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1219 Chullora Heritage Hub |
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1219 stored on a turntable road at Broadmeadow roundhouse
on 15 December 2012.
My thanks to Jeff Mullier for contributing this photograph.
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Builder |
Dubs
& Co, Glasgow |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
1270 of 1880 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
4-4-0 |
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No. in class |
68 |
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This
locomotive entered traffic with the NSWGR in March 1880 as C 145, one of 68
members of the C(79) class deployed on passenger and mail train duties. Although
designed by Beyer Peacock & Co, Manchester, C 145 was one of 26 supplied
by Dub & Co, Glasgow. The C(79) class were the mainstay of the NSWGR
passenger locomotive fleet for several years, being augmented in the
mid-1880’s by inside cylinder 4-4-0 types and superseded by 4-6-0’s from the
1890’s, following which the class were relegated to country depots for rural
& secondary services. As
originally built, the C(79) class featured round-top boilers with Salter
safety valves, a sloping smokebox front, ornate copper-top chimneys and open
cabs. They were later rebuilt with Belpaire boilers (retaining saturated
steam) and Ramsbottom safety valves, cast iron chimneys and enclosed steel
cabs of the ‘Thow’ port-hole style. They were reclassified as (Z)12’s in the
1924 renumbering, with C 145 becoming 1219. (For further general information
about the C(79) / (Z)12 class, refer to the page for sister 1210.) An
operational problem experienced with the class was accumulation of ash in the
smokebox, resulting in blockage of the lower fire tubes, reduced steaming and
charring / deformation of the smokebox door. (Ash burn can often be seen in
photos of (Z)12 class locomotives in NSWGR service; perhaps this is why the
original boiler design had a sloping smokebox that was wider at the base.) 1219
is unusual as the only class member modified (in general service) to overcome
this problem, with a ‘drumhead’ extended smokebox fitted at Eveleigh Workshops in February 1956. (Sister 1243 later also received an extended
smokebox, but by this time it was already well into its preservation career.)
Photos after this overhaul show 1219 paired with
a 6-wheel tender of the type delivered by Beyer Peacock & Co with the
original batch of 50 P(6) / (C)32 class engines, and 1219 seems to have
retained this tender through to preservation. The NSWGR
withdrew most of its 4-4-0’s in the 1930’s following the arrival of the
(C)30T class and early railmotors, but a small number of (Z)12 class were
retained for certain light lines / country duties. An overview of 1219’s
final years of NSWGR service provides an insight into the niche use of these
surviving (Z)12 locomotives: following its 1956 overhaul, 1219 was sent to Werris Creek to work the school train to Tamworth
& return. It was replaced by sister 1235 in December 1956 and transferred
to Moree for the Moree-Inverell tri-weekly passenger service. 1219 was
transferred to Casino in September 1958 for use as a stationary boiler until
requisitioned in January 1962 as a stand-by loco for 1243 on Vintage Train
operations based in Sydney. 1219 was nursed through these duties until
withdrawn in November 1963 owing to poor boiler and mechanical condition,
being condemned two years later on 26 November 1965 with a final total
distance of 2,116,559km recorded. 1219 remained in its ‘as withdrawn’ livery and condition when initially earmarked for the Museum of Applied Arts & Sciences (now known as the Powerhouse Museum), being stored with the NSWRTM collection at Enfield and transferred to Thirlmere in 1975. Unfortunately, it shows the effects of many years of open storage, with significant surface rust and the timber cab roof heavily decayed. 1219 was shunted away from public view onto the long term storage sidings at Thirlmere in 1983, ostensibly due to its poor appearance. (Sister 1243 represented the class in the NSWRTM collection around this time as a regular traffic locomotive on Loop Line tourist services.) 1219 did receive some preventative care by volunteers while in storage; it was black-oiled in 1989 and some repainting applied in the mid 1990’s. 1219 finally moved into covered storage at Thirlmere in late 2004 before being rail hauled to Broadmeadow Loco in August 2008, where it is now in secure undercover storage on one of the roundhouse stalls. While 1219
appears in a rather poor state, much of the deterioration appears superficial
and, worldwide, many steam locomotives in much worse condition have been
restored to operation. Hopefully one day funds can be found for 1219 to be
returned to its former glory and available for public viewing. As a point of
interest, a spare (Z)12 / (Z)13 boiler was also saved for the NSWRTM and
stored at Thirlmere for many years; if I remember correctly it is boiler tab
1214. An
excellent resource for detailed information about this locomotive is the fact sheet for 1219 on the NSW Government Office of
Environment & Heritage website. Further general information and technical
details for the C(79) / (Z)12-class locomotives can be found on Wikipedia. UPDATE: 1219 was relocated
from Broadmeadow to the Chullora Heritage Hub during February 2024 for further
undercover storage and conservation. Hopefully Chullora will provide a
suitable restoration base for 1219 and the other worthy exhibits stored
there. |
1219 languished out of public view on the long term storage
sidings at Thirlmere from 1983 to late 2004.
The drumhead smokebox extension is
prominent in this view (dated 17 January 2004), together with the wooden buffer
beam
Weathering of the old black paint seems to be revealing a
very old green livery; if so, presumably it dates from the 1930’s or earlier.
Another view of 1219 languishing on the long-term storage
sidings at Thirlmere, with 1803 in front.
This angle emphasises the graceful curve
of the running plate over the wheel centres.
1219’s connecting rods can be seen stored
in the cab, on the footplate.
Skylight is pouring through the rotten timber roof! 17
March 2003
1219 with P(6) class tender being prepared for rail
transfer to Broadmeadow on 19 August 2008, together with other exhibits.
A mounting plate for the missing air
compressor can be seen on smokebox side.
(The NSWRTM has significant spares and I
imagine this compressor, or a suitable replacement, are held in store.)
My thanks to Anthony Snedden for contributing this
photograph.
References
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a |
‘Locomotives of Australia’ by Leon Oberg, published by J. W. Books Pty Ltd, 1982 reprint. |
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b |
‘A Compendium
of New South Wales Steam Locomotives’ compiled
by Alex Grunbach, published
by the Australian Railway Historical Society, New South
Wales Division, 1989. |
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c |
‘Steam
Locomotive Data’ July 1974 edition, compiled
by J. H. Forsyth for the Public
Transport Commission of NSW. |
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d |
Wikipedia
entry for the NSWGR (Z)12 class, retrieved
17 August 2015. |
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e |
Posts
in www.railpage.com.au ‘Preservation
& Tourist Railways’ forum. |
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f |
Transport
Heritage NSW website, Retrieved
24 August 2024. |
Page updated: 27 August 2024
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