WAGR K class (diesel)

Western Australian Government Railways K class

K201 at South Dynon Locomotive Depot in June 2006

Type and origin Power type Diesel-electric Builder English Electric, Rocklea Model M195C Build date 1966-69 Total produced 10

Specifications AAR wheel arr C-C UIC class Co-Co, Co′Co′ Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge Length 16.76 m (55 ft 0 in) Loco weight 122 t (120 long tons; 134 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover English Electric 12CSVT Generator English Electric 822 Traction motors English Electric 548

Performance figures Power output 1,339 kW (1,796 hp)

Career Operators Western Australian Government Railways Number in class 10 Numbers K201-K210 First run January 1966 Current owner Greentrains SCT Logistics Disposition 4 in service, 6 scrapped

The K class are a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for the Western Australian Government Railways between 1966 and 1969.

History

K205 in February 2006 painted in Spirit of the West livery

Nine K class were delivered in 1966/67 to operate services on the 657-kilometre (408 mi) Eastern Goldfields Railway from Perth to Kalgoorlie that was being converted to standard gauge. After initially working construction trains, in November 1966 they began working wheat trains from Merredin to Fremantle and once the full line was opened began working services to Kalgoorlie and Esperance.^[1]

In January 1966, K201 became the first locomotive to travel across Australia. It hauled freight trains from Brisbane to Melbourne, before being hauled for the rest of the journey. It passed through five states, travelled on six railway systems and required a change of bogies at Melbourne, Port Pirie and Kalgoorlie.^[2]

Goldsworthy Mining had purchased six similar locomotives, and after having one destroyed in an accident, purchased K202 with K210 ordered as a replacement. In July 1986 Goldsworth Mining purchased K203.^[1]

The Western Australian Government Railways also purchased 16 similar R class locomotives mounted on narrow gauge bogies. In 1974 three were fitted with standard gauge bogies and reclassified as the Ka class.^[3]

Four have been sold to SCT Logistics and three had gone to South Spur Rail Services by August 2000.^[4][5][6] The latter three are now owned by Greentrains and have been used as Broken Hill shunters as well as in Western Australia.^[7][8]

The two sold to Goldsworthy Mining were transferred to BHP's Port Kembla operation in November 1992.^[9]

Status list

Serial number Number Delivered Withdrawn Status Notes A-109 K201 7 Feb 1966 sold to SCT Logistics June 1998 A-110 K202 8 Mar 1966 sold to Goldsworthy Mining March 1968 as 8, transferred to BlueScope Steel, Port Kembla November 1992 as D50, sold to South Spur Rail Services and scrapped[9] A-111 K203 21 Mar 1966 sold to Goldsworthy Mining, July 1986 as 9, transferred to BlueScope Steel, Port Kembla November 1992 as D51[9] Scrapped by Greentrains June 2014 A-134 K204 13 Oct 1966 Jun 1998 scrapped at Midland Railway Workshops September 1998 A-135 K205 25 Oct 1966 sold to South Spur Rail Services by August 2000, now owned by Greentrains[8] Scrapped by Greentrains June 2014 A-133 K206 8 Dec 1966 sold to South Spur Rail Services by August 2000, now owned by Greentrains[8] Scrapped by Greentrains June 2014 A-136 K207 19 Dec 1966 SCT Logistics A-137 K208 31 Dec 1966 sold to SCT Logistics June 1998 A-142 K209 23 Feb 1967 sold to SCT Logistics June 1998 A-186 K210 27 Mar 1969 replacement for K202, sold to South Spur Rail Services by August 2000, now owned by Greentrains[10] Scrapped by Greentrains July 2014

References

1. Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010s. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 340–342. ISBN 9781921719011.
2. "20 Years Ago" Railway Digest January 1986 page 30
3. KA Class (WA, diesel) Railpage
4. "Western Australian Roundup" Railway Digest January 2001 page 40
5. K Class (diesel, WA) Railpage
6. K Class Vicsig
7. K205 Western Australian Railscene e-Mag issue 1 5 January 2009 page 4
8. K205 Western Australian Railscene e-Mag issue 178 27 February 2012 page 8
9. Port Kembla - Diesel Locomotive Fleetlisting Light Rail Research Society of Australia
10. K210 Western Australian Railscene e-Mag issue 8 9 February 2009 page 2

• Gunzburg, Adrian (1968). WAGR Locomotives 1940–1968. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). pp. 44, 50. OCLC 219836193.
• Milne, Rod (1998). Westrail's English Electric Experience (The English Electric locomotives of the WAGR). Elizabeth, SA: Railmac Publications. ISBN 0958650098.