Rail Transport Development – WAGR ADE Class "Governor" Railcars

A silent film featuring footage of ADE Class railcars being assembled at the Midland Workshops and the trial run of ADE 446 "Governor Stirling" to Sawyers Valley via Swan View Tunnel, circa November 1937.

The Governor class railcars were built by W.G. Armstrong in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1937 and were the first diesel-electric rail vehicles to enter service in Australia. They were powered by a Swiss Saurer 6 cylinder in-line diesel engine built under contract by W.G. Armstrong. The first railcar arrived complete and the following five were delivered in a knocked down form and assembled at the Midland Workshops. They entered service in a two-tone green and cream livery.

Each railcar was allocated to a specific service; ADE 446 operated from Perth to Merredin via the Eastern Railway, ADE 447 operated from Perth to Merredin via Wyalkatchem, ADE 448 operated from Perth to Merredin via Quairading, ADE 449 operated from Perth to Katanning via the Great Southern Railway, ADE 450 operated from Bunbury to Northcliffe, Busselton and Donnybrook, and ADE 451 operated from Geraldton to Mullewa and Yuna and later Ajana. AG Class "Gilbert" carriages were initially used as trailers to increase capacity. ADT Class trailers were later purpose built for the Governor railcars by the Midland Workshops, entering service in 1939.

From 1949, they were displaced by ADF Class "Wildflower" diesel railcars and the Governor railcars were sent to operate services in more remote parts of the state. Some also operated suburban services, usually on Sundays. They were all withdrawn by April 1962. ADE 447 was sold to the Albany Harbour Board for use as a mobile crib room and the rest were scrapped around 1974. In April 1986, ADE 447 was sold to the Wayback Tourist Railway and returned to Perth. The tourist operation fell through and the railcar was stored on a property near Bushmead before finally being scrapped in early 1992. The underframe was acquired by Willis Engineering with intentions to convert it to a tram, however the current status of the frame are unknown.