WAGR F class explained

WAGR F class should not be confused with MRWA F class.

WAGR F class
Powertype:	Steam
Designer:	T.F. Rotheram
Builder:	Dübs & Co North British Locomotive Company
Serialnumber:	4023-4037, 19655-19666, 20083-20112
Totalproduction:	57
Whytetype:	4-8-0
Length:	54feet
Fueltype:	Coal
Boilerpressure:	As built: 1802NaN2 Superheated: 1752NaN2
Cylindersize:	As built: 17x Superheated: 18x
Poweroutput:	As built: 211152NaN2 Superheated: 260822NaN2
Operator:	Western Australian Government Railways
Fleetnumbers:	F276-F290, F356-F367, F394-F423
Firstrundate:	1902
Retiredate:	1970
Preservedunits:	F452, Fs460
Disposition:	2 preserved, 55 scrapped

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.

History

A total of 57 F class were built in three batches, fifteen in 1902, twelve in 1912 and thirty in 1913. The first batch was built by Dübs & Co, and the other two by its successor, the North British Locomotive Company. The class was designed by T.F. Rotheram, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the WAGR from 1900 to 1903. It was an enlarged version of the New Zealand Railways' B class, which had been designed under Rotherham's direction in 1896.^[1] The class was introduced to replace the K class on the Eastern Goldfields Railway. After World War II they were replaced as main line locomotives by the S and V classes.^{[2] [3] [4]}

The last two engines of the second batch, 366 and 367, were delivered with Schmidt superheaters, and were the first superheated locomotives to enter service in Western Australia. They were designated as class Fs. Between 1924 and 1948, all bar 398, 401, 403 and 415 were retrofitted with superheaters, and reclassified as Fs class engines. Some were renumbered in 1949/1950. Towards the end of their lives, some had their superheaters removed as an economy measure.^{[1] [3]}

Two have been preserved, F452 at Collie and Fs460 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum.^{[2] [4]}

Class lists

The numbers and periods in service of each member of the F class were as follows:

First batch, built by Dübs & Co in 1902:!Builder's number!First number!Second number!In service!Superheated!Withdrawn!Notes 4023 276 Oil fired 1 December 1947 to 30 September 1949 4024 277 424 Renumbered 1 November 1949 4025 278 425 Renumbered 17 November 1949 4026 279 Oil fired 22 December 1936 to June 1938 4027 280 426 Renumbered 15 November 1949 4028 281 427 Renumbered 15 February 1950 4029 282 Oil fired 12 December 1947 to 25 June 1948 and 24 March 1949 to 4 October 1949 4030 283 Oil fired 17 December 1947 to 20 August 1948 4031 284 4032 285 Oil fired 6 June 1947 to 30 September 1949 4033 286 Oil fired 18 July 1945 to 12 July 1946, 21 December 1946 to 14 February 1947 and 29 April 1949 to 3 November 1949 4034 287 4035 288 Ran with boiler fitted with round top firebox 30 September 1911 to 4 July 1929 4036 289 Oil fired 9 November 1945 to 5 July 1946, 21 December 1946 to 21 February 1947 and 19 December 1947 to 17 November 1948 4037 290 Oil fired 30 October 1945 to 21 June 1946 and 22 December 1947 to 12 October 1949

Second batch, built by North British Locomotive Company in 1912:!Builder's number!First number!Second number!In service!Superheated!Withdrawn!Notes 19655 356 Stowed 20 June 1964 19656 357 Oil fired 19 December 1947 to 30 September 1948 and ? to 21 December 1949; stowed 1964 19657 358 Oil fired 17 December 1947 to 25 June 1948; stowed 26 June 1964 19658 359 Stowed 26 October 1960 to 17 April 1961 and 29 May 1964 19659 360 Superheater removed 10 May 1963; stowed 1964 19660 361 441 Renumbered 8 November 1949; stowed 29 July 1964 19661 362 Superheater removed 6 June 1963 19662 363 Stowed 27 January 1965 19663 364 444 Renumbered 17 November 1949; stowed 15 May 1963 19664 365 Stowed 28 June 1961 to 27 April 1962 and 13 June 1970 19665 366 Built with Schmidt superheater; oil fired 4 December 1947 to 19 August 1948 19666 367 447 Built with Schmidt superheater; renumbered 18 November 1949; stowed 1964

Third batch, built by North British Locomotive Company in 1913:!Builder's number!First number!Second number!In service!Superheated!Withdrawn!Notes 20083 394 448 Renumbered 21 December 1949;stowed 23 August 1965 20084 395 449 Renumbered 19 December 1949; stowed 21 February 1970 20085 396 450 Renumbered 2 December 1949; superheater removed 23 August 1961; stowed 16 December 1964 20086 397 451 Renumbered 4 April 1950; oil fired 3 December 1948 to 30 September 1949; stowed 3 August 1965 to 21 January 1966 and 18 June 1970 20087 398 452 Renumbered 5 December 1949; superheater removed 20 August 1962; preserved at Collie 20088 399 Stowed 31 July 1963 to 18 March 1964 and 15 July 1969 20089 400 454 Renumbered 20 April 1950; stowed 20 June 1964 to 15 September 1964 20090 401 Boiler removed, reclassified F, and stowed 22 December 1945 20091 402 455 Renumbered 25 May 1950; oil fired 27 September 1945 to 12 July 1946 and 14 December 1946 to 18 March 1947; superheater removed 28 August 1964 20092 403 456 Renumbered 14 December 1949; superheater removed 20 August 1963 20093 404 457 Renumbered 28 November 1949; superheater removed 10 December 1962; stowed 15 December 1966 20094 405 458 Renumbered 6 December 1949 20095 406 459 Renumbered 18 November 1949; stowed 1964 20096 407 460 Renumbered 21 December 1949; stowed 28 August 1962 to 26 July 1963; preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum^[5] 20097 408 461 Renumbered 17 November 1949; stowed 16 February 1970 20098 409 462 Renumbered 2 October 1949; superheater removed 11 February 1963; stowed 31 July 1967 20099 410 463 Renumbered 2 October 1949; stowed 31 July 1967 20100 411 Superheater removed 7 November 1962; stowed 31 May 1967 20101 412 Oil fired 19 March 1948 to 11 October 1949; superheater removed 21 March 1963 20102 413 Superheater removed 24 June 1964 20103 414 Stowed 27 January 1965 20104 415 Stowed 1 April 1964 20105 416 Stowed 3 September 1964 20106 417 Stowed 10 April 1967 20107 418 Superheater removed 14 July 1962 20108 419 Superheater removed 5 October 1962; stowed 1964 20109 420 Fitted with ACFI feedwater heater 23 August 1935 to 16 December 1938 20110 421 Stowed 17 December 1964 to 18 August 1965 and 12 July 1969 20111 422 Oil fired 18 December 1947 to 13 September 1949; stowed 29 July 1964 20112 423 Stowed 12 July 1969

Namesake

The F class designation was reused in the 1960s when the F class diesel locomotives were acquired with the Midland Railway of Western Australia.

See also

• Rail transport in Western Australia
• List of Western Australian locomotive classes

References

Cited works

Notes and References

1. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. 2010. Rosenberg Publishing. Dural. 9781921719011. 120–121.
2. Book: Whiteford. David. De Bruin. Charles. Watson. Lindsay. Watson. Neville. Western Australian Preserved Locomotives. 1983. Railmac Publications. Elizabeth. 0-949817-19-8. 8.
3. Book: Turner, Jim. Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958. 1997. Kangaroo Press. Kenthurst. 086417778X. 31.
4. http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/museum/locos/pages/f_steam.htm F and Fs Class Steam Locomotive
5. http://www.australiansteam.com/Fs%20460.htm Fs460