The depot was described by railway employees as "the hub of the universe", "the VR's nearest approach to Dante's Inferno", or "the Black Hole of Calcutta" depending on their disposition.

[1] It was located beside the Railway Canal, a section of Moonee Ponds Creek that enabled the direct unloading of coal transported by sea from New South Wales.

The rectangular building was built of brick and iron with three turntables located inside.

There were six track entrances, two at the front from the main goods yard, three from the stabling roads, and one at the rear.

The new South Dynon Locomotive Depot was opened across the creek for the new locomotives as part of the North East standard gauge project, with the last steam-hauled train leaving Melbourne on 18 May 1964 - R703 on the 18:05 to Geelong.