William Webb brings in big engines, switch to broad gauge, first train controls to ailing South Australian rail system

The 500 class was the biggest of the large locomotive brought into South Australia by American commissioner William Webb in the 1920s. The big locomotives relegated the R class engines, previously the most common on South Australian broad gauge lines, to shunting and freight work, such as hauling wine casks at McLaren Vale (bottom image). 
Images courtesy State Library of South Australia

Australia's first train control, along with electric signalling, were among innvations that William Webb, the American appointed as South Australian railways commissioner by the state government in 1922, brought to revive the state's rail system from the brink of collapse.

Webb introduced in an era of big train power. In 1926, two 500 class Mountain locomotives – the strongest in Australia – were unloaded at Port Adelaide. Within 10 years, a fleet of large modern locomotives had been imported or built at the South Australian Railways’ modernised Islington workshops.

Webb's program also included larger freight vehicles, new and stronger bridges, diesel railcars, expansion of the Islington workshops, duplicated tracks and modern depots. Converting narrow gauge lines to broad gauge began throughout the mid-north in the 1920s to carry much larger trains, in line with his motto: "The only basis of economy in railway operation is the reduction of train miles by the use of large capacity cars and the largest possible locomotives."

Webb also brought a new Adelaide Railway Station, road delivery vans and trucks to compete with the private sector, new administrative procedures, refreshment services, train control, the South Australian Railways Institute and electric signalling were other Webb innovations.

Besides the Islington railway workshops being modernised, a large new round house was built at Mile End, near Adelaide, and several 85 foot turntable were installed throughout the state to handle much larger locomotives. An American train order system was adopted for country lines.

Webb also saw the beginning of the end of the steam era. In 1924, he introduced Model 55 rail cars, which became known as tin hares, built by the Brill Company in the USA for country services where passenger numbers were too low to justify steam trains. They were later relegated to suburban duties until their end in 1968.

Another American aspect adopted under Webb was the notion of building rail tracks into country areas where it was hoped to attract settlements.