WAGR A class (diesel)


The WAGR A/AA/AB classes are classes of diesel locomotives built by Clyde Engineering, Granville, New South Wales, Australia, for the Western Australian Government Railways between 1960 and 1969.

History

In July 1960 Clyde Engineering delivered the first of the WAGR's 14 A class locomotives. Six were assembled under contract by Commonwealth Engineering at Bassendean becoming the first diesel locomotives built in Western Australia. The last two were financed by Western Mining Corporation. A1506, A1513-14 were fitted with dynamic brakes.
In 1967 five improved AA class were delivered, followed by six AB classes in 1969. All were built at Granville and fitted with more powerful Electro Motive Diesel 12-645E engines.
in April 2012
In January 1998 ten were sold to Tranz Rail. All were shipped to New Zealand in February 1998. Five were scrapped for parts, one sold to Tasrail for parts and in November 2005, four were sold as hulks to National Railway Equipment Company and shipped to Mount Vernon, Illinois. Two of the latter were rebuilt and in 2010 sold to Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia. There they were reunited with seven that had been sold to the Chile operator in September 1998.
Those remaining with Westrail were included in the sale of the business to Australian Railroad Group in October 2000. When the business was split in June 2006, A1513 and A1514 were transferred to Genesee & Wyoming Australia with the South Australian operations and were reclassified as the 1200 class while A1501 and the remaining four ABs passed to QR National with the Western Australian operations, and were renumbered AB1501-AB1504. In January 2008, A1501 was withdrawn and donated to Rail Heritage WA. A1202, AB1501 and AB1502 were exported to South Africa in January 2015.
In April 2017, AB1535 was donated to Rail Heritage WA for use with the Wheatbelt Heritage Rail Project at Minnivale.

Class list (A)

Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedConvertedUnknownScrapped

Serial NumberDate builtOriginal road numberRenumbered asCurrent/Last OwnerStatus
60-216June 1960A1501-Rail Heritage WAPreserved, Western Australian Rail Transport Museum, Bassendean.
60-217July 1960A15021443Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
62-263September 1962A1503CC5RusalRebuilt by NREX with low short-end hood and converted to metre gauge, exported to Guinea for use on bauxite trains in 2008.
62-264October 1962A1504CC6RusalRebuilt by NREX with low short-end hood and converted to metre gauge, exported to Guinea for use on bauxite trains in 2008.
62-265October 1962A1505-Tranz RailScrapped
63-274June 1963A1506-Tranz RailScrapped
64-371December 1964A1507-TasrailExported to Tasmania for parts, later scrapped
64-372February 1965A1508-Tranz RailScrapped
64-373February 1965A1509-Tranz RailScrapped
65-374April 1965A15101444Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
65-375June 1965A15111202Rovos RailExported to Durban, South Africa, January 2015
65-376July 1965A15121431Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
65-427December 1965A15131203Genesee & Wyoming AustraliaStored Port Lincoln Workshops, Eyre Peninsula, as A class no. 1203
65-428December 1965A15141204Genesee & Wyoming AustraliaIn service as Port Lincoln Workshops Shunter, Eyre Peninsula, as A class no. 1204

Class list (AA)

Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedConvertedUnknownScrapped

Serial NumberDate builtOriginal road numberRenumbered asCurrent/Last OwnerStatus
67-534August 1967AA15151432Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
67-535September 1967AA15161433Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
67-536October 1967AA15171434Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
67-537October 1967AA15181435Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
67-538November 1967AA15191436Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile

Class list (AB)

Key:In ServiceWithdrawnPreservedConvertedUnknownScrapped

Serial NumberDate builtOriginal road numberRenumbered asCurrent/Last OwnerStatus
69-676November 1969AB1531AB1501Apex IndustrialExported to South Africa, January 2015
69-677December 1969AB15321437Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a BoliviaExported to Chile
69-678February 1970AB1533-Tranz RailScrapped
69-679February 1970AB1534AB1502Apex IndustrialExported to South Africa, January 2015
69-680March 1970AB1535AB1503Wheatbelt Heritage RailPreserved, Wheatbelt Heritage Rail Project, Minnivale
69-681April 1970AB1536AB1504AurizonStored at Forrestfield