Once the manufacturing defects and corrosion damage were corrected, the R class proved to be a fine locomotive in its intended role of express passenger service, and individual R class locomotives were soon running upwards of 950 to 1,250 miles (1,530 to 2,010 km) each per week.
Dynamometer car testing showed they were capable of producing a maximum 1,840 drawbar horsepower (1,372 kW) at 37.5 mph (60.4 km/h), a significant improvement over the A2's 1,230 hp (920 kW) at 32 mph (51 km/h).
They quickly took over virtually all mainline passenger services previously operated by the A2 and passenger timetables were revised to take advantage of their higher performance, with cuts to journey times as high as 60 minutes.
Although of similar size to the X class 2-8-2 goods locomotive, the R's more modern design features such as larger volume smokebox and better valve events courtesy of larger 11-inch (280 mm) diameter piston valves with long 6-inch (150 mm) travel contributed to its significantly higher horsepower output than the 1,400 drawbar horsepower (1,044 kW) output of the X class.

Features such as the mechanical stoker, smooth riding characteristics and large, comfortable cab also made them popular with crews.

The R's impressive debut was cut short by the introduction of the B class diesel electric locomotives from July 1952.
By the end of 1953, the success of the B class saw the R class withdrawn from The Overland service to Adelaide and also VR's passenger service to Mildura.
The Gippsland line, which was electrified to Traralgon by 1955, was the first line to see the complete withdrawal of the R class from service.
On 18 May 1964, R 703 worked the last regular steam-hauled passenger train out of Melbourne, the 6:05pm Geelong service.

The Rs were pressed into secondary passenger and goods service, roles for which a Hudson with large diameter driving wheels was sometimes a less than ideal choice.
There was little opportunity to exploit their high speed capability.
Furthermore, their relatively low factor of adhesion (4.08) and lack of fully compensated springing, coupled with the tendency of locomotives to transfer weight to the rearmost wheels under high drawbar pull conditions (which in the case of the R meant a weight transfer from the driving wheels to the unpowered trailing truck) caused them to slip when starting heavy goods trains.

The R class is remembered by many for its role as power for the seasonal grain harvest.
In times of a good harvest, virtually every available locomotive would be marshalled into service to shift wheat trains of over 1,000 tons from Victoria's Western district through to the ports for export.
Double-headed R class locomotives, sometimes aided by a third R acting as banking engine at the rear, could be seen battling the 3 mile, 1 in 52 (1.92%) Warrenheip Bank out of Ballarat.

In the 1960s, as the railway preservation movement began to gather momentum, a small number of R class locomotives found a new role as power for excursion train services.
In this role they were able to fulfill their intended role of high speed passenger travel, with speeds of over 80 mph (129 km/h) being recorded.
Once the manufacturing defects and corrosion damage were corrected, the R class proved to be a fine locomotive in its intended role of express passenger service, and individual R class locomotives were soon running upwards of 950 to 1,250 miles (1,530 to 2,010 km) each per week. Dynamometer car testing showed they were capable of producing a maximum 1,840 drawbar horsepower (1,372 kW) at 37.5 mph (60.4 km/h), a significant improvement over the A2's 1,230 hp (920 kW) at 32 mph (51 km/h). They quickly took over virtually all mainline passenger services previously operated by the A2 and passenger timetables were revised to take advantage of their higher performance, with cuts to journey times as high as 60 minutes. Although of similar size to the X class 2-8-2 goods locomotive, the R's more modern design features such as larger volume smokebox and better valve events courtesy of larger 11-inch (280 mm) diameter piston valves with long 6-inch (150 mm) travel contributed to its significantly higher horsepower output than the 1,400 drawbar horsepower (1,044 kW) output of the X class.
Features such as the mechanical stoker, smooth riding characteristics and large, comfortable cab also made them popular with crews.
The R's impressive debut was cut short by the introduction of the B class diesel electric locomotives from July 1952. By the end of 1953, the success of the B class saw the R class withdrawn from The Overland service to Adelaide and also VR's passenger service to Mildura. The Gippsland line, which was electrified to Traralgon by 1955, was the first line to see the complete withdrawal of the R class from service. On 18 May 1964, R 703 worked the last regular steam-hauled passenger train out of Melbourne, the 6:05pm Geelong service.
The Rs were pressed into secondary passenger and goods service, roles for which a Hudson with large diameter driving wheels was sometimes a less than ideal choice. There was little opportunity to exploit their high speed capability. Furthermore, their relatively low factor of adhesion (4.08) and lack of fully compensated springing, coupled with the tendency of locomotives to transfer weight to the rearmost wheels under high drawbar pull conditions (which in the case of the R meant a weight transfer from the driving wheels to the unpowered trailing truck) caused them to slip when starting heavy goods trains.
The R class is remembered by many for its role as power for the seasonal grain harvest. In times of a good harvest, virtually every available locomotive would be marshalled into service to shift wheat trains of over 1,000 tons from Victoria's Western district through to the ports for export. Double-headed R class locomotives, sometimes aided by a third R acting as banking engine at the rear, could be seen battling the 3 mile, 1 in 52 (1.92%) Warrenheip Bank out of Ballarat.
In the 1960s, as the railway preservation movement began to gather momentum, a small number of R class locomotives found a new role as power for excursion train services. In this role they were able to fulfill their intended role of high speed passenger travel, with speeds of over 80 mph (129 km/h) being recorded.
Victorian Railways R class