The WAGR V class was the last class of

steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the locomot ...

to enter service with the

Western Australian Government Railways Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the operator of railway services in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra responsi ...

(WAGR). The class was part of the post war regeneration plan for the WAGR, intended for the heavy coal traffic between the

Collie Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many ...

coal fields and

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

Engineering background

Twenty-four locomotives were ordered in 1951 from

Beyer, Peacock and Company Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Openshaw, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer, Richard Peacock and Henry Robertson, it traded from 1854 until 1966. The company exported locomotives, ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

. Capacity issues saw construction of the locomotives subcontracted to Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn's

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town. In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...

works although still issued with Beyer Peacock builders numbers. The locomotives entered service between April 1955 and November 1956.V Class Steam Locomotive
Rail Heritage WA The locomotive was of a modern design with a high superheat, a large

combustion chamber A combustion chamber is part of an internal combustion engine in which the fuel/air mix is burned. For steam engines, the term has also been used for an extension of the firebox which is used to allow a more complete combustion process. Interna ...

and a

thermic syphon Thermic siphons (alt. thermic syphons) are Heat-exchanger, heat-exchanging elements in the Firebox (steam engine), firebox or Combustion chamber#Steam engine, combustion chamber of some steam boiler and steam locomotive designs. As they are dire ...

in the firebox.

Roller bearings In mechanical engineering, a rolling-element bearing, also known as a rolling bearing, is a bearing (mechanical), bearing which carries a load by placing rolling elements (such as balls or rollers) between two concentric, Groove (engineering), g ...

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 Australian Standard Garratt (ASG) was a Garratt steam locomotive designed in Australia during World War II, and used on narrow gauge railway systems in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. History With the outbreak ...

. 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.

Operational history

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

area. Later they were used on equally heavy freight trains, particularly over the Great Southern line from

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

to Albany. Most were condemned in June 1971, with the remainder following in August 1972. On 25 June 1972. V1220 hauled the final WAGR steam hauled service, the ''Farewell to Steam'' special from Brunswick Junction to Collie.

Preservation

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 Pemberton Tramway Company operates as a tourist railway in Pemberton in Western Australia. The company controls the southern section of the former Northcliffe Branch railway, from Lyall to Northcliffe. Currently, trams run south from the ol ...

who provided Driver Experience courses, in addition to hauling some timber on its railway. The haulage of timber ceased in 2005.The Mighty V
Pemberton Tramway Company Various records suggest that the V Class were considered for preservation by the

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society The Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society Inc. (known colloquially as ''Steamtown'' and ''Steamtown Peterborough'') was a not-for-profit incorporated society that operated a heritage steam railway from Peterborough, South Australi ...

."The V Class" ''The Partyline'' issue 56 Winter 1994 (Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society) "The Steamtown Locomotives" ''Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society Number 1, February 1979

Class list

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

References

Notes

Bibliography

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External links

{{WAGR Locomotives Beyer, Peacock locomotives Freight locomotives Railway locomotives introduced in 1955 Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns locomotives V WAGR class 2-8-2 locomotives 3 ft 6 in gauge locomotives of Australia