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BB181/4 No.1079 The Workshops, Ipswich |
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BB18¼ 1079 passes Grandchester on its return from the
Laidley Heritage Day tour, 9 April 2000.
This photo was kindly contributed by Graham Watkins.
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Builder |
Walkers
Limited, Maryborough |
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Builder’s Number
& Year |
547 of 1956 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
4-6-2 |
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No. in class |
55 |
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The BB181/4
class 4-6-2 locomotives represent the final development of one of the
Queensland Government Railways' most successful locomotive types. The earlier
B181/4 class had been introduced in 1926 and grew to 83 units for
passenger and fast freight service. A further 55 units were constructed after
World War 2 incorporating improvements such as roller bearings and
anti-vacuum (snifting) valves, together with Australian designed SCOA-P
wheels which provided greater strength and lower weight. These improved
locomotives were known as the BB181/4 class, with 35 constructed
by Vulcan Foundry, Lancashire and 20 by Walkers Ltd, Maryborough. No.1079
was one of the final twenty BB181/4 Class 4-6-2 passenger
locomotives constructed by Walkers Ltd, Maryborough between 1955 and 1958. It
entered service with Queensland Railways in November 1956 and was retired
from normal revenue service in October 1969. Unlike
most of its sisters 1079 escaped the scrap heap, instead being retained by
Queensland Railways for historical and tourist train duties, being based and
maintained with the small fleet of heritage steam locomotives at Ipswich
Workshops. In more recent times the Ipswich Workshops have been transformed
into ‘The
Workshops’ railway museum and 1079 has been joined at Ipswich by the
ex-Redbank Museum exhibits. |
References
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a |
Armstrong,
J. 'Locomotives in the Tropics, Volume 2, Queensland Railways 1910 – 1958’, published
by the Australian Railway Historical Society -Queensland Division, 1994. |
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b |
‘Locomotives
of Australia - 1985 to 2010’ (Fifth Edition), by Leon Oberg, published
2010 by Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd. |
Page updated: 27 February 2024
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