WAGR H class (diesel)
Encyclopedia
The H-class is a class of diesel locomotives of the Western Australian Government Railways
first introduced in 1965 for use on the new standard gauge
lines. Their wheel arrangement was Bo-Bo
.
The 5 H Class were built by English Electric at their Rocklea plant in Queensland from local and imported components and delivered between Jan/1965 and Mar/1965.
The H class was a hood configuration, which could be driven short end leading or long end leading.
They were built for use on construction trains on the standard gauge (SG) link between Kalgoorlie and Kwinana and were placed in service about 1 year before the standard gauge was completed.
Design was based on most other English Electric locomotives being built at the time except for the long hood dropped down behind the cab giving them a strange appearance.
Powered by an inline English Electric 6CSRKT turbocharged diesel engine with a Napier 210 turbocharger they produced 950hp/708kW with 860hp/641kW for traction.
Numbered H1 to H5, they were the lowest numbered Western Australian standard gauge loco.
All were delivered in the two-tone light blue scheme which lasted until 1975/6 when WAGR became a corporation or at least run along corporate lines; known as Westrail in September 1975 and all H Class locos eventually received the official Westrail Orange scheme after 1975. In Westrail service, it is believed that they were never painted anything other than Westrail Orange/Blue.
As stated before they were used on construction trains to build the standard gauge at least once running a triple header ballast train. During construction they ranged the whole system but once completed they were demoted to shunting and transfer duties. They most often pottered about the suburban SG network as single locomotives, occasionally venturing further to Leighton and Kwinana with double-headed grain trains for the large CBH grain elevators. They were known to work the larger yards as well as West Merredin and Kalgoorlie.
Most trains on the WAGR/Westrail system were and still are only single locomotive and although the H Class could multle-unit (MU) with other H Class they very rarely did. In theory they could also MU with the K Class but it is also unlikely they ever did...
The handrails changed over the years, with the ends being painted white for safety, and later had extensions added.
The step treads were modified - squared off - in later years.
Anecdotally they were not a popular locomotive.
Model No. ST95B
OAL: 13.818 metres
OAW: 2.895 metres
OAH: 4.172 metres
Turbocharged: Yes - Napier 210
Dynamic Brakes: No
Gear Ratio: 75:17
The four remaining H class were withdrawn by 1997 and eventually purchased by Specialised Container Transport
and are used at Dry Creek in South Australia and Kewdale in Western Australia for shunting/transfer purposes
of the 1890s which was a small 0-6-0
locomotive.
Western Australian Government Railways
Western Australian Government Railways was most common name of the Western Australian government rail transport authority from 1890 to 1976. It is, in its current form, known as the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia....
first introduced in 1965 for use on the new standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
lines. Their wheel arrangement was Bo-Bo
Bo-Bo
A Bo-Bo or Bo′Bo′ is a locomotive with two independent four-wheeled bogies with all axles powered by individual traction motors...
.
Details
There were 5 locomotives in the class, numbered H1 to H5. The locomotives produced 760hp.The 5 H Class were built by English Electric at their Rocklea plant in Queensland from local and imported components and delivered between Jan/1965 and Mar/1965.
The H class was a hood configuration, which could be driven short end leading or long end leading.
They were built for use on construction trains on the standard gauge (SG) link between Kalgoorlie and Kwinana and were placed in service about 1 year before the standard gauge was completed.
Design was based on most other English Electric locomotives being built at the time except for the long hood dropped down behind the cab giving them a strange appearance.
Powered by an inline English Electric 6CSRKT turbocharged diesel engine with a Napier 210 turbocharger they produced 950hp/708kW with 860hp/641kW for traction.
Numbered H1 to H5, they were the lowest numbered Western Australian standard gauge loco.
All were delivered in the two-tone light blue scheme which lasted until 1975/6 when WAGR became a corporation or at least run along corporate lines; known as Westrail in September 1975 and all H Class locos eventually received the official Westrail Orange scheme after 1975. In Westrail service, it is believed that they were never painted anything other than Westrail Orange/Blue.
As stated before they were used on construction trains to build the standard gauge at least once running a triple header ballast train. During construction they ranged the whole system but once completed they were demoted to shunting and transfer duties. They most often pottered about the suburban SG network as single locomotives, occasionally venturing further to Leighton and Kwinana with double-headed grain trains for the large CBH grain elevators. They were known to work the larger yards as well as West Merredin and Kalgoorlie.
Most trains on the WAGR/Westrail system were and still are only single locomotive and although the H Class could multle-unit (MU) with other H Class they very rarely did. In theory they could also MU with the K Class but it is also unlikely they ever did...
The handrails changed over the years, with the ends being painted white for safety, and later had extensions added.
The step treads were modified - squared off - in later years.
Anecdotally they were not a popular locomotive.
Model No. ST95B
OAL: 13.818 metres
OAW: 2.895 metres
OAH: 4.172 metres
Turbocharged: Yes - Napier 210
Dynamic Brakes: No
Gear Ratio: 75:17
Disposal
H4 was withdrawn from service and scrapped circa 1992.The four remaining H class were withdrawn by 1997 and eventually purchased by Specialised Container Transport
Specialised Container Transport
SCT Logistics is an interstate transport company in Australia, with facilities in Melbourne, Adelaide, Parkes, and Perth. The company was founded in 1974.- History :...
and are used at Dry Creek in South Australia and Kewdale in Western Australia for shunting/transfer purposes
Namesake
There is also a H-class steam locomotiveWAGR H Class
The H-class is a class of 2 steam locomotives of the Western Australian Government Railways first introduced in the 1890s. Their wheel arrangement was 0-6-0...
of the 1890s which was a small 0-6-0
0-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
locomotive.