2413

Junee Roundhouse Museum

2413 displayed within the Junee Roundhouse Museum on 11 June 2025.

Details include a working headlight and safety steps for visitor access to the cab, but the smokebox wheel looks too large – possibly a 36-class example!

2413 is rubbing shoulders with more modern motive power – chunky 442 class 44226 is alongside, displayed in 1980’s ‘Candy’ livery.

Builder	Dubs & Co, Glasgow
Builder’s Number & Year	2635 of 1891
Wheel Arrangement	2-6-0
No. in class	25

The B(55) class 2-6-0 locomotives - later renamed the (Z)24 class - were ordered at a time when the New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) was desperately short of motive power. They were pooled with the similar but earlier B(205) / (Z)25 class 2-6-0 locomotives on main-line freight duties until displaced by the later ‘Standard Goods’ 2-8-0 engines, gravitating to secondary lines before also being ousted from that role in the 1930’s by newly converted (C)30T class engines. Some (Z)24’s continued in shunting roles, while many were sold to private users including collieries and sand & gravel quarries.

2413 was sold by the NSWGR to the Electricity Commission of NSW in 1961 for shunting duties at the Bunnerong Power Station, Port Botany where it became No.6. The Electricity Commission operated several (Z)24 class locomotives at this site, 2408 (No. 7), 2413 (No.6), 2414 (No.5) and 2423 together with a (Z)20 class locomotive.

2413 / No.6 was last in use at the Bunnerong Power Station in 1975. Upon retirement it was donated to the ARHS Canberra and placed on display at the Canberra Railway Museum.

2413 was subsequently towed by rail to the Junee Roundhouse Museum in 24 & 25 May 2002, where it was placed on static display within the roundhouse.

For more general information about the B(55) / (Z)24 class locomotives, refer to the entry for sister 2419.

UPDATE:

The webmaster enjoyed a road trip to Junee incorporating a visit to the Junee Roundhouse Museum on 11 June 2025, where I found 2413 nicely displayed with details including cab access safety steps and a working electric lighting. The volunteers at Junee were very welcoming and I greatly enjoyed my visit there; the eastern half of the roundhouse is still an active locomotive maintenance facility and a 48-class diesel-electric obligingly rumbled across the turntable while I was inspecting the exhibits. The nearby Junee Chocolate Factory also proved to be well worth a visit! The historic Junee station and precinct is another worthwhile destination.

2413’s cabside, including a replica builder’s plate.

I wonder if the originals survive in someone’s private collection.

2413’s cab is accessible to visitors – and nicely prepared for display.

Working cab lights and a flickering red glow lamp in the firebox adds to the presentation.

2413 is paired with this ancient 6-wheel tender – possibly from a Z(19) 0-6-0 loco.

I couldn’t find a running number to establish its identity, but it seems smaller and older that the original 24-class tenders.

2413 had been statically displayed at the Canberra Railway Museum in the 1990’s, as seen in this scanned photo dating from 1992.

References

a	‘A Compendium of New South Wales Steam Locomotives’ compiled by Alex Grunbach, published by the Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division, 1989.
b	'Light Railways - Australia's Magazine of Industrial & Narrow Gauge Railways', Number 166, August 2002, Page 28. Published by Light Railway Research Society of Australia Inc.
c	Webmaster’s observations

Page updated: 9 July 2025

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