This locomotive was built by Beyer Peacock & Co in 1885 as their builder's number 2509, being one of the Tasmanian Government Railway's C-class 2-6-0 locomotives.  27 original members of this class were supplied by Beyer Peacock & Co. for goods train working; a 28th class member was later acquired secondhand. ^{a, b}

This Beyer Peacock locomotive design found buyers in many Australian states; similar locos include the SAR Y-class and the WAGR G-class locos. Private operators ordered yet more examples, including the Silverton Tramway Y-class 2-6-0 locomotives and a 2-6-2T variant. ^d

Six members of the Tasmanian Government Railways' C-class were later rebuilt to the CC class, which featured a higher-pitch Belpaire boiler and the characteristic TGR front-end comprising an extended / self-cleaning smokebox and stovepipe chimney.  A later rebuilding variant was the CCS class which added superheating, Walschaerts valve gear and new cylinders to the CC design.  Comparison with preserved locomotive C22 shows the original low-pitch boiler design with round-top firebox, whereas C1 retains the original low-pitch boiler but is fitted with an extended smokebox with a vertical smokebox front.  ^{b, c}

C1 is displayed under a weather roof at the West Coast Pioneers Memorial Museum at Zeehan, in company with a number of other railway, mining and geological exhibits showcasing the development of Tasmania's West Coast.  This is an excellent museum and well worth a visit.

C1 carries these simple but beautiful brass number plates on the cabsides.   8 May 2003.

An earlier scanned photo view of C1 at the West Coast Pioneers Memorial Museum at Zeehan in May 1993.

Page updated:  27 June 2013