the first d was number 560, constructed at the victorian railways' newport workshops and entering service in 1902. it was followed by engines 582 to 700, evens only, all constructed at newport with the exception of 602, 604, 606, 606, 610, 632 and 634. these seven engines were notable as the last locomotives to be built by ballarat's phoenix foundry, which had been the main supplier of locomotives to the vr for over thirty years. that was because the conservative irvine government sought to reduce the costs of locomotive construction, and newport workshops was asked to tender for the construction of the d class locomotives. a fierce tender war between newport and phoenix eventually resulted in a royal commission, which found that newport could produce a locomotive for £3,364, some £497 cheaper than the phoenix foundry. phoenix produced just seven d locomotives and received no further orders, going into voluntary liquidation a year later.