WAGR Pm and Pmr classes

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WAGR Pm and Pmr classes
WAGR 701 (5359396093).jpg
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
Builder North British Locomotive Company
Serial number26545-26569, 26921-26930
Build date1949-1950
Total produced35 (Pm: 19, Pmr: 16)
Specifications
Configuration:
   Whyte 4-6-2
Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm)
Length63 ft 7.4 in (19.39 m)
Width8 ft 9.9 in (2.69 m)
Height12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Total weight109  long tons  0 cwt (244,200 lb or 110.7 t)
Tender type4-axle
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.4,000 imp gal (18,000 L; 4,800 US gal)
Tender cap.8  long tons  0 cwt (17,900 lb or 8.1 t)
Firebox:
  Grate area35 sq ft (3.3 m2)
Boiler pressure175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa)
Cylinder size 19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gear Walschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort 25,855 lbf (115.01 kN)
Factor of adh. 3.6
Career
Operators Western Australian Government Railways
NumbersPm701-Pm714, Pm716-Pm719, Pmr715, Pmr720-Pmr735
First run4 January 1950
Withdrawn1970-1972
PreservedPm701, Pm706, Pmr720, Pmr721, Pmr729, Pmr735
Disposition6 preserved, 29 scrapped

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.

Contents

History

With the WAGR suffering from a shortage of locomotives and having a backlog of repairs deferred from World War II, authorisation was granted for the construction of 35 4-6-2 locomotives. Initially it was planned that Midland Railway Workshops build 10 with the balance built externally. However capacity constraints at Midland saw the order for the full 35 placed with the North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Nineteen were built as the Pm class with plain bearings on the coupled axles and roller bearings on the carrying axles. The other sixteen were built as the Pmr class with roller bearings on all axles. One Pm was later converted to a Pmr at Midland Railway Workshops. [2] [3] [4]

All entered service in 1950. Although intended to operate passenger services, their independently sprung driving wheels gave a rough ride meaning they could not maintain schedules, hence they were quickly relegated to fast freight trains on the Eastern Goldfields and Great Southern lines and associated branches. Later they were concentrated on the Great Southern and South Western lines. All were withdrawn between 1970 and 1972. [2] [3] [4]

Classes list

Pmr class locomotive no. 720 was the flagship of the Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society in the Mid North of South Australia. In May 1984, on an excursion trip, it traversed the iron floodway bridge 2 km south of Black Rock. Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society train (hauled by loco Pmr 720) over floodway bridge near Black Rock, South Australia, 21 May 1984 (Lindsay Bridge photo).jpg
Pmr class locomotive no. 720 was the flagship of the Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society in the Mid North of South Australia. In May 1984, on an excursion trip, it traversed the iron floodway bridge 2 km south of Black Rock.

The numbers and periods in service of each member of the Pm and Pmr classes were as follows: [5]

Builder's
number
ClassRoad
number
In serviceWithdrawnNotes
26545Pm7014 January 195017 June 1971Preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum [4]
26546Pm7027 February 195014 August 1972
26547Pm70316 February 195010 September 1970
26548Pm70423 February 195014 August 1972
26549Pm7052 March 195014 August 1972
26550Pm7067 March 195017 June 1971Preserved by Narrogin Apex Club / Hotham Valley Railway [6]
26551Pm70715 March 195010 September 1970
26552Pm70819 April 195014 August 1972
26553Pm70924 April 195010 September 1970
26554Pm71027 July 195017 June 1971
26555Pm71123 June 195014 August 1972
26556Pm71215 September 195014 August 1972
26557Pm71328 September 195014 August 1972
26558Pm7149 October 195014 August 1972
26559Pmr71515 November 195014 August 1972Built as Pmr class
26560Pm71626 September 195014 August 1972
26561Pm71716 August 195010 September 1970
26562Pm71810 May 195014 August 1972
26563Pm7199 May 195010 September 1970
26564Pmr72029 June 195014 August 1972Preserved at Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre, named Keith Smith previously operational [7]
26565Pmr72124 July 195014 August 1972Preserved at Northam railway station [8]
26566Pmr72220 June 195014 August 1972
26567Pmr72311 July 195014 August 1972Fitted with Pr class dome cover, December 1967
26568Pmr72429 June 195017 June 1971
26569Pmr7255 July 195014 August 1972
26921Pmr7265 July 195017 June 1971
26922Pmr7278 July 195014 August 1972
26923Pmr72819 July 195014 August 1972
26924Pmr72927 July 195010 September 1970Preserved at Coolgardie station [3]
26925Pmr7304 August 195017 June 1971
26926Pmr7318 August 195010 September 1970
26927Pmr73218 August 195017 June 1971
26928Pmr7336 September 195010 September 1970Built as Pm, converted to Pmr 14 October 1955
26929Pmr7346 September 195014 August 1972
26930Pmr73531 August 195014 August 1972Sold to TVW displayed at Bennett Brook Railway 1984-87, resold to Hotham Valley Railway, stored at Meelon [9] [10]

See also

References

Notes

  1. Turner, Jim (1997). Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958. Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press. p. 148. ISBN   086417778X.
  2. 1 2 3 Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 237. ISBN   9781921719011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Clark, Peter (2012). The Australian Locomotive Guide. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 60. ISBN   9781922013682.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Pm Class Steam Locomotive Rail Heritage WA
  5. Gunzburg 1984, p. 133.
  6. Pm706 Hotham Valley Railway
  7. W901 Australian Steam
  8. Old Northam Railway Station Visit Northam
  9. Whiteford, David; De Bruin, Charles; Watson, Lindsay; Watson, Neville (1983). Western Australian Preserved Locomotives. Elizabeth: Railmac Publications. p. 14. ISBN   0-949817-19-8.
  10. November 2013 Hotham Valley Railway

Bibliography

  • Gunzburg, Adrian (1968). WAGR Locomotives 1940–1968. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). pp. 20–21, 47. OCLC   219836193.
  • Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). ISBN   0959969039.

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