The WAGR had its origins in 1879, when the Department of Works & Railways was established. In 1890, the Department was abolished and replaced by the WAGR and the Department of Works & Buildings. In September 1975, the WAGR adopted the trading name Westrail and an associated logo. However, the official name of the WAGR was not changed. The new name was the main element of a complete program to improve the WAGR's public image. Every visible feature of the organisation was to be associated with the new Westrail identity. The transition from WAGR to Westrail quickly began, with the new name rapidly and almost universally replacing the old one in the vocabulary of staff and the public. Strong impetus to acceptance of the new corporate identity was given by the completion of a new Westrail office headquarters and passenger facility at East Perth Terminal. The new building, named the Westrail Centre, was opened by the Premier of Western Australia, Sir Charles Court, on 12 November 1976. Westrail was responsible for managing the state's rail infrastructure. It operated urban and regional passenger and freight services throughout Western Australia. In Perth, Westrail provided the metropolitan area rail service, under contract to another arm of the State government. Its country passenger services involved the operation of both trains and road coaches. In October 1987, it was announced by PremierBrian Burke and Federal Minister for Land Transport & Infrastructure Support, Peter Duncan, that a merger of Westrail with Australian National was being investigated. Nothing ever came of it. On 17 December 2000, the WAGR's freight division along with the Westrail name and logo were sold to Australia Western Railroad, a subsidiary of the Australian Railroad Group. The deal also saw the WAGR's freight lines leased to ARG for 99 years. The WAGR's remaining functions, including owning the rail network and operating regional passenger services, were transferred to the Western Australian Government Railways Commission. On 1 January 2003, the WAGR Commission's functions were absorbed by the Public Transport Authority. The former Westrail Centre is now known as the Public Transport Centre.
Corporate identity
Initially, Westrail applied an orange with blue stripe livery to its locomotives and passenger vehicles. Freight rolling stock and road trucks were painted yellow, and blue was used on all signs, buildings and printed material. The Westrail logo incorporated a stylised "W" surmounted by a solid bar representing a railway track. Between the bar and the "W" was the word "Westrail". In July 1997, a yellow with blue livery was unveiled when the first Q classdiesel-electric locomotive was delivered.
Publication
From 1975 until 1981, Westrail News Letter was published as a staff newsletter.
