Australia 4-6-2

western australian government railways p class no. 508



it not until introduction of wagr p class in 1924 western australia received many considered true pacific, large, balanced locomotive designed fast passenger traffic. p class consisted of 25 locomotives, built in 1924 , 1925 nbl locally @ wagr’s midland railway workshops. p class engines revolutionised express passenger travel in western australia drastically reducing passenger travel times between destinations.
the first batch of ten wagr pr river class locomotives, named after prominent rivers in western australia , boiler pressure rating of 175 pounds per square inch (1,210 kilopascals) compared 160 pounds per square inch (1,100 kilopascals) of p class, built in 1938 @ midland railway workshops. between 1941 , 1944, 8 of p class locomotives converted pr class. 1 of them preserved.
the wagr u class of fourteen oil burning locomotives, 1 of preserved, purchased nbl in 1946 surplus war-work engines, following second world war.
the wagr’s final pacific design pm , pmr classes of 35 locomotives, introduced in 1950, 5 of have been preserved. these locomotives intended replace pr class, relegated goods workings after proving rigid steamers.

the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) midland railway of western australia, 1 of longest-lived privately owned railways in australia, followed wagr’s example introducing 5 pacific locomotives built kitson , company karoo design of cape government railways basis.

in 1920s, heavy pacific locomotives introduced both south australian railways (sar) , victorian railways (vr), in response increasingly heavy passenger trains , demand faster services. although similar in size, power , top speed, designs reflected different approaches.

the sar 600 class reflected contemporary american locomotive practice, both in design features , appearance, 2 large 24 28 inches (610 711 millimetres) cylinders. sar owned altogether twenty pacific locomotives, of first ten of 600 class, supplied armstrong whitworth of united kingdom in 1922. remainder of 620 class, built @ islington workshops between 1936 , 1938.


victorian railways s class



the vr s class, on other hand, showed strong british london , north eastern railway influence, 3 20 ⁄2 28 inches (521 711 millimetres) cylinders , gresley conjugated valve gear driving third inside cylinder. vr’s 4 s class locomotives built @ newport works between 1928 , 1930.


victorian railways dde class, c. 1910

the vr built 4-6-2t locomotive class, dde class developed successful dd class 4-6-0t design in 1908, intended outer suburban passenger services in melbourne.

the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge queensland railways (qr) had 2 pacific locomotive classes. between 1926 , 1947, 83 b18¼ class 4-6-2s introduced haul mail trains. prototype, built qr’s ipswich workshops, began trial runs on 16 july 1926 , followed 2 batches of 8 locomotives in 1927 , 1929. last locomotive of class delivered in 1947. in 1950, qr ordered 35 bb18¼ class locomotives vulcan foundry, developed successful b18¼ class. twenty built walkers limited of maryborough between 1955 , 1958. of these, no. 1089 last mainline steam locomotive built in australia.

new south wales government railways c38 class no. 3801

the new south wales government railways (nswgr) introduced c38 class express passenger service in 1943. these two-cylinder pacifics had free-steaming 245 pounds per square inch (1,690 kilopascals) boiler , renowned performance. retired class leader no. 3801 has achieved considerable fame in preservation, notable feats such transcontinental journey sydney perth in 1970.

the tasmanian government railways owned fourteen pacific locomotives. 4 locomotives of class r (r1 r4) built passenger trains perry engineering in adelaide. final batch of ten pacific locomotives of class m (m1 m10) arrived in tasmania in 1952, built robert stephenson , hawthorns in 1951, , used on trains on major lines in northern tasmania.