# 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 5,100 lbf (22.69 kN).
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| Builder's number | Year built | Road number | In service | Withdrawn | Notes |
| 4599 | 1893 | 34 | 24 October 1893 | 22 March 1961 | Converted to Ks, 23 March 1929, and back to K, 1 April 1937 |
| 4601 | 1893 | 35 | 25 October 1893 | 12 April 1951 | |
| 4600 | 1893 | 36 | 9 December 1893 | 25 October 1949 | |
| 4602 | 1893 | 37 | 10 November 1893 | 6 September 1962 | |
| 4603 | 1893 | 38 | 28 February 1894 | 1 June 1927 | |
| 4604 | 1893 | 39 | 7 March 1894 | 29 May 1953 | Converted to Ks, 12 February 1916, and back to K, 3 October 1925 |
| 4605 | 1893 | 40 | 30 March 1894 | 1 August 1963 | Stowed at Fremantle, 2 August 1961 |
| 4606 | 1893 | 41 | 16 April 1894 | 1 June 1927 | |
| 5040 | 1896 | 101 | 17 March 1897 | 24 August 1953 | Converted to Ks, 20 November 1915, and back to K, 22 December 1928 |
| 5041 | 1896 | 102 | 20 March 1897 | 28 June 1955 | |
| 5042 | 1896 | 103 | 23 March 1897 | 15 October 1962 | |
| 5043 | 1896 | 104 | 30 March 1897 | 7 February 1928 | Converted to Ks, 8 April 1916; scrapped as Ks |
| 5044 | 1896 | 105 | 26 March 1897 | 23 November 1962 | |
| 5045 | 1896 | 106 | 31 March 1897 | 29 November 1957 | |
Third batch, built by Neilson, Reid & Co, 1898: :
| Builder's number | Year built | Road number | In service | Withdrawn | Notes |
| 5197 | 1898 | 186 | 21 May 1898 | 30 July 1953 | |
| 5198 | 1898 | 187 | 26 May 1898 | 1 June 1927 | |
| 5199 | 1898 | 188 | 31 May 1898 | 1 June 1927 | |
| | | | 7 March 1928 | 15 May 1962 | Returned to service after first withdrawal |
| 5200 | 1898 | 189 | 5 June 1898 | 30 June 1926 | |
| 5201 | 1898 | 190 | 10 June 1898 | 7 December 1964 | |
| 5202 | 1898 | 191 | 4 August 1898 | 30 June 1926 | |
| 5203 | 1898 | 192 | 4 August 1898 | 1 June 1927 | |
| 5204 | 1898 | 193 | 12 August 1898 | 30 April 1954 | |
| 5205 | 1898 | 194 | 4 August 1898 | 13 January 1955 | Converted to Ks, 25 December 1915, and back to K, 15 June 1929 |
| 5206 | 1898 | 195 | 23 July 1898 | 15 October 1962 | Converted 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.