WAGR K class (diesel)

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

Western Australian Government Railways K Class
K201 at South Dynon Locomotive Depot, June 2006
Type and origin Power type Diesel-Electric Builder English Electric, Rocklea Serial number A.109-A.111, A.133-A.137, A.142, A.186 Build date 1966-1969 Total produced 10
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C  • UIC Co-Co, Co′Co′ Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in) standard gauge Wheel diameter 40 inches (1.016 m) Minimum curve 330 ft (100.6 m) Wheelbase 13 ft 6 in (4.115 m) bogie Length 55 ft (16.764 m) over headstocks Width 9 ft 6 in (2.896 m) Height 13 ft 8 in (4.166 m) Axle load 18 long tons (18.3 t; 20.2 short tons) Loco weight 108 long tons (109.7 t; 121.0 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Fuel capacity 1,500 imp gal (6,800 L) Prime mover English Electric 12CSVT Mk II RPM range 450 - 850 rpm Engine type four stroke, four valves per cylinder Aspiration turbocharged, intercooled Generator EE 822/16J Traction motors EE 538 Cylinders 12 Vee Cylinder size 10 in × 12 in (254 mm × 305 mm) MU working 110V, stepless electro-pneumatic throttle Loco brake Air Train brakes air
Performance figures Maximum speed 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) Power output 2,025 hp (1,510 kW) gross, 1,850 hp (1,380 kW) net Tractive effort: ​  • Continuous 44,500 lbf (197.9 kN) at 10.5 mph (20 km/h)
Career Operators Western Australian Government Railways, Westrail, Goldsworthy Mining Ltd, BlueScope Steel, South Spur Rail Services, SCT Logistics, Greentrains Number in class 10 Numbers K201-K210 First run January 1966 Current owner Greentrains SCT Logistics Disposition 1 in service, 2 stored, 7 scrapped

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 Ltd 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]

Class List (K)

Key:	In Service	Withdrawn	Preserved	Converted	Scrapped

Serial number	Date delivered	Original Road number	Renumbered As	Name	Current/Last Owner	Status
A.109	7 February 1966	K201	-	-	SCT Logistics	Stored, Dynon.
A.110	8 March 1966	K202	8, D50	-	Greentrains	Scrapped, Port Kembla (May 2002).
A.111	21 March 1966	K203	9, D51	-	Greentrains	Scrapped, Bellevue (20 June 2014)
A.134	13 October 1966	K204	-	-	Westrail	Scrapped, Midland Railway Workshops (24 October 1998)
A.135	25 October 1966	K205	-	-	Greentrains	Scrapped, Bellevue (20 June 2014)
A.133	8 December 1966	K206	-	-	Greentrains	Scrapped, Bellevue (27 June 2014)
A.136	19 December 1966	K207	-	-	SCT Logistics	Scrapped, Laverton, Victoria (August 2011)
A.137	31 December 1966	K208	-	Thomas Smith	SCT Logistics	In Service
A.142	23 February 1967	K209	-	-	SCT Logistics	Stored, Dynon
A.186	27 March 1969	K210	-	-	Greentrains	Scrapped, Bellevue (3 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

• 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.