East Perth Locomotive Depot

For the nearby and current depot, see Claisebrook railway depot.

East Perth Locomotive Depot (also known as East Perth loco sheds) was a major steam locomotive depot for the Western Australian Government Railways from a year before the end of the First World War in 1917[1] until the end of the steam railway era on its railway system in 1970/1971.[2][3] The previous locomotive depot had been located west of the Perth railway station.[4]

It was also commonly known as East Perth loco sheds[5][6] and also the East Perth Depot.[7]

The depot was operational from 1917.[8]

There was a turntable at the western end of the yard.[9]

It[clarification needed] was located just east of the main railway terminus for the system at what is now Perth station. It was removed in 1969 to make way for the new East Perth railway station and the Westrail Centre that centralised railway administration offices of the government railway system, that had previously been scattered around a large number of buildings near the Perth station.[10]

Jack Stanbridge devotes 41 photos on 10 pages of his first volume of his collection known as 70 years of rails & wire in Western Australia for reflections about the Depot.[11][12]

In the late twentieth century numbers of former employees who had worked at the depot, were interviewed for the oral history record.[13][14]

Organised labour had reason to strike and raise issues of conditions during the existence of the depot.[15][16] Some complaints had also been made collectively without union involvement.[17]

  1. ^ "NEW LOCO DEPOT". The Daily News. Vol. XXXVI, no. 13, 239. Western Australia. 24 July 1917. p. 1. Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ Finlayson, Don, ed. (1986). Steam Around Perth. Bassendean, W.A.: Australian Railway Historical Society W.A. Division. ISBN 0-9599690-4-7.
  3. ^ Gunzburg, Adrian (1984). A history of W.A.G.R. steam locomotives. Perth, W.A.: Australian Railway Historical Society, Western Australian Division. ISBN 0-9599690-3-9.
  4. ^ "Legislative Assembly". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 25 August 1910. p. 2. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  5. ^ "New Ash Pit At Loco Sheds". The Daily News. Vol. LXIV, no. 22, 264. Western Australia. 17 August 1946. p. 22 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "East Perth Loco Sheds Lack Amenities". The Workers Star. No. 184. Western Australia. 7 March 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Railway Collision". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 25 August 1939. p. 18. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  8. ^ "Metropolitan Railways". The West Australian. Vol. XXXIII, no. 4, 911. Western Australia. 31 December 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 30 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ Thompson, Michael (1955), East Perth loco yard, retrieved 30 April 2022 https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2911794_001 1955 photograph from western end of yard towards the main shed from the SLWA website
  10. ^ "East Perth Station". Stations, Sidings and Railway Locations Of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015.
  11. ^ Stanbridge, Jack (1997), 70 years of rails & wire in Western Australia. Book 1, Printed by Lamb Print, ISBN 978-0-646-31990-2
  12. ^ Stanbridge, Jack (1998), 70 years of rails & wire in Western Australia. Book 2, Printed by Lamb Print, ISBN 978-0-646-31996-2 {{citation}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  13. ^ Garrity, Edwin Patrick; Harvey, Erica; Western Australia. East Perth Redevelopment Authority (1994), [Interview with Ted Garrity], retrieved 22 January 2021
  14. ^ Ratcliffe, Gordon; Layman, Lenore, (interviewer.) (2007), Interview with Gordon Ratcliffe in 2007, retrieved 22 January 2021 {{citation}}: |author2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "No Strike Pay For Loco Men". The Daily News. Vol. LXIV, no. 22, 346. Western Australia. 21 November 1946. p. 12 (Emergency Final). Retrieved 22 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "Stoppages at East Perth Loco Sheds". Kalgoorlie Miner. Vol. 57, no. 16043. Western Australia. 8 August 1951. p. 4. Retrieved 22 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ "Ultimatum By Loco Men". The Daily News. Vol. LXVIII, no. 23, 534. Western Australia. 15 September 1950. p. 1 (Final). Retrieved 22 January 2021 – via National Library of Australia.