops West Block.

Since those early days Seven-0-Seven Operations has expanded and today in addition to R707 we have expanded our rollingstock fleet to include a range of heritage diesel locomotives, as well as a fleet of historic Victorian, South Australian and New South Wales Government railways carriages, including sitting carriages, sleeper carriages, club, lounge and dining car carriages. All of which we have restored and continue to maintain as part of our moving museum collection.

The above is merely a pocket history of Seven-0-Seven Operations. To find out more about the group and our activities as a moving museum please explore this website and do not hesitate to contact us if we have kindled your interest in Victoria's railway heritage and you would like to be a part of its future.

Committee of management

2024-25 Committee of Management

President

John Green

Vice President

Matt Lucas

Secretary

Darren Wood

Treasurer

Nathan Watt

Committee Members

Tom Anderson

Michael Angelico

Graeme Bakes

Mark Bakes

David Goodie

Policies

Seven-0-Seven Operations, through its operations as a moving museum, members and public interface, is committed to the safe maintenance and provision of our Moving Museum of heritage rolling stock, we are an accredited Rolling Stock Operator with the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator.

Our Moving Museum Policy is focused on bring our heritage, locomotives and carriages from across the Victorian, South Australian and New South Wales Government Railways to life through the lived experience of being able to visit, travel on or watch our collection move through Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales.

Our Moving Museum collection is focused on being able to travel with heritage railways locomotives and carriages from the 1950's onwards, representing the different periods of operators and travel experiences, including named trains such as the Southern Aurora, The Overland and The Vinelander. We continually seek to acquire, maintain and restore rollingstock for our Moving Museum collection that meets this purpose.

The Board of Seven-0-Seven Operations is committed to ensuring that both volunteer and paid employees are provided with facilities and mechanisms to ensure that, notwithstanding the heritage moving museum nature of our operations, all are afforded a working environment in keeping with the requirements and commensurate with the requirements of the task.