The Western Australian Government Railways W Class locomotives were built by Beyer Peacock in England in 1951. A class of 60 locomotives, they operated very successfully until replaced by diesel locomotives in 1970. Purchased by the Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society (PRRPS) in 1974, W933 and W934 have been the mainstay of Pichi Richi trains since then. Modern by steam engine standards, they have proven reliable and economical to operate. The Society also owns W916, which is currently operating as Silverton Tramway W22, and another spare locomotive—W931.
The Silverton Tramway Co. also purchased four W class locomotives from Beyer Peacock. Technically these locomotives were almost identical to the WAGR W class, but were fitted with Westinghouse air brake equipment and their appearance was changed by the additon of skyline casing on the boiler. The Silverton Tramway operated from Cockburn, near the SA–NSW border, to Broken Hill. The 40 km private line was the result of interstate rivalry.
Technical specifications
| Wheel arrangement | 4-8-2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 101 tons 2 cwt (WAGR W901 to 940) 102 tons 13 cwt (WAGR W941 to 960) 102 tons approx. (STCo) |
102.7 t (WAGR W901 to 940) 104.3 t (WAGR W941 to 960) 104 t approx. (STCo) |
| Length | 61 ft 11 in | 18.86 m |
| Tractive effort | 21760 lb | 96.8 kN |
| Boiler pressure | 200 psi | 1 380 kPa |
| Driving wheels | 4 ft 0 in | 1.219 m |
| Cylinders | 16 x 24 in | 406 x 610 mm |
| Valve gear | Walshaerts | |
| Grate area | 27 ft² | 2.5 m² |
| Coal capacity | 7 tons (WAGR) 5 tons (STCo) |
7.1 t (WAGR) 5.1 t (STCo) |
| Water capacity | 2500 gal (WAGR W901 to 940) 3100 gal (WAGR W941 to 960) 3000 gal (STCo) |
11 400 L (WAGR W901 to 940) 14 100 L (WAGR W941 to 960) 13 640 L (STCo) |
Representatives in the Pichi Richi Railway collection
W916 (Western Australian Governement Railways)
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 11 September 1951 |
| Builder’s number | 7393 |
| Withdrawn from service | 14 August 1972 |
| Distance travelled in service | |
| Acquired by PRRPS | 1974 |
| Notes | |
| PRRPS operational status | Operational (carries W22's number) |
W931 (Western Australian Governement Railways)
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 5 December 1951 |
| Builder’s number | 7408 |
| Withdrawn from service | 14 August 1972 |
| Distance travelled in service | |
| Acquired by PRRPS | 1980 |
| Notes | |
| PRRPS operational status | Not operational. For spares only. |
W933 (Western Australian Governement Railways)
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 11 December 1951 |
| Builder’s number | 7410 |
| Withdrawn from service | 14 August 1972 |
| Distance travelled in service | |
| Acquired by PRRPS | Ex-Perth 23 March 1974 |
| Notes | |
| PRRPS operational status | Out of service, requires overhaul |
W934 (Western Australian Government Railways)
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 11 December 1951 |
| Builder’s number | 7411 |
| Withdrawn from service | 14 August 1972 |
| Distance travelled in service | |
| Acquired by PRRPS | Ex-Perth 23 March 1974 |
| Notes | |
| PRRPS operational status | Operational |
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W22 (Silverton Tramway Co.)
W22 operated from 1952 to 1960 when it was replaced by diesel locomotives. W22 was saved by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in Melbourne and for many years the loco was on display at Menzies Creek in the Dandenong Ranges. Although PRRPS has (the original) W22 in its collection, it is not operational due to extensive boiler corrosion when it was received and W916 has been rebuilt with the appearance of W22, using some of W22's fittings, and has been renumbered by PRRPS to W22.
| Builder | Beyer, Peacock & Co. |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 1951 |
| Builder’s number | 7418 |
| Withdrawn from service | 9 December 1960 |
| Distance travelled in service | |
| Acquired by PRRPS | December 1990 (from PBPS Menzies Creek) |
| Notes | Named "Justin Hancock". On hire to the South Australian Railways from 15 June 1953 to 3 July 1953 and 7 July 1953 to 11 July 1953. Disposed of to Puffing Billy Preservation Society's museum at Menzies Creek. |
| PRRPS operational status | Out of service. Extensive boiler corrosion when received. Some fittings used to give the appearance of a Silverton W class to W916. |