South Australian Railways
Broad Gauge
Class operators South Australian Railways
Provenance South Australian Railways
Condition Good
Ownership Port Dock Station Railway Trust
Entered service 1931
Entered the museum 22nd December 1988
Number in class 2
In 1874 the South Australian Railways had begun the construction of narrow (3’ 6’’) gauge lines throughout the colony. There subsequently arose the necessity of transporting narrow-gauge locomotives and rolling stock over the broad-gauge to and from the workshops in Adelaide. Plans were drawn up for an Engine Carriage Bogie Truck, and the vehicle, which was given the number 19, was created by the Adelaide Locomotive Works in 1884. Of traditional Well Wagon pattern it was unusual in that, instead of normal bogies, the driving wheels and portions of the frames from two of the original locomotives were used. It is possible that they came from Nos.2 and 3, however no records have been found to support or disprove this supposition.
When classification letters were allocated to rolling stock in 1888, No.19 was classified WL. At some time during its career it also acquired the nickname The Crocodile, which eventually gained official recognition. It found considerable employment, the conversion to broad-gauge of the old Western System during the 1920s notwithstanding. In 1931 Islington Works manufactured a similar vehicle, this time equipped with conventional bogies, which became WL.8200, and 19 was renumbered 8202. However, with the conversion to broad-gauge of the South Eastern System in the 1950s and the standardisation of the Port Pirie to Broken Hill line in the late 1960s, both vehicles were used less and less. No.8202 was condemned on 2nd May 1977 and broken up, one bogie going to the Mile End Railway Museum and the other to SteamRanger.
No.8200 survived complete and was used to transport several locomotives to the Museum before being placed in the collection on 22nd December 1988.