Gemco Pw27
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Gemco Pw27
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Wyndham, situated amidst the mountainous Bastion Range is Western Australia's most northerly town, 3473km from Perth. It was here during the late 60's and through the 70's, that BBR's Gemco Funkey diesel locomotive PW27 "Wyndham" saw operational service for the Public works department.
In 1894 a town jetty was built, suitable for deep draught ocean boats. This jetty was serviced by a 2ft tramway which in 1899 had ten trucks. By 1904 there were only 6 trucks in service and the length of the tramway was only 18 chains, only extending a few chains beyond the end of the jetty. As there was relatively little shipping activity, the small tramway sufficed until 1915 when the state government decided to build a meatworks at Wyndham. Stony point was the location chosen for a new jetty and the meatworks, about 1 mile north of the old town jetty. In the 1915-16 financial year, the increasing traffic of construction materials lead to the replacement of the 2ft gauge tramway with a 3ft 6inch gauge line which was extended across the marshes for one mile to the meatworks site. In the same year the new jetty at Stony Point was commenced and a petrol locomotive (Kaiser) was provided to cope with the traffic. In the following financial year a second locomotive was delivered - steam locomotive "Kate" an 0-4-0 well tank.
The SS Kwinana was the first ship to use the new jetty on 24th of March 1918. The tramway across the marsh was then used to convey goods to the town from the new jetty. The meatworks not being completed till 1920. A third locomotive "Preston" an 0-6-0 saddle tank, was delivered in the same year. The total cost of the construction of the meatworks, jetty and tramway was 723,000 pounds sterling. The jetty was originally built with access only from the north. The layout of track was simple with two sidings coming from a single track on the approach neck. In the late 1950's the jetty was expanded and an approach track was added from the south. At this time the jetty was resurfaced with the deck flush to the top of the rail to enable rubber tyred vehicles and forklifts to use the jetty.
During the years of operation of the railway, other diesel or petrol powered locomotives were used on the tramway, mostly of Malcolm Moore, Simplex Dorman and Comeng varieties. The rollingstock in use in 1966 consisted of 46 H class 2 plank open wagons, 16 bolster wagons, 4 H class flat top wagons, 2 Q class wagons and 2 R class bogie open wagons, all painted a reddish brown. In the late 60's, Gemco Funkey 0-4-0 four coupled locomotive NW 17, built by George Moss and Co. of Perth in 1964 with a 6LW Gardner diesel motor, was transferred to Wyndham from Derby where it had worked for a couple of years. It was later renumbered to PW27 in 1969. PW27 was the largest and most powerful of the diesel locomotives to work on the Wyndham railway working through to the end of operations in the early 80's. The meatworks eventually closing in 1986.
After cessation of rail operations at Wyndham, WALRPA members sought to preserve the Gemco locomotive as it was most suitable for regauging to 2ft, It also was the one unit at Wyndham which looked like a conventional locomotive and would fit in with the larger equipment intended for use on the BBR at Whiteman Park. After much discussion, it was during September 1984 that the Public Works, Marine & Harbours departments and the Shire of Wyndham - East Kimberley approved the donation of the port railways Gemco-Funkey diesel to WALRPA.
After unloading from the state ship "Pilbara" onto a truck, Pw27 arrived at the park on 28th December 1984. BBR gratefully acknowledges the assistance provided by the Public Works Dept., Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley, Stateships and Fremantle Port Authority who helped with the movement of the locomotive. After a considerable overhaul and regauging of the locomotive by member Simon Mead, it commenced trials on the 18th of September 1986, entering traffic on the 19th of October '86 on passenger trials.
Favoured by the crews this locomotive has given reasonably consistent & reliable service on the BBR since being restored to working order. Like all items of machinery it has had its fair share of failures. Around 1988 the torque converter was removed and sent to the manufacturers local agents for overhaul. In 1999 the front axle sheared on one side at the wheel. Amazingly the loco was able to be driven gently back to the depot where the axle was removed and sent out for repair.
The most major failure occurred on the 8th of July 2005 when one of the "Sun" gears in the forward and reverse planetary gearbox stripped all of the teeth off the gear. This had been deteriorating over a period of time until the teeth had worn so thin that major damage eventually occurred. It is considered that the heat treatment on this gear had been defective as the other gears were found to be not worn at all. As this necessitated a full strip down of the final drive, the opportunity was taken to inspect and refurbish as much of the gear box as possible. Several gears were replaced and all new bearings were fitted. Much of the refit and assembly work was carried out by member Brian Rourke
On Thursday 4th of October, the drive mechanism, was completed and it was test run for the first time, emerging from the loco shed under its own power around 2pm.
Sunday 7th of October saw Brian out at the depot early to prepare the Gemco PW27 for a test run with a load. A few gremlins were found, mainly with the adjustment of the transmission drive bands. It re-entered service on the 14th of October in "Top and Tail" formation with Ng123 on the last day of steam services for 2007
During the first week of March 2008, PW27 got a makeover with a new coat of paint being applied returning it to a similar livery which it initially carried on the BBR when first restored to working order in 1986, completing the return to traffic of this locomotive which in earlier years had been the mainstay "Big" diesel motive power for the railway.
Whyndam Location History & Photos drawn from Light Railways Magazine Vol #59 Article - Northwest Coastal Tramways "Wyndham" by Ian Crellin and Frank Stamford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bennett Brook Railway Webmaster N. Blinco
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