WAGR O class

WAGR O class
O218 at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Dübs & Co Neilson & Co Midland Railway Workshops Build date 1896-1912 Total produced 56
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 2-8-0 Gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) Driver dia. 3 ft 0 in (914 mm) Length 47 ft 4 in (14.43 m) Total weight 62 long tons 17 cwt (140,800 lb or 63.9 t) Fuel type Coal Water cap. 2,000 imp gal (9,100 L; 2,400 US gal) Boiler pressure 160 lbf/in2 (1.10 MPa) Cylinder size 15.5 in × 21 in (394 mm × 533 mm)
Performance figures Tractive effort 17,221 lbf (76.60 kN)
Career Operators Western Australian Government Railways Numbers O74-O100, O208-O226, Oa24, Oa171-173, Oa175-179, Oa219 Preserved O218 Disposition 1 preserved, 64 scrapped

The WAGR O Class was a 2-8-0 steam locomotive introduced by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) in 1896. They were tender locomotives, but also featured short boiler side tanks for additional water storage useful in the long distance required by operation on Western Australia's country lines.

History

Between 1896 and 1898, the WAGR took delivery of 36 O class locomotives from Neilson & Co with a further 10 built by Dübs & Co. They initially operated services on the Eastern Railway and on the South Western Railway to Collie before being superseded by the Ec and K classes and moving to branch line duties. In 1907/08, 10 O class were rebuilt as N Class suburban tank engines.

Between 1909 and 1912, Midland Railway Workshops built a further 10 as the Oa class. The last examples of the O class were withdrawn from service in 1962.

O218 has been preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum. In April 2015, it moved to the Walkaway Station Museum on a five-year loan.