WAGR M class

M class No. 388 at East Perth Depot in 1926.

The WAGR M class were a total of 13 successful Garratt steam locomotives operated by the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) from 1912 to 1955.

The M class was built by Beyer, Peacock & Coy from 1911 to 1913, they had recently negotiated the exclusive production of Garratt articulated engines manufactured out of the UK. The WAGR were the first to order Garratts of such size and quantity for a state system, playing a vital role in the global success of Garratt locomotives, the WAGR being somewhat of a trailblazer in this respect.

The M class were powerful locos designed to be able to run on lighter-laid lines and around sharp 5-chain radius curves, which they did to great effect, being more powerful than the F class while also having far greater route availability. The second batch was ordered as superheated and became the Ms class, though a standard M class was converted in 1934. Withdrawals began in 1947, with the last withdrawn and scrapped in 1955, none were preserved. They were succeeded by the Msa class Garratts.