The WAGR V class was the last class of steam locomotive to enter service with the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). The class was part of the post war regeneration plan for the WAGR, intended for the heavy coal traffic between the Collie coal fields and Perth.
Twenty-four locomotives were ordered in 1951 from Beyer, Peacock and Company, Manchester. Capacity issues saw construction of the locomotives subcontracted to Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn's Darlington works although still issued with Beyer Peacock builders numbers. The locomotives entered service between April 1955 and November 1956.[1]
The locomotive was of a modern design with a high superheat, a large combustion chamber and a thermic syphon in the firebox. Roller bearings were used on all the locomotive and tender wheels. When introduced the V class was the largest rigid wheelbase locomotive on the WAGR system, exceeded only by the Australian Standard Garratt. The class was designed to have as many parts as possible interchangeable with the W class. It was designed with the intention of being converted to standard gauge, however when the new gauge arrived 10 years later, more powerful diesel locomotives were introduced and the V class saw out their days on the narrow gauge network.[2]
Operational historyEdit
The rated load capacity was 1,320 tons between Brunswick Junction and Armadale, compared to 1,135 tons for the S class and 850 tons for the Fs class. By all accounts the V class were a reliable and free-steaming locomotive. The V class locomotives entered service in 1955 and initially worked heavy coal trains from the Collie area. Later they were used on equally heavy freight trains, particularly over the Great Southern line from York to Albany. Most were condemned in June 1971, with the remainder following in August 1972.[1][3][4][5] On 25 June 1972. V1220 hauled the final WAGR steam hauled service, the Farewell to Steam special from Brunswick Junction to Collie.[6]
PreservationEdit
Four of the class have survived. Three are owned by preservation societies, whilst the fourth, V1213, is owned by the private rail operator Pemberton Tramway Company who provided Driver Experience courses,[7] in addition to hauling some timber on its railway. The haulage of timber ceased in 2005.[5][8]
Fitted with Nathan DV3 mechanical lubricator, May 1968
7774
7730
1205
8 July 1955
17 June 1971
7775
7732
1206
15 July 1955
17 June 1971
Damaged in collision at Mundijong, 20 April 1969; repaired by 9 July 1969
7776
7733
1207
27 July 1955
17 June 1971
7777
7734
1208
10 October 1955
14 August 1972
7778
7735
1209
4 October 1955
17 June 1971
Preserved at Bellarine Railway, Victoria. Recommissioned 1991, named Spirit of Alcoa[9] and used for occasional passenger services, currently stored[11][12]
Durrant, A E (1978). Australian Steam. Newton Abbot, Devon, UK; North Pomfret, Vt, USA: David & Charles. pp. 99, 101. ISBN0715376055.
Gunzburg, Adrian (1968). WAGR Locomotives 1940–1968. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). pp. 26–27, 47. OCLC 219836193.
Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). ISBN0959969039.
External linksEdit
Media related to WAGR V class at Wikimedia Commons
October 18, 2023
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The WAGR V class was the last class of steam locomotive to enter service with the Western Australian Government Railways WAGR The class was part of the post war regeneration plan for the WAGR intended for the heavy coal traffic between the Collie coal fields and Perth WAGR V classV1213 at Pemberton station in December 2011Type and originPower typeSteamBuilderRobert Stephenson and Hawthorns as subcontractor to Beyer Peacock amp CoSerial numberBeyer Peacock amp Co 7726 7749Build date1955Total produced24SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte2 8 2 UIC1 D1 h2Gauge3 ft 6 in 1 067 mm Leading dia 21 5 in 55 cm Driver dia 51 in 130 cm Trailing dia 21 5 in 55 cm Wheelbase32 ft 9 in 9 98 m Length69 ft 8 in 21 23 m Width9 ft 6 in 2 90 m Height11 ft 0 in 3 35 m Axle load14 long tons 5 cwt 31 900 lb or 14 5 t Adhesive weight14 long tons 5 cwt 31 900 lb or 14 5 t Loco weight80 long tons 14 cwt 2 qTotal weight134 long tons 18 cwt 2 qFuel typeCoalFuel capacity7 long tons 0 cwt 15 700 lb or 7 1 t Water cap 5 390 imp gal 24 500 L 6 470 US gal Firebox Firegrate area40 sq ft 3 7 m2 Boiler pressure215 lbf in2 1 48 MPa Heating surface1 817 sq ft 168 8 m2 Tubes1 570 sq ft 146 m2 Firebox247 sq ft 22 9 m2 Superheater Heating area492 sq ft 45 7 m2 CylindersTwoCylinder size19 in 26 in 483 mm 660 mm Valve gearWalschaertsPerformance figuresTractive effort33 633 lbf 149 61 kN Factor of adh 3 8CareerOperatorsWestern Australian Government RailwaysNumbersV1201 V1224Delivered1955 1956First run12 April 1955Withdrawn14 August 1972PreservedV1209 V1213 V1215 V1220Disposition4 preserved 20 scrapped Contents 1 Engineering background 2 Operational history 3 Preservation 4 Class list 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksEngineering background Edit nbsp V1220 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum in April 2006Twenty four locomotives were ordered in 1951 from Beyer Peacock and Company Manchester Capacity issues saw construction of the locomotives subcontracted to Robert Stephenson amp Hawthorn s Darlington works although still issued with Beyer Peacock builders numbers The locomotives entered service between April 1955 and November 1956 1 The locomotive was of a modern design with a high superheat a large combustion chamber and a thermic syphon in the firebox Roller bearings were used on all the locomotive and tender wheels When introduced the V class was the largest rigid wheelbase locomotive on the WAGR system exceeded only by the Australian Standard Garratt The class was designed to have as many parts as possible interchangeable with the W class It was designed with the intention of being converted to standard gauge however when the new gauge arrived 10 years later more powerful diesel locomotives were introduced and the V class saw out their days on the narrow gauge network 2 Operational history EditThe rated load capacity was 1 320 tons between Brunswick Junction and Armadale compared to 1 135 tons for the S class and 850 tons for the Fs class By all accounts the V class were a reliable and free steaming locomotive The V class locomotives entered service in 1955 and initially worked heavy coal trains from the Collie area Later they were used on equally heavy freight trains particularly over the Great Southern line from York to Albany Most were condemned in June 1971 with the remainder following in August 1972 1 3 4 5 On 25 June 1972 V1220 hauled the final WAGR steam hauled service the Farewell to Steam special from Brunswick Junction to Collie 6 Preservation EditFour of the class have survived Three are owned by preservation societies whilst the fourth V1213 is owned by the private rail operator Pemberton Tramway Company who provided Driver Experience courses 7 in addition to hauling some timber on its railway The haulage of timber ceased in 2005 5 8 Various records suggest that the V Class were considered for preservation by the South Australian Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society 9 10 Class list EditThe numbers and periods in service of each member of the V class were as follows 3 Builder snumber Worksnumber Roadnumber In service Withdrawn Notes7770 7726 1201 12 April 1955 17 June 19717771 7727 1202 10 May 1955 17 June 19717772 7728 1203 9 June 1955 17 June 1971 Fitted with Nathan DV3 mechanical lubricator March 19687773 7729 1204 24 June 1955 17 June 1971 Fitted with Nathan DV3 mechanical lubricator May 19687774 7730 1205 8 July 1955 17 June 19717775 7732 1206 15 July 1955 17 June 1971 Damaged in collision at Mundijong 20 April 1969 repaired by 9 July 19697776 7733 1207 27 July 1955 17 June 19717777 7734 1208 10 October 1955 14 August 19727778 7735 1209 4 October 1955 17 June 1971 Preserved at Bellarine Railway Victoria Recommissioned 1991 named Spirit of Alcoa 9 and used for occasional passenger services currently stored 11 12 7779 7731 1210 19 October 1955 17 June 19717780 7736 1211 2 November 1955 17 June 19717781 7737 1212 1 December 1955 17 June 19717782 7738 1213 20 December 1955 17 June 1971 To Hotham Valley Railway HVR 8 April 1981 sold to Willis Engineering Recommissioned on a narrow gauge freight 27 May 1992 9 and used for occasional passenger services for both Pemberton Tramway Company and HVR 8 13 7783 7739 1214 23 December 1955 17 June 19717784 7740 1215 13 February 1956 17 June 1971 Preserved at Collie 14 7785 7741 1216 20 February 1956 17 June 19717786 7742 1217 14 June 1956 17 June 1971 Standard Detroit lubricator fitted early 1967 to 5 March 19687787 7743 1218 28 March 1956 14 August 19727788 7744 1219 13 April 1956 14 August 19727789 7745 1220 25 June 1956 14 August 1972 Preserved at Western Australian Rail Transport Museum 1 15 7790 7746 1221 13 July 1956 17 June 19717791 7747 1222 2 August 1956 17 June 19717792 7748 1223 5 October 1956 17 June 1971 Standard Detroit lubricator fitted 1967 19687793 7749 1224 16 November 1956 17 June 1971See also Edit nbsp Trains portal nbsp Western Australia portalRail transport in Western Australia List of Western Australian locomotive classesReferences EditNotes Edit a b c V Class Steam Locomotive Rail Heritage WA Clark Peter 2012 The Australian Locomotive Guide Dural Rosenberg Publishing p 75 ISBN 9781922013682 a b Gunzburg 1984 p 140 Turner Jim 1997 Australian Steam Locomotives 1896 1958 Kenthurst Kangaroo Press p 171 ISBN 086417778X a b Oberg Leon 2010 Locomotives of Australia 1850s 2010 Dural Rosenberg Publishing p 281 ISBN 9781921719011 Whiteford David De Bruin Charles Watson Lindsay Watson Neville 1983 Western Australian Preserved Locomotives Elizabeth Railmac Publications p 17 ISBN 0 949817 19 8 Driver Experience Page Pemberton Tramway Co a b The Mighty V Pemberton Tramway Company a b c The V Class The Partyline issue 56 Winter 1994 Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society ISSN 1322 2473 The Steamtown Locomotives Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society Number 1 February 1979 Steam Locomotives Archived 2017 05 25 at the Wayback Machine Bellarine Peninsula Railway V1209 Australian Steam V1213 Australian Steam V1215 Australian Steam V1220 Australian Steam Bibliography Edit Durrant A E 1978 Australian Steam Newton Abbot Devon UK North Pomfret Vt USA David amp Charles pp 99 101 ISBN 0715376055 Gunzburg Adrian 1968 WAGR Locomotives 1940 1968 Perth Australian Railway Historical Society Western Australian Division pp 26 27 47 OCLC 219836193 Gunzburg Adrian 1984 A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives Perth Australian Railway Historical Society Western Australian Division ISBN 0959969039 External links Edit nbsp Media related to WAGR V class at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title WAGR V class amp oldid 1178454112, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,