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Es 308
The Railway Museum, Bassendean
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Es 308 in unlined black livery displayed at The Railway
Museum, Bassendean on 9 May 2002.
The tall sand dome is a rather quaint and antique feature
of this class.
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Es 308 represents one of the world's
earliest steam locomotives of the Pacific 4-6-2 wheel arrangement and a
forerunner of several Pacific types that graced WAGR rails over the
decades. The Pacific wheel arrangement features a trailing truck supporting
the weight of the firebox, facilitating a larger grate for higher steaming
rates. By spreading the locomotive’s weight more effectively, the Pacific
wheel arrangement could also be useful for routes unable to support a high
axle-load. While the initial 13 New Zealand Railways’ Q-Class locomotives
ordered from Baldwin in 1901 are often quoted as the world’s first true
Pacific type, the innovative Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR)
made a significant investment in Pacifics around the same time with an
order in 1900 for 45 locomotives from Nasmyth Wilson & Co (15) and
Vulcan Foundry (30). These engines were identified as the E-class and were
effectively a passenger version of the 4-8-0 F-class goods design. Given
that the UK built locos would not arrive in the timeframe required by
urgent traffic demands, in December 1900 the WAGR also ordered 20 Pacific
locomotives from the famous Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia (noted
for their speedy delivery); these units featured the Vauclain compound
system applied to many Baldwin locos of the period and were classified ‘Ec’
(presumably ‘c’ denoting ‘compound’). The Baldwin locomotives entered
service from 1901 while the E-class arrived from 1902. (A subsequent
further example of WAGR locomotive innovation was the world’s first
significant order for Beyer Garratt locomotives, the M-class
of 1912.)
Despite teething troubles, the E class
settled into top link passenger work and was expanded with a further 20
units ordered from the North British Locomotive Co in 1911. Initially
supplied with saturated steam boilers, almost all E-class were rebuilt with
superheaters from 1924 and reclassified ‘Es’. The E-class remained the main
express passenger locomotive until superseded by the P-class from 1924 and
the later Pr-class from 1938. In 1945, eight E-class locomotives were
withdrawn and provided parts for 8 Dm-class 4-6-4T suburban tank
locomotives constructed at Midland Workshops.
Interestingly, the compound Baldwin Ec
class received extensive renewal in the mid-1920s, emerging with simple
expansion cylinders and new boilers as the L-class for use on the long
lines with 45 lb rails to remote destinations such as Meekatharra. The WAGR
had also ordered a dozen 4-6-0 locomotives from Baldwin in 1901; these
C-class locomotives were converted to Pacifics from 1908 thus further
confirming the WAGR’s satisfaction with the 4-6-2 wheel arrangement.
Preserved loco Es 308 entered service on 23
February 1903 and received superheating in May 1925. While most were
withdrawn in the 1950’s, Es 308 was among the final few that lasted to
1963, finally being withdrawn on 7 October 1963. It was selected to represent
the class in preservation and transferred into the care of the Australian
Railway Historical Society (WA Division) in June 1972. Today it can be seen
at The Railway Museum,
Bassendean.
The Pacific wheel arrangement remained well
represented in the WAGR steam fleet across the decades. The locomotive
collection at Bassendean hosts several Pacifics, including early Es 308
(built 1903), P 508 (built 1924), Pr 521 (built 1938), U 655 (built 1942)
and Pm 701 (built 1949). Alas the pioneering Ec class / L class rebuilds
and Cs class did not survive into preservation – including the unfortunate
scrapping of the last 4 Cs locos in 1964 following their final years in
timber Industry service, and the last L-class apparently lingering on the
Midland Workshops scrap line (perhaps incomplete) until 1965.
The webmaster visited The Railway Museum,
Bassendean during a 2002 holiday to the Margaret River vineyards. My only
opportunity to visit Bassendean did not fall on a museum opening day, but
with prior arrangement an AHRS member very kindly agreed to meet me at the
gate and guide me around the site. The volunteer explained he been a WAGR
driver and driven Es 508 on many occasions, speaking very fondly of the
loco and holding the E-class in high regard. I remain very grateful for his
generosity in facilitating my visit to Bassendean and I hope to return soon
– this time with my digital camera!
I’ve included some
photos below of other early WAGR Pacific types, as context for this
significant preserved loco Es 308.
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Es 308 on the dump at
Midland, stencilled “Written Off - not to be cut up or sold”. Photo dated 19
March 1967.
While
some historic locos similarly stencilled for preservation were accidentally cut
up at Midland, fortunately Es 308 survived!
Image
used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA
archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=7209
(Image reference P11400,
original photographer – P. Hopper.)
A Baldwin Ec class loco elaborately adorned to celebrate
the opening of the Eastern Goldfields Water Supply Scheme.
The Vauclain compound cylinders are
prominent in this view, and the training truck supporting the firebox is also
clearly seen.
The loco sports a spark-arresting balloon
chimney and a beautiful brass bell sits atop the boiler.
This photo is dated 1903 and loaded with
interest!
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=3795
(Image reference P07187, original photographer – Unknown.)
The compound Ec class were rebuilt in the 1920’s with new
boilers and simple expansion cylinders to become the L-class.
Here is a wonderful view of rebuilt L 255
in works grey livery.
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=15
(Image reference P00016, original photographer – WAGR.)
Cs 270 "BLACK
BUTTE" riding the turntable at Banksiadale during an ARHS tour. Photo
dated 23 September 1962.
This
broadside view gives an excellent perspective of the early Pacific wheel
arrangement.
These
handsome Baldwin locos were built as 4-6-0’s and converted to 4-6-2’s by
addition of a trailing truck to help carry the firebox weight.
The
brass bell mounted atop the boiler is a classic American steam locomotive
feature!
Image
used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=12132
(Image reference T03524,
original photographer – R. Taylor.)
References
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a
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A. Gunzburg
'A history of WAGR steam locomotives',
published
by ARHS (Western Australian Division) 1984.
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b
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Gray. W.
K.,
'Guide
to Rail Transport Museum, Bassendean, Western Australia',
Australian
Railway Historical Society W. A. Division,
First
Edition November 1999.
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c
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Rail
Heritage WA website, Exhibits page,
‘E
and Es Pacific Type Steam Locomotives’:
https://www.railheritagewa.org.au/museum/locos/pages/e_steam.php
retrieved 23
December 2023
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d
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Wikipedia
page for New Zealand Railways Q-class Pacifics:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NZR_Q_class_(1901)
retrieved
18 December 2023
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Page updated: 24 December 2023