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 .

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'snumberYear builtRoadnumberIn serviceWithdrawnNotes4599189334Converted to Ks, 23 March 1929, and back to K, 1 April 193746011893354600189336460218933746031893384604189339Converted to Ks, 12 February 1916, and back to K, 3 October 19254605189340Stowed at Fremantle, 2 August 1961460618934150401896101Converted to Ks, 20 November 1915, and back to K, 22 December 1928504118961025042189610350431896104Converted to Ks, 8 April 1916; scrapped as Ks5044189610550451896106

+ Third batch, built by Neilson, Reid & Co, 1898:Builder'snumberYear builtRoadnumberIn serviceWithdrawnNotes519718981865198189818751991898188Returned to service after first withdrawal520018981895201189819052021898191520318981925204189819352051898194Converted to Ks, 25 December 1915, and back to K, 15 June 192952061898195Converted 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.

WAGR K class

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