WAGR F class

The WAGR F class was a class of 4-8-0 heavy goods steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1902 and 1970.

History A total of 57 F class were built in three batches, fifteen in 1902, twelve in 1912 and thirty in 1913. The first batch was built by Dübs & Co, and the other two by its successor, the North British Locomotive Company. The class was designed by T.F. Rotheram, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the WAGR from 1900 to 1903. It was an enlarged version of the New Zealand Railways' B class, which had been designed under Rotherham's direction in 1896. The class was introduced to replace the K class on the Eastern Goldfields Railway. After World War II they were replaced as main line locomotives by the S and V classes.F and Fs Class Steam Locomotive Rail Heritage WA

The last two engines of the second batch, 366 and 367, were delivered with Schmidt superheaters, and were the first superheated locomotives to enter service in Western Australia. They were designated as class Fs. Between 1924 and 1948, all bar 398, 401, 403 and 415 were retrofitted with superheaters, and reclassified as Fs class engines. Some were renumbered in 1949/1950. Towards the end of their lives, some had their superheaters removed as an economy measure.

Two have been preserved, F452 at Collie and Fs460 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum.

Class lists The numbers and periods in service of each member of the F class were as follows:

+ First batch, built by Dübs & Co in 1902:Builder'snumberFirstnumberSecondnumberIn serviceSuperheatedWithdrawnNotes4023276Oil fired 1 December 1947 to 30 September 19494024277424Renumbered 1 November 19494025278425Renumbered 17 November 19494026279Oil fired 22 December 1936 to June 19384027280426Renumbered 15 November 19494028281427Renumbered 15 February 19504029282Oil fired 12 December 1947 to 25 June 1948 and 24 March 1949 to 4 October 19494030283Oil fired 17 December 1947 to 20 August 194840312844032285Oil fired 6 June 1947 to 30 September 19494033286Oil fired 18 July 1945 to 12 July 1946, 21 December 1946 to 14 February 1947 and 29 April 1949 to 3 November 194940342874035288Ran with boiler fitted with round top firebox 30 September 1911 to 4 July 19294036289Oil fired 9 November 1945 to 5 July 1946, 21 December 1946 to 21 February 1947 and 19 December 1947 to 17 November 19484037290Oil fired 30 October 1945 to 21 June 1946 and 22 December 1947 to 12 October 1949

+ Second batch, built by North British Locomotive Company in 1912:Builder'snumberFirstnumberSecondnumberIn serviceSuperheatedWithdrawnNotes19655356Stowed 20 June 196419656357Oil fired 19 December 1947 to 30 September 1948 and ? to 21 December 1949; stowed 196419657358Oil fired 17 December 1947 to 25 June 1948; stowed 26 June 196419658359Stowed 26 October 1960 to 17 April 1961 and 29 May 196419659360Superheater removed 10 May 1963; stowed 196419660361441Renumbered 8 November 1949; stowed 29 July 196419661362Superheater removed 6 June 196319662363Stowed 27 January 196519663364444Renumbered 17 November 1949; stowed 15 May 196319664365Stowed 28 June 1961 to 27 April 1962 and 13 June 197019665366Built with Schmidt superheater; oil fired 4 December 1947 to 19 August 194819666367447Built with Schmidt superheater; renumbered 18 November 1949; stowed 1964

+ Third batch, built by North British Locomotive Company in 1913:Builder'snumberFirstnumberSecondnumberIn serviceSuperheatedWithdrawnNotes20083394448Renumbered 21 December 1949;stowed 23 August 196520084395449Renumbered 19 December 1949; stowed 21 February 197020085396450Renumbered 2 December 1949; superheater removed 23 August 1961; stowed 16 December 196420086397451Renumbered 4 April 1950; oil fired 3 December 1948 to 30 September 1949; stowed 3 August 1965 to 21 January 1966 and 18 June 197020087398452Renumbered 5 December 1949; superheater removed 20 August 1962; preserved at Collie20088399Stowed 31 July 1963 to 18 March 1964 and 15 July 196920089400454Renumbered 20 April 1950; stowed 20 June 1964 to 15 September 196420090401Boiler removed, reclassified F, and stowed 22 December 194520091402455Renumbered 25 May 1950; oil fired 27 September 1945 to 12 July 1946 and 14 December 1946 to 18 March 1947; superheater removed 28 August 196420092403456Renumbered 14 December 1949; superheater removed 20 August 196320093404457Renumbered 28 November 1949; superheater removed 10 December 1962; stowed 15 December 196620094405458Renumbered 6 December 194920095406459Renumbered 18 November 1949; stowed 196420096407460Renumbered 21 December 1949; stowed 28 August 1962 to 26 July 1963; preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport MuseumFs460 Australian Steam20097408461Renumbered 17 November 1949; stowed 16 February 197020098409462Renumbered 2 October 1949; superheater removed 11 February 1963; stowed 31 July 196720099410463Renumbered 2 October 1949; stowed 31 July 196720100411Superheater removed 7 November 1962; stowed 31 May 196720101412Oil fired 19 March 1948 to 11 October 1949; superheater removed 21 March 196320102413Superheater removed 24 June 196420103414Stowed 27 January 196520104415Stowed 1 April 196420105416Stowed 3 September 196420106417Stowed 10 April 196720107418Superheater removed 14 July 196220108419Superheater removed 5 October 1962; stowed 196420109420Fitted with ACFI feedwater heater 23 August 1935 to 16 December 193820110421Stowed 17 December 1964 to 18 August 1965 and 12 July 196920111422Oil fired 18 December 1947 to 13 September 1949; stowed 29 July 196420112423Stowed 12 July 1969

Namesake The F class designation was reused in the 1960s when the F class diesel locomotives were acquired with the Midland Railway of Western Australia.

WAGR F class

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