| Weight | 83t 4cwt |
| Driving Wheels | 4ft 6ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 180psi – Rebuilt 175psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 17in x 23in |
| Tractive Effort | 16,620lbf – Rebuilt 20,527lbf |
The first 45 locomotives of this class were ordered from Naysmith, Wilson & Co (15) at Patricfot near Manchester and Vulcan Foundry (30) at Newton le Willows in Lancashire. These locomotives were ordered in 1900 and entered service with the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) in 1903/04 after being erected at the Freemantle workshops.
The original locomotives were the first 4-6-2 engines to operate in Australia and they were designed to replace the class R locomotives introduced in 1897 which proved to be underpowered for the steep gradients. The ability of the E class locomotives to haul heavier loads resulted in significant financial savings.
Another 20 locomotives were built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow following an order placed in April 1911. These were required following increases in traffic.
In 1924 32 locomotives were rebuilt at the Midland Railway Workshops with superheated boilers and reclassified as the Es class. All of the class apart from 2 were rebuilt by 1949.
The locomotives were the principle express passenger locomotives on the WAGR until the introduction of the P and Pr classes in 1924 and 1938 when they were replaced on the Perth to Kalgoolie services.
The first withdrawal from service of one of the locomotives took place in 1945 but most of the class survived until the 1950s. The last locomotive in service was withdrawn in October 1963.
This locomotive Es 308 was built by Vulcan Foundry and entered service with the WAGR in February 1903. It was fitted with a superheated boiler in May 1923. Ten years later it was rebuilt with a new frame.
The locomotive was one of the latest to be withdrawn from service which happened in October 1963 after covering over a million miles.
It was then stored until June 1972 when it was placed in the Rail Transport Museum at Bassendean, Perth.
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