| Weight | 134t 18cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 4ft 3ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 215psi |
| Cylinders | Two Outside – 19in x 26in |
| Tractive Effort | 33,633lbf |
| Valve Gear | Walschaert |
The Class V locomotives were the last class of steam locomotives to enter service on the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR). The locomotives were intended to haul the heavy coal traffic between the Collie coal fields and Perth. Later they were used on equally heavy freight trains, particularly over the Great Southern line from York to Albany
In 1951 24 locomotives were ordered from Beyer, Peacock & Company in Manchester but because they had capacity issues the construction of the locomotives was subcontracted to Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn at Darlington. The locomotives were still given Beyer, Peacock & Company works numbers.
The locomotives entered service on the WAGR between April 1955 and November 1956.
The locomotive was of a modern design with a high superheat, a large combustion chamber and a thermic syphon in the firebox. Roller bearings were used on all the locomotive and tender wheels. When introduced the V class was the largest rigid wheelbase locomotive on the WAGR system – only the Australian Standard Garratt was larger. The class was designed to have as many parts as possible interchangeable with the 4-8-2 W class supplied by Beyer, Peacock & Company.
The locomotive design was completed on the basis that the engines could be converted to the 4ft 8½in. The Eastern and Eastern Goldfield lines between Pert and Kalgoorie were converted to the wider standard gauge in the late 1960s. The locomotives were then replaced by more powerful diesel locomotives so the V class engines were retained on 3ft 6 in gauge lines.
This locomotive (V 1209) was built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn and entered service on the WAGR in October 1955. It was withdrawn from service June 1971 along with most other V class locomotives.
Classmate V 1220 hauled the last steam hauled service on the WAGR from Brunswick Junction to Collie in June 1972.
Following withdrawal from service V 1209 was stored by the WAGR until it was rescued by the Bellarine Railway and transferred to Victoria in 1982 and restored to steam in 1991.
By March 2007 the locomotive was out of service and two years later it was stored under cover at the Bellarine Railway facility at Lakers Siding.
Three other class V locomotives built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn have been preserved.
- 1213 – Works number 7782 – Beyer, Peacock & Company 7738
- 1215 – Works number 7784 – Beyer, Peacock & Company 7740
- 1220 – Works number 7789 – Beyer, Peacock & Company 7745
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