Narrow Gauge NGA & NFC

NGA 39 to 42, NFC 66 to 78, NGA 79 to 87

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NGA 39	NGA 40	NGA 41	NGA 42	NFC 66	NFC 67	NFC 68	NFC 69
NFC 70	NFC 71	NFC 72	NFC 73	NFC 74	NFC 75	NFC 76	NFC 77
NFC 78	NGA 79	NGA 80	NGA 81	NGA 82	NGA 83	NGA 84	NGA 85
NGA 86	NGA 87

The NGA and NFC class locomotives were purchased or hired from the Western Australian Government Railways during WWII. The locomotives were known in Western Australian as the "G" class, but consisted of two different wheel arragements. On the Commonwealth Railways the 2-6-0 version was classified the "NFC" class and the 4-6-0 version the "NGA" class. Despite the different wheel arrangement the tractive effort was identical, being 13,801lb for all locomotives. In design the "NFC" class was identical to the South Australian Railways "Y" class.

Prior to the initial shipping from Fremantle, the "G" class engines that became "NGA 39" through "42" were fitted with Western Australian Government Railways style brass plates showing their Commonwealth Railways road number. Most of the others initially ran with their original Western Australian Government Railways numbers until they were issued with new Commonwealth Railways numbers in the range 53 and 72 to 84. In early 1943, as part of a rationalisation of the numbering of locomotives and other rollingstock on the North Australia Railway, a new series of numbers was allocated to the later series of engines in the range 66 to 87. Also at this time, some engines that had initially been incorrectly coded "NGA" in were recoded "NFC".

The first two "G" class engines ("39" and "40") were shipped from Fremantle harbour on 14.9.1940 direct for Darwin with both being in service on the North Australia Railway on 7.10.1940. The next two engines ("41" and "42") were delayed by the lifting jib on the MV Koolama breaking whilst loading the frame of the first engine. The jib could not be repaired immediately so the engines could not be dispatched until December 1940 resulting in the engines ultimately entering service on 8.1.1941.

Following correspondence between the Prime Minister and the Premier of Western Australia in March 1942 a transfer of 22 locomotives and other rollingstock was arranged. Unfortunately the movement of this rollingstock proved difficult and nineteen months were to pass before all vehicles could be landed in Darwin. Initially arrangements were made with the Movement Section of the Department of Army. It was intended that they should be responsible for the transhipment of all rollingstock, consisting of 22 locomotives and 120 other vehicles, from Fremantle to Darwin. All vehicles were to be moved immediately from Fremantle to Sydney aboard an overseas vessel. Once received in Sydney they would be forwarded to Darwin at the rate of five locomotives per month.

The possibility of unloading the overseas vessel at Port Augusta was considered, but dismissed because the draft of the vessel was too great for Port Augusta Harbor. If you're wondering why they didn't just sail direct to Darwin, the first bombing raids on Darwin began on 19.2.1942 rendering the wharf temporarily useless and sinking one locomotive and 18 wagons that were on it. After the wharf was destroyed the only unloading facility available was the jetty at the submarine depot which was limited to ships with a maximum draft of 16 feet.

Shipment aboard the SS Clan McPherson from Fremantle was arranged, but after the ship sailed on 14.5.1942 it was found that only 13 locomotives and 74 other vehicles had been loaded. This prevented the other 9 locomotives from being despatched until 10.7.1942 when they were loaded aboard the SS Clan McAuley. As it was expected that the vessels used to transport the locomotives to Darwin would have lifting gear with a maximum capacity not exceeding twelve tons, the NSW Railway Department agreed to breakdown the engines into sections that could be reassembled once unloaded in Darwin.

Due to the limited shipping space available, it proved expedient on two occasions to tranship at Cairns the locomotives loaded at Sydney. Damage occurred to some of the locomotives as a result. Three were also dropped into Sydney Harbour, but recovered without any damage that could not be quickly fixed. On another occasion when six where unloaded at Darwin they were found to have been badly damaged due to rough handling. This resulted in serious delays as it was necessary to obtain replacement parts from the Western Australian Government Railways before the engines could be put into service.

Some of the engines in the range "NGA 79" through "NGA 87" appear to have been written off by the Western Australian Government Railways and sold to the Commonwealth Railways after actual shipping. The most likely reason for this was delays in Western Australian Government Railways processing the paper work and the Commonwealths urgent need to hurry the locomotive shipment. At the time the Commonwealth Railways was hiring locomotives from various systems and the paperwork regularly tended to lag behind actual shipments.

Following the end of World War II most of the serviceable locos were sold back to the Western Australian Government Railways, the W.A. State Saw Mills, the Public Works Department or the Goldfields Firewood Co. (Lakewood Firewood Co.), with the rest being written off as they were considered beyond worthwhile repair.

The following table gives details of the renumbering of the NGA and NFC class locomotives obtained from Western Australia. The table shows how various locomotives actually had the same numbers depending on which part of 1943 it was. This can make it very confusing understanding which engines are which and was caused by an official on the North Australia Railway renumbering everything from scratch without reference to headoffice or to what numbers had already been used elsewhere. This caused a third renumber for some locos so that problems could be corrected.

NGA/NFC renumbering 1942-43
Original W.A.G.R No.	1st Commonwealth Railways No. (1942-43)	2nd Commonwealth Railways No. (1943)	3rd Commonwealth Railways No. (1943)
G 17	NGA 17	NFC 73	NFC 72
G 47	NGA 47	NFC 81	NFC 76
G 50	NGA 50	NGA 86	-
G 51	NGA 51	NFC 74	NFC 73
G 53	NGA 153	NFC 69	-
G 64	NGA 64	NFC 83	NFC 77
G 66	NGA 66	NFC 70	-
G 68	NGA 68	NFC 79	NFC 75
G 110	NGA 110	NFC 71	-
G 112	NGA 112	NFC 67	-
G 113	NGA 113	NGA 82	NGA 84
G 115	NGA 115	NGA 78	NGA 82
G 116	NGA 116	NGA 72	NGA 79
G 119	NGA 39	-	-
G 120	NGA 41	-	-
G 121	NGA 42	-	-
G 125	NGA 125	NGA 75	NGA 80
G 131	NGA 131	NFC 76	NFC 74
G 133	NGA 133	NGA 87	-
G 134	NGA 134	NGA 80	NGA 83
G 135	NGA 135	NGA 77	NGA 81
G 136	NGA 40	-	-
G 137	NGA 137	NGA 85	-
G 157	NGA 157	NFC 68	-
G 235	NGA 235	NFC 84	NFC 78

Class:		NFC	NGA
Builder:		James Martin, Gawler S.A. Beyer Peacock Nielsen	Dubs Beyer Peacock
Introduced:		1942	1940
Number in Class:		13	13
Wheel Arrangement:		2-6-0	4-6-0
Driving Wheel Diameter:		3 ft. 3in.	3 ft. 3 in.
Cylinders:	Number:	2	2
-	Position on frame:	Outside	Outside
-	Diameter x stroke:	14½ in. x 20 in.	14½ in. x 20 in.
Valve Gear:		Stephenson	Stephenson
Heating Surface:	Tubes:	708.46 square feet	708.46 square feet
-	Firebox:	72 square feet	72 square feet
-	Grate Area:	13.7 square feet	13.7 square feet
Boiler Pressure:		160 lbs p.s.i.	160 lbs p.s.i.
Tractive Effort:		13,801 lbs	13,801 lbs
Coal Capacity:		3 tons	3 tons
Water Capacity:		1,600 gallons	1,600 gallons
Weight in Working Order:		43 tons 2 cwt	44 tons 13 cwt 2 qt
Maximum Axle Load:		7 tons 13 cwt 2 qt	7 tons 13 cwt 2 qt
Overall Length		39 ft.	40 ft. 6 in.

G 119 -- NGA 39

Steam locomotive with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, ex "G" class otained from the Western Australian Railways.

1897	Built by "Dubs and Co", Glasgow (builders No.3503).
2.11.1897	Entered service as Western Australian Government Railways "G 119".
31.8.1940	Sold to Commonwealth Railways.
13.9.1940	Shipped ex Fremantle aboard SS Koolana.
7.10.1940	Entered service North Australia Railway as "NGA 39".
by 1945	Out of service.
1948	Written off.

G 136 -- NGA 40

Steam locomotive with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, ex "G" class otained from the Western Australian Railways.

1896	Built by "Dubs and Co", Glasgow (builders No.3416).
23.1.1897	Entered service as Western Australian Government Railways "G 136".
31.8.1940	Sold to Commonwealth Railways.
13.9.1940	Shipped ex Fremantle aboard SS Koolana.
7.10.1940	Entered service North Australia Railway.
by 21.8.1945	Out of service.
6.1946	Withdrawn.
1948	To Central Australia Railway.

G 120 -- NGA 41

Steam locomotive with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, ex "G" class otained from the Western Australian Railways.

1897	Built by "Dubs and Co", Glasgow (builders No.3504).
23.10.1897	Entered service as Western Australian Government Railways "G 120".
30.10.1940	Sold to Commonwealth Railways.
11.11.1940	Shipped ex Fremantle aboard SS Koolana.
8.1.1941	Entered service North Australia Railway.
by 21.8.1945	Out of service.
6.1947	Withdrawn North Australia Railway.
1.1957	Reported derelict at Katherine.

G 121 -- NGA 42

Steam locomotive with 4-6-0 wheel arrangement, ex "G" class otained from the Western Australian Railways.

1897	Built by "Dubs and Co", Glasgow (builders No.3505).
28.12.1897	Entered service as Western Australian Government Railways "G 121".
30.10.1940	Sold to Commonwealth Railways.
11.11.1940	Shipped ex Fremantle aboard SS Koolana.
8.1.1941	Entered service North Australia Railway.
by 21.8.1945	Out of service.
1948	Withdrawn.
1.1957	Reported derelict at Katherine.