WAGR O class explained

WAGR O class
Powertype:Steam
Builder:Dübs & Co
Neilson & Co
Midland Railway Workshops
Builddate:1896-1912
Totalproduction:56
Whytetype:2-8-0
Driverdiameter:3feet
Length:47feet
Fueltype:Coal
Watercap:2000impgal
Boilerpressure:1602NaN2
Cylindersize:15.5x
Tractiveeffort:172212NaN2
Operator:Western Australian Government Railways
Fleetnumbers:O74-O100, O208-O226, Oa24, Oa171-173, Oa175-179, Oa219
Preservedunits:O218
Disposition:1 preserved, 55 scrapped

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.

History

Between 1896 and 1898, the WAGR took delivery of 36 O class locomotives from Neilson & Co with a further 10 built by Dübs & Co. They initially operated services on the Eastern Railway and on the South Western Railway to Collie before being superseded by the Ec and K classes and moving to branch line duties. In 1907/08, 10 O class were rebuilt as N Class suburban tank engines.[1] [2] [3]

Between 1909 and 1912, Midland Railway Workshops built a further 10 as the Oa class. The last examples of the O class were withdrawn from service in 1962.[1] [2] [3]

O218 has been preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum.[1] [4] In April 2015, it moved to the Walkaway Station Museum on a five-year loan.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Whiteford. David. De Bruin. Charles. Watson. Lindsay. Watson. Neville. Western Australian Preserved Locomotives. 1983. Railmac Publications. Elizabeth. 0-949817-19-8. 11.
  2. Book: Gunzburg. Adrian. A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives. 1984. Australian Railway Historical Society. Perth. 0-9599690-3-9. 52–55.
  3. Book: Turner, Jim. Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958. 1997. Kangaroo Press. Kenthurst. 086417778X. 15, 48.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20070712202713/http://www.railheritagewa.org.au/museum/frtloco.htm O Class
  5. http://www.walkawaymuseum.org.au/ O218 arrives at Walkaway