WAGR C class (1880)
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The WAGR C class were a total of 2 steam locomotives built in 1880 by Robert Stephenson & Coy for use by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR).
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The C class were originally built for the Eastern Railway as 0-6-0 saddle tanks and were intended to operate the first services on the Eastern Railway upon its opening on the 1st of March in 1881. However, neither No. 1 nor 2 were ready, though No. 1 entered service the day after the opening from Fremantle workshops where they were assembled.
Originally they featured no bunkers with fuel being stored in the cab, later bunkers were added. From the start, the two engines were considered poor quality and after an accident known as the Cape Horn crash (near Boya) caused by braking failure and inadequate safety precautions, No. 1 was rebuilt with tender and vacuum brakes in 1887 with No. 2 following shortly.
After their rebuilds, both locos were reallocated to Spencers Brook in order to run services to York, Beverley and Northam. No. 1 was sold in 1899 to the timber industry and named Katie, it was preserved in 1956 and has been on display at the Bassendean Railway Museum (Rail Heritage W.A.) since 1970. No. 2 was sold into the timber industry in 1902 and later named Nevada, being scrapped in 1969.
