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The WAGR E class were a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives built for the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) by English manufacturers Nasmyth, Wilson & Co, Vulcan Foundry and North British Locomotive Company, from 1902. The locomotives provided a huge increase in locomotive power available to the WAGR and were the mainstay traction of WAGR passenger services for two decades. The Es class was the name given to a reconstruction of all but four of the class carried out between 1924 and 1925.
In the early 20th century, the WAGR was using a wide range of locomotives for a variety of operational roles. One type of locomotive lacking, however, was a dedicated long-distance of express passenger locomotive. The R class engines of 1897 had not proved appropriate for the steep gradients made necessary by the crossing of the Darling Scarp, due to their lack of power. In 1900, orders were placed with British manufacturers, Nasmyth, Wilson & Co and Vulcan Foundry for forty-five 4-6-2 locomotives. These became the WAGR E class locomotives and were the first 4-6-2 locomotives in Australia. A further 20 were ordered in April 1911 from the North British Locomotive Company. [1] [2] [3]
Due to slow delivery times by the British companies as a result of full-order books and a preference for larger orders, twenty modified E class locomotives were ordered from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia and became the WAGR Ec class. They differed from the E class in that they were compound engines. The E class eventually totalled 65, with 15 examples being built by Nasmyth, Wilson, 30 by Vulcan Foundry and 20 by North British. The first fifteen entered service in 1903/04 and were successful from the outset, providing a much needed boost to WAGR locomotive power. [1] [3] [4] [5]
In 1924/25, all except 306, 336, 338 and 353 were rebuilt with superheated boilers and reclassified as the Es class. [3] The E and Es class revolutionised the long-distance travel between Perth and Kalgoorlie. They were later replaced on this service by the P class in 1924. [3]
In 1934, 336 and 346 underwent a weight reduction programme to allow them to operate on lightly laid lines. They were reclassified as the Ea class, being converted back in 1939. In 1945 the chassis, cylinders and wheels of eight Es class were used in the building of the Dm class. [3] [4] [5]
The last was withdrawn in October 1963. Es308 has been preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum. [3] [4] [6]
The E class designation was previously used for the E class locomotives that were withdrawn in the 1890s. It was reused in the 1960s when an E class diesel locomotive was acquired with the Midland Railway of Western Australia.
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-2 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and two trailing wheels on one axle. The 4-6-2 locomotive became almost globally known as a Pacific type after a New Zealand locomotive that was shipped across the Pacific Ocean.
The WAGR X class is a now-withdrawn class of diesel locomotives built by Beyer, Peacock & Company and Metropolitan-Vickers, Bowesfield Works, Stockton-on-Tees for the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1954 and 1956. Several members of the class have been preserved.
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 Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) O Class was a class consisting of fifty-six 2-8-0 steam locomotives which were introduced by the WAGR between 1896 and 1912. Despite them being tender locomotives, they also featured short boiler side tanks for additional water storage. A useful feature for the long distances required by operation on Western Australia's country lines.
The WAGR N class was a class of steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) from 1896 until 1960.
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 WAGR S class was a class of 4-8-2 steam locomotives built by the Midland Railway Workshops between 1943 and 1947 and operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR).
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 WAGR P and Pr classes were two classes of 4-6-2 steam locomotives designed for express passenger service on the Western Australian Government Railways mainline network. The initial designs were prepared by E.S. Race and together the two classes had a total build number of thirty-five locomotives, the P and Pr classes entering service in 1924 and 1938 respectively. Both classes were used on express passenger services, greatly improving the economy and speed of long-distance passenger travel in Western Australia, the results of which were most visible on the Western Australian stage of the Trans-Australian Railway and Westland Express.
The WAGR V class was the last class of steam locomotive to enter service with the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). The class was part of the post war regeneration plan for the WAGR, intended for the heavy coal traffic between the Collie coal fields and Perth.
The H class was a class of two steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) introduced in 1889.
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 WAGR Q class was a six-member class of 4-6-2T tank engine steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1896 and 1925.
The WAGR U class was a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1946 and the late 1960s. One was rebuilt as a 4-6-4 tank locomotive.
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 F class was a class of 4-8-0 heavy goods steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1902 and 1970.
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; 48 were 2-6-0s and 24 were 4-6-0s.
The WAGR A class was a class of 2-6-0 steam locomotives designed by Beyer, Peacock & Co and operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1881 and 1955.
The WAGR U class was a single member class of 0-6-0T tank locomotive operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) from 1904 until 1940.
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