G 123

Hotham Valley Railway

Diving past Pinjarra on 12 May 2002 provided an opportunity to see what could be found at the Hotham Valley Railway loco depot.

I found G 123 resting in the running shed, with a W-class 4-8-2 looking on. The white wall tyres made for a nice look.

Builder

Dubs & Co,

Glasgow, Scotland

Builder’s Number & Year

3507 of 1897

Wheel Arrangement

4-6-0

 

G 123 represents one of the more significant locomotive types used by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). The G-class were a versatile locomotive suitable for many roles, based on a Beyer-Peacock & Co design evolved from the earlier A-class 2-6-0 and becoming a de-facto standard for Australian narrow-gauge operators, with similar locos operated by the South Australian Railways (Y-class), Tasmanian Government Railways (C-class) and numerous private operators including the Silverton Tramway, NSW (Y-class), the Chillagoe Mining & Railway Co, Queensland and various timber concerns in several states. The G-class appeared when the WAGR rail network was expanding rapidly, and indeed the first locomotive was ex-contactor’s locomotive G 17 constructed in 1885 and which came into WAGR stock in 1889, while newly-built WAGR units followed from 1893 onwards. Some newly delivered G-class were quickly sold to contractors to assist in rail construction activities (including preserved G 111 / G 71), while others were ordered new by railway contractors and later came into WAGR ownership. The initial seven G-class locos came from Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester but later examples came from Scottish builders Neilson & Co and Dubs & Co, while many others were supplied by South Australian manufacturer James Martin & Co. (It would be interesting to know what commercial negotiations and license agreement with Beyer Peacock & Co applied to machines built by these other companies.)

The initial WAGR G-class locos had a 2-6-0 wheel arrangement, like the earlier A-class, but were found to have some issues in passenger work. The 4-6-0 wheel arrangement achieved worldwide success in passenger duties, with the leading 4-wheel bogie helping to guide the locomotive though curves and point work at the higher speeds required in passenger traffic, and accordingly later G-class members were built as 4-6-0 versions of the classic Beyer Peacock & Co design. I have come across various accounts of the total number of G-class members – some confusion is perhaps to be expected given the many acquisitions and sales over the years – but the authorative work by Adrian Gunzburg ‘A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives’ provides an account of each WAGR example, totalling 73 locos comprising 49 of 2-6-0 version and 24 of the 4-6-0 version. Preserved loco G 123 is one of the later 4-6-0 version, being introduced to traffic on Christmas Day 1897.

The G-class were inevitably superseded in mixed-traffic duties by more modern and powerful steam locomotive types as the decades passed, but some but found niche roles on branch lines and jetty shunting. Following WAGR retirement, many were sold to private timber and firewood supply operations. The versatility and ruggedness of the design was again proven when a number of WAGR examples were sent to the North Australia Railway at Darwin during World War 2, some later returning to Western Australia.

G 123 was one of the final few G-class in revenue service when serving as a jetty shunter at Bunbury by 1968. Together with 2-6-0 sister G 233 it was retained and overhauled for the ‘Leschenault Lady’ vintage train service at Bunbury and to my knowledge was never withdrawn by the WAGR or successor Westrail. For tourist duties G 123 received the name ‘Koombana Queen’, while G 233 was named ‘Leschenault Lady’. The pair subsequently worked the popular ‘Leschenault Lady’ vintage train services around Bunbury over the following years, as illustrated below.

In 1987, the Hotham Valley Railway leased G 123 from Westrail for their ‘Forest Ranger’ services from Dwellingup. The loco received significant boiler repairs in 2003 and has since returned to service.

A good history for the WAGR G-class generally, and G 123 in particular, can be found on the Hotham Valley Railway website:
https://www.hothamvalleyrailway.com.au/steam-locomotives

 

G 123 and shunter’s float wagon at Bunbury on 30 January 1967.

Image used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA archive:

http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=7054

(Image reference P11245, original photographer – P. Hopper.)

G 123 on a special train on 3 March 1968. It looks pretty cramped in that cab!

Image used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA archive:

http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=7746

(Image reference P11937, original photographer – P. Hopper.)

A train on the railway tracks

Description automatically generated with medium confidence

A second view of G class 123 on its special train, photographed near Picton Junction on 3 March 1968.

Image used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA archive:

http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=7746

(Image reference P11939, original photographer – P. Hopper.)

References

a

A. Gunzburg

'A history of WAGR steam locomotives',

published by ARHS (Western Australian Division) 1984.

b

Gray. W. K.,

'Guide to Rail Transport Museum, Bassendean, Western Australia',

Australian Railway Historical Society W. A. Division,

First Edition November 1999.

c

Hotham Valley Railway website, ‘Steam Locomotives’ page:

https://www.hothamvalleyrailway.com.au/steam-locomotives

Retrieved 9 January 2023

Page updated: 26 November 2023

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