WAGR ADE/ADT class

The WAGR ADE class (also known as the Governor class) was a six member class of diesel railcars operated by the Western Australian Government Railways between 1937 and 1962.

WAGR ADE/ADT class
ADE 451 and ADT 7 at Midland in 1939
Manufacturer	ADE: WG Armstrong ADT: Midland Railway Workshops
Entered service	ADE: 1937 ADT: 1939
Number built	ADE: 6 ADT: 6
Number preserved	1
Number scrapped	11
Formation	ADE+ADT
Fleet numbers	ADE: 446-451 ADT: 7-12
Capacity	ADE: 40 seats ADT: 36 seats
Operators	WAGR
Specifications
Car body construction	steel clad
Train length	117 ft (35.66 m)
Car length	ADE: 60 ft (18.29 m) ADT: 52 ft (15.85 m)
Width	8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
Height	ADE: 12 ft 3+3⁄4 in (3.75 m) ADT: 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m)
Floor height	3 ft 6+5⁄8 in (1.08 m) loaded
Wheelbase	ADE: 42 ft (12.80 m) bogie centres ADT: 37 ft (11.28 m) bogie centres
Weight	ADT: 11 long tons 13 cwt (11.84 t)
Prime mover(s)	Saurer
Engine type	6 cylinder
Power output	140 horsepower at 1400rpm
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)

History

In December 1937, WG Armstrong, Newcastle upon Tyne delivered the first ADE railcar.^[1] It was the first diesel-electric rail vehicle to enter service in Australia. It was followed in 1938 by a further five that were delivered in knocked down form and assembled at the Midland Railway Workshops.^[2] All were named after Governors of Western Australia, hence the class name.

Number	Name
ADE446	Governor Stirling
ADE447	Governor Lawley
ADE448	Governor Hutt
ADE449	Governor Weld
ADE450	Governor Hampton
ADE451	Governor Bedford

It soon became apparent that the railcars had insufficient capacity so five AG carriages were adapted as trailers cars as an interim solution, pending six ADT trailers being delivered by the Midland Railway Workshops in late 1939.^[3]

They operated on services from Perth to Merredin via Wyalkatchem, Perth to Merredin via the York-Bruce Rock line, Perth to Katanning, Bunbury to Northcliffe, Busselton and Donnybrook, and Geraldton to Mullewa and Yuna.^[3][4] An additional introduced from Geraldton to Ajana in July 1943.^[5]

In 1949/50, they were displaced by the Wildflower class diesel railcars and sent to operate services in more remote parts of the state. Withdrawals commenced in 1957, with the last withdrawn in April 1962. After being stored at Midland Railway Workshops, most were scrapped in 1974.^[3]

ADT 9 and ADT 12 survive. ADT 9 was used as an office at the Mary Springs lead mine off the North West Coastal Highway, north of the Murchison River.^[3] In 2002, it was sold and moved to a farm in Northampton. On 27 October 2014, it was relocated to the former Northampton railway station.^[6] ADT 12 is on a property near Quairading minus its bogies.