WAGR F class

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.[1]

WAGR F class
Fs460 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum
Type and origin Power type Steam Designer T.F. Rotheram Builder Dübs & Co North British Locomotive Company Serial number 4023-4037, 19655-19666, 20083-20112 Total produced 57
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-8-0 Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Length 54 ft 4 in (16.56 m) Fuel type Coal Boiler pressure As built: 180 lbf/in^2 (1.24 MPa) Superheated: 175 lbf/in^2 (1.21 MPa) Cylinder size As built: 17 in × 23 in (432 mm × 584 mm) Superheated: 18 in × 23 in (457 mm × 584 mm)
Performance figures Power output As built: 21,115 lbf (93.92 kN) Superheated: 26,082 lbf (116.02 kN)
Career Operators Western Australian Government Railways Numbers F276-F290, F356-F367, F394-F423 First run 1902 Retired 1970 Preserved F452, Fs460 Disposition 2 preserved, 55 scrapped

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.[2][3] 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.[4][5][6]

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.[7] Some were renumbered in 1949/1950. Towards the end of their lives, some had their superheaters removed as an economy measure.[3][5]

Two have been preserved, F452 at Collie and Fs460 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum.[4][6]

Class lists

The numbers and periods in service of each member of the F class were as follows:[8]

First batch, built by Dübs & Co in 1902: Builder's number First number Second number In service Superheated Withdrawn Notes 4023 276 16 August 1902 20 December 1924 23 March 1961 Oil fired 1 December 1947 to 30 September 1949 4024 277 424 30 October 1902 22 November 1924 15 October 1962 Renumbered 1 November 1949 4025 278 425 25 August 1902 4 April 1925 1 September 1961 Renumbered 17 November 1949 4026 279 22 August 1902 19 July 1924 4 September 1947 Oil fired 22 December 1936 to June 1938 4027 280 426 3 September 1902 26 September 1941 30 November 1961 Renumbered 15 November 1949 4028 281 427 6 September 1902 13 December 1924 23 November 1962 Renumbered 15 February 1950 4029 282 10 September 1902 6 September 1924 14 January 1954 Oil fired 12 December 1947 to 25 June 1948 and 24 March 1949 to 4 October 1949 4030 283 13 September 1902 6 June 1925 16 May 1961 Oil fired 17 December 1947 to 20 August 1948 4031 284 25 October 1902 22 August 1933 4 September 1947 4032 285 23 October 1902 29 April 1936 6 September 1962 Oil fired 6 June 1947 to 30 September 1949 4033 286 8 October 1902 20 September 1924 17 August 1951 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 14 October 1902 28 February 1925 15 October 1962 4035 288 15 November 1902 23 November 1929 30 November 1959 Ran with boiler fitted with round top firebox 30 September 1911 to 4 July 1929 4036 289 1 November 1902 9 May 1941 8 March 1961 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 18 October 1902 29 November 1924 1 March 1962 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 2 March 1912 19 September 1935 22 July 1969 Stowed 20 June 1964 19656 357 5 March 1912 29 March 1935 22 July 1969 Oil fired 19 December 1947 to 30 September 1948 and ? to 21 December 1949; stowed 1964 19657 358 5 March 1912 2 September 1937 22 July 1969 Oil fired 17 December 1947 to 25 June 1948; stowed 26 June 1964 19658 359 7 March 1912 30 May 1941 22 July 1969 Stowed 26 October 1960 to 17 April 1961 and 29 May 1964 19659 360 6 March 1912 30 October 1940 22 July 1969 Superheater removed 10 May 1963; stowed 1964 19660 361 441 29 February 1912 5 December 1941 6 October 1969 Renumbered 8 November 1949; stowed 29 July 1964 19661 362 20 July 1912 21 November 1940 22 July 1969 Superheater removed 6 June 1963 19662 363 27 July 1912 13 December 1930 22 July 1969 Stowed 27 January 1965 19663 364 444 20 July 1912 27 July 1939 9 November 1964 Renumbered 17 November 1949; stowed 15 May 1963 19664 365 27 July 1912 6 September 1930 10 September 1970 Stowed 28 June 1961 to 27 April 1962 and 13 June 1970 19665 366 23 November 1912 24 August 1953 Built with Schmidt superheater; oil fired 4 December 1947 to 19 August 1948 19666 367 447 16 November 1912 22 July 1969 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 21 June 1913 22 December 1937 22 July 1969 Renumbered 21 December 1949;stowed 23 August 1965 20084 395 449 14 June 1913 10 March 1939 10 September 1970 Renumbered 19 December 1949; stowed 21 February 1970 20085 396 450 14 June 1913 24 September 1932 6 October 1969 Renumbered 2 December 1949; superheater removed 23 August 1961; stowed 16 December 1964 20086 397 451 21 June 1913 19 June 1943 10 September 1970 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 7 June 1913 1 October 1947 17 June 1971 Renumbered 5 December 1949; superheater removed 20 August 1962; preserved at Collie 20088 399 2 August 1913 24 April 1940 22 July 1969 Stowed 31 July 1963 to 18 March 1964 and 15 July 1969 20089 400 454 26 July 1913 17 May 1935 10 February 1969 Renumbered 20 April 1950; stowed 20 June 1964 to 15 September 1964 20090 401 19 July 1913 9 June 1939 4 September 1947 Boiler removed, reclassified F, and stowed 22 December 1945 20091 402 455 19 July 1913 18 May 1929 22 July 1969 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 26 July 1913 9 November 1948 20 July 1967 Renumbered 14 December 1949; superheater removed 20 August 1963 20093 404 457 19 July 1913 9 August 1930 6 October 1969 Renumbered 28 November 1949; superheater removed 10 December 1962; stowed 15 December 1966 20094 405 458 26 July 1913 29 October 1937 22 March 1956 Renumbered 6 December 1949 20095 406 459 19 July 1913 16 August 1940 22 July 1969 Renumbered 18 November 1949; stowed 1964 20096 407 460 19 July 1913 10 December 1937 14 August 1972 Renumbered 21 December 1949; stowed 28 August 1962 to 26 July 1963; preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum[9] 20097 408 461 26 July 1913 7 December 1945 10 September 1970 Renumbered 17 November 1949; stowed 16 February 1970 20098 409 462 23 August 1913 31 August 1929 27 September 1967 Renumbered 2 October 1949; superheater removed 11 February 1963; stowed 31 July 1967 20099 410 463 30 August 1913 27 February 1936 30 August 1967 Renumbered 2 October 1949; stowed 31 July 1967 20100 411 23 August 1913 26 May 1933 20 July 1967 Superheater removed 7 November 1962; stowed 31 May 1967 20101 412 6 September 1913 3 April 1940 29 February 1968 Oil fired 19 March 1948 to 11 October 1949; superheater removed 21 March 1963 20102 413 6 September 1913 23 August 1935 10 February 1969 Superheater removed 24 June 1964 20103 414 30 August 1913 18 July 1941 22 July 1969 Stowed 27 January 1965 20104 415 30 August 1913 22 September 1950 22 July 1969 Stowed 1 April 1964 20105 416 16 August 1913 4 September 1936 22 July 1969 Stowed 3 September 1964 20106 417 30 August 1913 11 November 1938 1 May 1967 Stowed 10 April 1967 20107 418 23 August 1913 8 November 1930 20 July 1967 Superheater removed 14 July 1962 20108 419 13 September 1913 16 December 1942 22 July 1969 Superheater removed 5 October 1962; stowed 1964 20109 420 20 September 1913 16 December 1938 22 July 1969 Fitted with ACFI feedwater heater 23 August 1935 to 16 December 1938 20110 421 20 September 1913 15 April 1933 6 October 1969 Stowed 17 December 1964 to 18 August 1965 and 12 July 1969 20111 422 13 September 1913 7 May 1935 22 July 1969 Oil fired 18 December 1947 to 13 September 1949; stowed 29 July 1964 20112 423 21 March 1914 16 April 1932 17 June 1971 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

Notes

1. Gunzburg 1984, p. 76.
2. Gunzburg 1984, pp. 76, 150.
3. Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 120–121. ISBN 9781921719011.
4. Whiteford, David; De Bruin, Charles; Watson, Lindsay; Watson, Neville (1983). Western Australian Preserved Locomotives. Elizabeth: Railmac Publications. p. 8. ISBN 0 949817 19 8.
5. Turner, Jim (1997). Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958. Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press. p. 31. ISBN 086417778X.
6. F and Fs Class Steam Locomotive Rail Heritage WA
7. Gunzburg 1984, pp. 76–78.
8. Gunzburg 1984, pp. 78–79.
9. Fs460 Australian Steam

Cited works

• Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). ISBN 0959969039.

External links

Media related to WAGR F class at Wikimedia Commons