WAGR Pm and Pmr classes

The WAGR Pm and Pmr classes were two classes of 4-6-2 tender engine steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) between 1950 and the early 1970s.

WAGR Pm and Pmr classes
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderNorth British Locomotive Company
Serial number26545-26569, 26921-26930
Build date1949-1950
Total produced35 (Pm: 19, Pmr: 16)
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-2
Gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Driver dia.4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm)
Length63 ft 7.4 in (19.39 m)
Width8 ft 9.9 in (2.69 m)
Height12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Total weight109 long tons 0 cwt (244,200 lb or 110.7 t)
Tender type4-axle
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap4,000 imp gal (18,000 l; 4,800 US gal)
Tender cap.8 long tons 0 cwt (17,900 lb or 8.1 t)
Firebox:
 • Firegrate area		35 sq ft (3.3 m2)
Boiler pressure175 lbf/in2 (1.21 MPa)
Cylinder size19 in × 26 in (483 mm × 660 mm)
Valve gearWalschaerts
Performance figures
Tractive effort25,855 lbf (115.01 kN)
Factor of adh.3.6
Career
OperatorsWestern Australian Government Railways
NumbersPm701-Pm714, Pm716-Pm719, Pmr715, Pmr720-Pmr735
First run4 January 1950
Withdrawn1970-1972
PreservedPm701, Pm706, Pmr720, Pmr721, Pmr729, Pmr735
Disposition6 preserved, 29 scrapped

History

With the WAGR suffering from a shortage of locomotives and having a backlog of repairs deferred from World War II, authorisation was granted for the construction of 35 4-6-2 locomotives. Initially it was planned that Midland Railway Workshops build 10 with the balance built externally. However capacity constraints at Midland saw the order for the full 35 placed with the North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow.[1][2][3][4]

Nineteen were built as the Pm class with plain bearings on the coupled axles and roller bearings on the carrying axles. The other sixteen were built as the Pmr class with roller bearings on all axles. One Pm was later converted to a Pmr at Midland Railway Workshops.[2][3][4]

All entered service in 1950. Although intended to operate passenger services, their independently sprung driving wheels gave a rough ride meaning they could not maintain schedules, hence they were quickly relegated to fast freight trains on the Eastern Goldfields and Great Southern lines and associated branches. Later they were concentrated on the Great Southern and South Western lines. All were withdrawn between 1970 and 1972.[2][3][4]

Classes list
Pmr class locomotive no. 720 was the flagship of the Steamtown Peterborough Railway Preservation Society in the Mid North of South Australia. In May 1984, on an excursion trip, it traversed the iron floodway bridge 2 km south of Black Rock.

The numbers and periods in service of each member of the Pm and Pmr classes were as follows:[5]

Builder's
number		 Class Road
number		 In service Withdrawn Notes
26545 Pm 701 4 January 1950 17 June 1971 Preserved at the Western Australian Rail Transport Museum[4]
26546 Pm 702 7 February 1950 14 August 1972
26547 Pm 703 16 February 1950 10 September 1970
26548 Pm 704 23 February 1950 14 August 1972
26549 Pm 705 2 March 1950 14 August 1972
26550 Pm 706 7 March 1950 17 June 1971 Preserved by Narrogin Apex Club / Hotham Valley Railway[6]
26551 Pm 707 15 March 1950 10 September 1970
26552 Pm 708 19 April 1950 14 August 1972
26553 Pm 709 24 April 1950 10 September 1970
26554 Pm 710 27 July 1950 17 June 1971
26555 Pm 711 23 June 1950 14 August 1972
26556 Pm 712 15 September 1950 14 August 1972
26557 Pm 713 28 September 1950 14 August 1972
26558 Pm 714 9 October 1950 14 August 1972
26559 Pmr 715 15 November 1950 14 August 1972 Built as Pmr class
26560 Pm 716 26 September 1950 14 August 1972
26561 Pm 717 16 August 1950 10 September 1970
26562 Pm 718 10 May 1950 14 August 1972
26563 Pm 719 9 May 1950 10 September 1970
26564 Pmr 720 29 June 1950 14 August 1972 Preserved at Steamtown Heritage Rail Centre, named Keith Smith previously operational[7]
26565 Pmr 721 24 July 1950 14 August 1972 Preserved at Northam railway station[8]
26566 Pmr 722 20 June 1950 14 August 1972
26567 Pmr 723 11 July 1950 14 August 1972 Fitted with Pr class dome cover, December 1967
26568 Pmr 724 29 June 1950 17 June 1971
26569 Pmr 725 5 July 1950 14 August 1972
26921 Pmr 726 5 July 1950 17 June 1971
26922 Pmr 727 8 July 1950 14 August 1972
26923 Pmr 728 19 July 1950 14 August 1972
26924 Pmr 729 27 July 1950 10 September 1970 Preserved at Coolgardie station[3]
26925 Pmr 730 4 August 1950 17 June 1971
26926 Pmr 731 8 August 1950 10 September 1970
26927 Pmr 732 18 August 1950 17 June 1971
26928 Pmr 733 6 September 1950 10 September 1970 Built as Pm, converted to Pmr 14 October 1955
26929 Pmr 734 6 September 1950 14 August 1972
26930 Pmr 735 31 August 1950 14 August 1972 Sold to TVW displayed at Bennett Brook Railway 1984-87, resold to Hotham Valley Railway, stored at Meelon[9][10]

See also

References

Notes
  1. Turner, Jim (1997). Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958. Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press. p. 148. ISBN 086417778X.
  2. Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 237. ISBN 9781921719011.
  3. Clark, Peter (2012). The Australian Locomotive Guide. Dural: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 60. ISBN 9781922013682.
  4. Pm Class Steam Locomotive Rail Heritage WA
  5. Gunzburg 1984, p. 133.
  6. Pm706 Hotham Valley Railway
  7. W901 Australian Steam
  8. Old Northam Railway Station Visit Northam
  9. Whiteford, David; De Bruin, Charles; Watson, Lindsay; Watson, Neville (1983). Western Australian Preserved Locomotives. Elizabeth: Railmac Publications. p. 14. ISBN 0 949817 19 8.
  10. November 2013 Hotham Valley Railway

Bibliography
  • Gunzburg, Adrian (1968). WAGR Locomotives 1940–1968. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). pp. 20–21, 47. OCLC 219836193.
  • Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). ISBN 0959969039.

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