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M/Ms/Msa class Beyer-Garratts
Msa 496 accidentally scrapped
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An undated view of Ms 425 at Midland Junction.
(It seems to be sporting an unusual
thumb-print livery on the smokebox!)
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=20251
(Image reference P01396.)
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Builder
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M & Ms classes - Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester
Msa class - WAGR Midland Workshops
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Builder’s Number & Year
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M class – 6
examples, Beyer Peacock & Co, 1911
Ms class – 7
examples, Beyer Peacock & Co, 1913
Msa class – 10 examples, WAGR Midland Workshops, 1930
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Wheel Arrangement
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2-6-0+0-6-2
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Introduced
in 1912, the M-class represent a significant innovation by the Western
Australian Government Railways (WAGR) as they were only the third
Beyer-Garratt locomotive type in the world. With six locomotives delivered,
they were also the first Beyer-Garratts ordered in significant quantity.
Built by Beyer-Peacock in 1911, the M-class followed the pioneering
Tasmanian Government Railways K-class Beyer-Garratts of 1909 by only
2 years. These 2-6-0+0-6-2 locomotives proved a useful addition to the WAGR
fleet, fulfilling their design brief for use on lightly laid rural lines
(built to open hinterland areas for agriculture and development) with curves
as tight as 5 chain radius and grades as steep as 1:22 – indeed the
Beyer-Garratt type came to be known for their mastery of such steep,
twisting routes, particularly in southern Africa.
The
first six M-class locos were supplied with saturated steam boilers, but
Beyer Peacock & Co were quickly engaged to supply an additional seven
locomotives fitted with superheaters, which became the Ms-class and entered
service in 1913. The design evolved further in 1930 – 18 years after the
first M-class entered service - with ten members of a somewhat enlarged and
more powerful, which were designed and built at the WAGR Midland Workshops
and became the ‘Msa-class’.
These
handy locos were successful in service, no doubt the additional water and
fuel capacity provided by the articulated Beyer-Garratt design proving
useful in the Western Australian conditions. The design attracted the
attention of other Australian buyers, with two units based on the Ms design
built by Beyer Peacock & Co for Australian Portland Cement, Fyansford, Victoria.
The two Fyansford
locomotives were No.1 (b/n 6794 of 1936), followed a few years later by
No.2 (b/n. 6935 of 1939), following the WAGR Ms-class design but with the
boiler pressure increased from 160psi to 180psi, a more modern superheater
and minor changes such as an improved cab.
Interestingly, the Victorian Railways also
essentially copied the WAGR Ms-class with their order for Beyer-Garratts
G41 and G42, although these were built to 2' 6" gauge with driving
wheels within the frames, inclined cylinders and other modifications.
The WAGR Beyer-Garratt locos were retired
after World War 2, as more modern steam locomotives became available in
volume, with the original M-class retired by 194, the Ms-class by 1951 and
finally the Msa by the 1961. Photos of the Midland Workshops scrap lines in
the mid-1960’s show several Msa-class locos among the many unfortunates
awaiting their fate.
Alas none of the WAGR M/Ms/Msa-class
Beyer-Garratts family survive. Adrian Gunzburg states in his authorative
book 'A history of WAGR steam locomotives' that an Msa-class loco had been
retained at Midland Workshops for intended preservation, but was cut-up by
mistake. Photographic evidence suggests Msa 496 was the unlucky machine;
although stored in September 1959 and officially withdrawn in October 1963,
it was photographed in store at Midland Workshops on 19 March 1967 (as seen
below) stencilled “not to be cut up” - but apparently that instruction was
too ambiguous for the Midland cutting crew. I suspect other steam locos
possibly intended for preservation may also have been lost at the same
time, such as K-class 2-8-4T representative K 40.
(I have a macabre fascination with the unfortunate of the Midland
accidental scrappings and would be interested to receive more information;
perhaps a retired Midland Workshops employee can fill in the details.)
While the WAGR
M/Ms/Msa-classes were lost, fortunately that wasn’t quite the end of the
story. Against the odds, one of the two Fyansford locos survived and today
the preserved Fyansford No.2
remains as a close link to the important WAGR design in the evolution and
ultimate success of the Beyer-Garratt type of locomotive. In addition,
Victorian Railways G 42 is preserved and
operational at the famous Puffing Billy Railway in Melbourne’s Dandenong
Ranges.
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Ms 430 at Midland Junction in May 1951. Apparently, this
locomotive was originally Ms 427.
Image used with permission
of the Rail Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=26138
(Image reference P19894, original photographer – J. L.
Buckland)
Msa 468 in ex-workshops photographic grey livery for an
official portrait, taken at Midland Junction, circa 1930.
A watermark in the bottom-right is stamped “C.M.E Branch 1146 W.A.G.R.”
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=2973
(Image reference P06365.)
Msa 496 (with Number and Builder’s plates intact) stored in
the salvage yard, Midland Junction, on 19 March 1967.
"Not to be Cut Up" is clearly
stencilled on the side of the bunker – but apparently not sufficient to prevent
the locos destruction.
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=7200
(Image reference P11391, original photographer P. Hopper.)
A second Msa class loco awaiting
scrapping at Midland Junction on 19 March 1967; this one appears shorn of
builder and number plates.
The
higher front water tanks and extended bunker of Msa class (compared to the
earlier M and Ms classes) are evident in this forlorn scene.
Image
used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=7206
(Image reference P11397,
original photographer P. Hopper.)
A melancholy but
fascinating view of retired steam locomotives
awaiting scrapping in the Midland Workshops graveyard, circa 1959.
In
the front row is a G-class 2-6-0/4-6-0, followed by a Msa-class Beyer-Garratt
coupled to a rusty K-class 2-8-4T.
An
Australian Standard Garratt is lurking behind the K-class, and also visible is
a Baldwin tender behind an early Pacific chassis, and a boilerless B-class
4-6-0T.
In
the back row can be seen the relatively modern U-class oil burners in green
livery; these lasted in storage until the late 1960’s.
I
recall being intrigued by a photo from similar vantage point and date in book I
borrowed from my local library during the 1980’s -
I stumbled across a copy of that book again in a recent second-hand jumble
sale… another addition to my library!
Image
used with permission of the Rail Heritage WA
archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=11802
(Image reference T03193,
original photographer R. Moss)
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, Photo Archive,
(via various images as represented on this
page)
retrieved 6 January 2023
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d
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‘Garratt Locomotives of the World’ by A. E. Durrant,
published by Bracken Books, London, 1987
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Page updated: 21 December 2023