WAGR P class

The WAGR P class was a total of 25 express steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) from 1924 to 1969.

P class No. 508 on display at Bassendean in 2006.

The P class were first indirectly recommended as part of the motive power regeneration program introduced because of the 1922 Royal Commission, which highly recommended more locos be built in preparation for the 1924-25 wheat harvest. Drawings were prepared at Midland Railway Workshops in 1923 with a tender going out, with the only Australian builder to respond being Thompson & Coy.

They were unable to fulfil the order in time, so the tender was accepted by the North British Locomotive Coy of the UK. The engines arrived in 1924 and were placed on the Perth to Kalgoorlie express passenger services, being a great success and were well-liked by their crews for their free-steaming qualities.

The success of the P class resulted in the construction of 15 more at Midland Junction in 1927-28. Further improvements resulted in the Pr 'River' class locos. The P class continued on passenger services on the South Western mainline, Great Southern Railway and Eastern Railway until the 1950s when dieselisation began.

From then on the P class was relegated to goods workings where they performed satisfactorily until the last was withdrawn in 1969. One of the P class, No. 508 (448) is preserved and on display at the Bassendean Railway Museum.

Gallery

• 
  P class at Kalgoorlie in 1935 with the Kalgoorlie Express.
• 
  Another view of No. 508 in 2006.
• 
  No. 508 on display in 2007.