W 933

Pichi Richi Railway

 

W 933 waiting to depart Stirling North for the return journey to Quorn.  11 June 2000

Builder

Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester

Builder’s Number & Year

7410 of 1951

Wheel Arrangement

4-8-2

No. in class

60

 

W 933 entered service in December 1951 as one of sixty "W-class" 4-8-2 locomotives delivered to the Western Australia Government Railways for light lines service.  The W-class proved to be highly successful locomotives, displacing older O-class 2-8-0T+T and G-class 2-6-0 & 4-6-0 types on secondary lines and augmenting the V and S-classes on main line duties.

Most WAGR W-class locomotives were withdrawn in June 1971 and joined the long lines of modern steam power that were cut up for scrap at Collie and Midland Workshops, however 19 class members (W 901 / 905 / 906 / 907 / 909 / 914 / 916 / 919 / 924 / 927 / 929 / 931 / 933 / 934 / 941 / 953 / 954 / 958 & 959) were retained a little longer until officially withdrawn in August 1972.  Among these, W 933 and W 934 survived long enough to be purchased by the newly-formed Pichi Richi Railway Preservation Society in early 1974.  Both were transferred in March 1974 to the Pichi Richi Railway's depot at Quorn in the rugged Flinders Ranges, South Australia and returned to operation.

W 933 & W 934 have been stalwarts of the Pichi Richi Railway's steam fleet since their restoration and capably handle trains through the steep and curvaceous Pichi Richi Pass.  The webmaster thoroughly recommends the Pichi Richi Railway for any steam enthusiast visiting South Australia!

As at June 2015, W 933 was stored pending general overhaul, having been withdrawn from traffic in early 2011 after a small number of stays were found to be weeping.  The locomotive is due for a general overhaul; it has never had a bearing replaced or re-metalled since its last overhaul in WAGR ownership!  The tender tank also requires major work or total replacement.

For more information about the WAGR W-class locomotives, refer to the notes for class-leader W 901.

Another view of W 933 waiting to depart Stirling North for the return journey to Quorn.  11 June 2000

 

References

a

A. Gunzburg 'A history of WAGR steam locomotives',

published by ARHS (Western Australian Division) 1984.

b

Information provided by D. Heah via email, 16 May 2015

 

Page updated:  23 June 2015

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