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.
WAGR F class 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/in2 (1.24 MPa) Superheated: 175 lbf/in2 (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)
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.[ 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. 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]
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Withdrawn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
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
^ a b Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010 . Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 120–121. ISBN 9781921719011 .
^ a b Whiteford, David; De Bruin, Charles; Watson, Lindsay; Watson, Neville (1983). Western Australian Preserved Locomotives . Elizabeth: Railmac Publications. p. 8. ISBN 0-949817-19-8 .
^ a b Turner, Jim (1997). Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958 . Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press. p. 31. ISBN 086417778X .
^ a b F and Fs Class Steam Locomotive Rail Heritage WA
^ Fs460 Australian Steam
Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives . Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). ISBN 0959969039 .