WAGR K class

The K-class was a class of 2-8-4T steam locomotives of the Western Australian Government Railways

History

Between October 1893 and August 1898, the WAGR took delivery of 24 K class locomotives from Neilson & Co. They entered service on the Eastern Railway between Midland Junction and Northam. In 1902, they were displaced from this work by the F class. They then mainly operated freight services on the Collie line and within Perth, although they did operate Royal Perth Show and raceday special passenger services.

In 1915, two were repowered with superheated boilers. A further three followed, but all were converted back by 1937. Further reboilerings increased tractive effort by over Template:Cvt.

Six examples originally intended for the WAGR were purchased by the British Government and sent to South Africa to ease a shortage encountered by the Imperial Military Railways resulting from the Boer War, where they became the C class.

Class lists

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

First and second batches, built by Neilson & Co, 1893 and 1896: Builder's number Year built Road number In service Withdrawn Notes 4599 1893 34 Template:Dts Template:Dts Converted to Ks, 23 March 1929, and back to K, 1 April 1937 4601 1893 35 Template:Dts Template:Dts 4600 1893 36 Template:Dts Template:Dts 4602 1893 37 Template:Dts Template:Dts 4603 1893 38 Template:Dts Template:Dts 4604 1893 39 Template:Dts Template:Dts Converted to Ks, 12 February 1916, and back to K, 3 October 1925 4605 1893 40 Template:Dts Template:Dts Stowed at Fremantle, 2 August 1961 4606 1893 41 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5040 1896 101 Template:Dts Template:Dts Converted to Ks, 20 November 1915, and back to K, 22 December 1928 5041 1896 102 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5042 1896 103 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5043 1896 104 Template:Dts Template:Dts Converted to Ks, 8 April 1916; scrapped as Ks 5044 1896 105 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5045 1896 106 Template:Dts Template:Dts

Third batch, built by Neilson, Reid & Co, 1898: Builder's number Year built Road number In service Withdrawn Notes 5197 1898 186 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5198 1898 187 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5199 1898 188 Template:Dts Template:Dts Template:Dts Template:Dts Returned to service after first withdrawal 5200 1898 189 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5201 1898 190 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5202 1898 191 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5203 1898 192 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5204 1898 193 Template:Dts Template:Dts 5205 1898 194 Template:Dts Template:Dts Converted to Ks, 25 December 1915, and back to K, 15 June 1929 5206 1898 195 Template:Dts Template:Dts Converted to Ks, 25 December 1915, and back to K, 25 June 1927

Namesakes

The "K" designation was previously used by the K class of 1891, which in turn were reclassified as the L class. It was reused in the 1960s when the K class diesel locomotives entered service.

See also

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

References

Cited works

• Template:Gunzburg-History WAGR Steam