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The MRWA B class was a class of steam locomotives built by Hawthorn Leslie in Tyneside, England, for the Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA). The class's wheel arrangement was 4-4-0.
The nine members of the B class entered service in 1891. Withdrawals began in 1929, but the five longest serving units continued working on the MRWA, mainly as shunting engines, from then until the 1950s. [1]
One B class locomotive, no B6, has been preserved. It is the only ex-MRWA steam locomotive still in existence. [1] After being withdrawn by the MRWA in 1956, B6 was acquired by the then municipality of Geraldton, and put on display in a Geraldton park. [2]
In 1995, ownership of B6 was transferred to the then Shire of Swan, and in 1999 the locomotive was moved to the former Midland Railway Workshops, for storage in the custody of Rail Heritage WA. [2]
In 2010, following a renewal of interest by the City of Geraldton-Greenough in rail history, B6 was moved back to the Geraldton area, for intended eventual display at a proposed railway museum at Walkaway. [3]
The North British Locomotive Company was created in 1903 through the merger of three Glasgow locomotive manufacturing companies; Sharp, Stewart and Company, Neilson, Reid and Company and Dübs and Company, creating the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe and the British Empire.
Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the operator of railway services in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra responsibility for tram and ferry operations that it assumed and later relinquished. Westrail was the trading name of WAGR from September 1975 until December 2000, when the WAGR's freight division and the Westrail name and logo were privatised. Its freight operations were privatised in December 2000 with the remaining passenger operations transferred to the Public Transport Authority in July 2003.
The Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA) was a railway company that built and operated the Midland line in Western Australia. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange. Although having its headquarters in London, it had no association with the English Midland Railway.
Railways in Western Australia were developed in the 19th century both by the Government of Western Australia and a number of private companies. Today passenger rail services are controlled by the Public Transport Authority through Transperth, which operates public transport in Perth, and Transwa, which operates country passenger services. Journey Beyond operates the Indian Pacific.
The WAGR Dd class was a class of 4-6-4T tank locomotive operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1946 and 1972.
The WAGR W class is a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1951 and 1972.
The Western Australian Government Railways operated many unique steam, diesel and electric locomotive classes. Often suffering from lack of available funds the WAGR locomotive fleet often consisted of locomotives far older than their expected operational life. Only one electric locomotive was operated by the government during the WAGR years.
The G class were a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for the Midland Railway of Western Australia in 1963. They were later sold to the Western Australian Government Railways.
The F class were a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for the Midland Railway of Western Australia in 1958. They were later sold to the Western Australian Government Railways.
The MRWA C class was a class of steam locomotives built by Kitson & Co. in Leeds, England, for the Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA). The class's wheel arrangement was 4-6-2. The five members of the class entered service in 1912 and worked on the MRWA until the 1950s.
The MRWA A class was a class of steam locomotives built by Kitson & Co. in Leeds, England, for the Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA). The class's wheel arrangement was 2-8-2.
The MRWA D class was a class of 4-8-0 type steam locomotives built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, USA, for the haulage of goods traffic on the Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA).
The MRWA P class was a class of steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) and later the Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA) from 1896.
The MRWA E class was a single member class of diesel-hydraulic shunting (switching) locomotive built by Commonwealth Engineering, Bassendean, Western Australia, for the Midland Railway of Western Australia (MRWA) in 1957. The locomotive was later owned and operated by the MRWA's successor, the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR).
The WAGR Pm and Pmr classes were two classes of 4-6-2 tender engine steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1950 and the early 1970s.
The WAGR G class is a class of steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) from 1889. The class's wheel arrangement varied; the first 24 were 2-6-0s and the last 24 4-6-0s.
The WAGR K class was a single member class of 0-6-2T tank locomotive used intermittently by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1891 and 1926.
WAGR G class G233 Leschenault Lady is a preserved 2-6-0 steam locomotive, built in 1898 by James Martin & Co of Gawler, South Australia, for the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). It is the third oldest Australian-built steam locomotive still in operational order, after Victorian Railways Y class 112 and WAGR A class 15.
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