Between October 1893 and August 1898, the WAGR took delivery of 24 K class locomotives from Neilson & Co. They entered service on the Eastern Railway between Midland Junction and Northam. In 1902, they were displaced from this work by the F class.[1] They then mainly operated freight services on the Collie line and within Perth, although they did operate Royal Perth Show and raceday special passenger services.[2]
In 1915, two were repowered with superheated boilers. A further three followed, but all were converted back by 1937. Further reboilerings increased power output by a quarter.[2]
Six examples originally intended for the WAGR were purchased by the British Government and sent to South Africa to ease a shortage being encountered by the Imperial Military Railways as a result of the Boer War where they became the C class.
The K class designation was previously used by the K class that was reclassified as the L class. It was reused in the 1960s when the K class diesel locomotives entered service.
Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A History of WAGR Steam Locomotives. Perth: Australian Railway Historical Society (Western Australian Division). ISBN0959969039.