WAGR K class (diesel)

Western Australian Government Railways K Class

K201 at South Dynon Locomotive Depot, June 2006

Type and origin Power type Diesel-Electric Builder English Electric, Rocklea Serial number A.109-A.111, A.133-A.137, A.142, A.186 Model M195C Build date 1966-1969 Total produced 10

Specifications AAR wheel arr. C-C UIC class Co-Co, Co′Co′ Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge Length 16.76 m (55 ft 0 in) Loco weight 122 t (120 long tons; 134 short tons) Fuel type Diesel Prime mover EE 12CSVT Generator EE 822 Traction motors EE 548

Performance figures Power output 1,454 kW (1,950 hp)

Career Operators Western Australian Government Railways, Westrail, Goldsworthy Mining Ltd, BlueScope Steel, South Spur Rail Services, SCT Logistics, Greentrains Number in class 10 Numbers K201-K210 First run January 1966 Current owner Greentrains SCT Logistics Disposition 1 in service, 2 stored, 7 scrapped

The K class are a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for the Western Australian Government Railways between 1966 and 1969.

Nine K class were delivered in 1966/67 to operate services on the 657-kilometre (408 mi) Eastern Goldfields Railway from Perth to Kalgoorlie that was being converted to standard gauge. After initially working construction trains, in November 1966 they began working wheat trains from Merredin to Fremantle and once the full line was opened began working services to Kalgoorlie and Esperance.

In January 1966, K201 became the first locomotive to travel across Australia. It hauled freight trains from Brisbane to Melbourne, before being hauled for the rest of the journey. It passed through five states, travelled on six railway systems and required a change of bogies at Melbourne, Port Pirie and Kalgoorlie.

Goldsworthy Mining Ltd had purchased six similar locomotives, and after having one destroyed in an accident, purchased K202 with K210 ordered as a replacement. In July 1986 Goldsworth Mining purchased K203.

The Western Australian Government Railways also purchased 16 similar R class locomotives mounted on narrow gauge bogies. In 1974 three were fitted with standard gauge bogies and reclassified as the Ka class.

Four have been sold to SCT Logistics and three had gone to South Spur Rail Services by August 2000. The latter three are now owned by Greentrains and have been used as Broken Hill shunters as well as in Western Australia.