during WW2 Victorian railways was struggling for passenger demand all of the infrastructure was falling apart due to the depression period. the answer was build a 4-8-4 steam engine to tackle the western suburbs, this locomotive was able to pull more than any other locomotive in the VR fleet and was the largest steam engine in Australia. unfortunately all the ageing equipment was put priority over building more of these powerful locomotives and ended with a fleet of. to this day H 220 still survives in a preserved condition.