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C17 No. 763 Statically restored by the Murgon
Men’s Shed |
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C17 763 displayed under a fine weather shed following its
static restoration by the Murgon Men’s Shed.
My thanks to Tony Winstone for contributing this photo, dated
18 November 2023.
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Builder |
Walkers Limited, Maryborough |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
424 of 1927 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
4-8-0 |
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No. in class |
227 |
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No.763 is one
of Queensland Railways’ highly successful C17 class 4-8-0 locomotives of
which 227 units were constructed by a variety of builders between 1920 and
1953. The C17’s were a versatile type that were powerful enough for main line
freight duties, yet with a low axle load which permitted wide deployment and
accordingly the type could be found on everything from suburban and express
passenger duties to main, secondary and branch line freight and mixed traffic
work. The final C17 class members were retired from service at the very end
of QR revenue steam operations in August 1970. No 763 is
of the original C17 ‘1920 design’ which are identifiable by a straight-sided
cutaway cab, tall steam dome, cast iron chimney and a low-sided bogie tender.
While many were reboilered with 1938 boiler with low steam dome (such as
763), others retained their tall steam dome to the end of their careers. No.763 was
placed in QR service in May 1927 and written off 42 years later in June 1969,
later being placed in the Playground & Recreation Association playground
in suburban Ithaca, Brisbane. Here it appears to have eventually become an
unwanted billboard for graffiti. Fortunately, the Australian Railway
Historical Society (Qld Division) stepped in, acquiring No.763 around 1996.
It was subsequently transferred to their Rosewood
Railway and placed in long-term storage. Although
No.763 remains stored in a derelict condition, the Australian Railway
Historical Society have at least secured the locomotive for the future, and
hence it remains in storage as a possible restoration project, or at least a
source of spare parts. For
further information about the Queensland Railways’ C17 class locomotives,
refer to the page for C17 No.2. UPDATE: In a very
welcome improvement in fortunes, No.763 has been purchased by the Murgon
Men’s Shed for static restoration and departed Rosewood on Wednesday 2 August
2023, being road hauled to Murgon and craned into position on Friday 4
August. It has since been cosmetically restored by the Murgon Men’s Shed team
and is displayed under an impressive weather shelter. The remarkable and
rapid transformation of this machine is a tribute to the Murgon Men’s Shed
volunteers’ efforts. |
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C17 No.763 (sans chimney) in long-term storage at the
Rosewood Railway in December 2002.
The connecting rod lies lazily on a sleeper, presumably the
big end bearing / strap was removed at some stage.
Suburban tank loco D17 No.855 is situated behind.
A rear view of No.763,
emphasising the low-side bogie tender supplied with the original ‘1920 design’
of C17 class loco.
I believe the
colourful spray-on livery dates to No.763’s time plinthed at suburban Ithaca,
Brisbane.
C17 No.935 can also be seen
sitting ahead.
References
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a |
‘Locomotives of Australia’ by Leon Oberg, published by J. W. Books Pty Ltd |
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b |
Armstrong,
J. 'Locomotives in the Tropics - Volume 2 (Queensland
Railways 1910 – 1958 and beyond)’, published
by the ARHS Queensland Division, 1994. |
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c |
SouthBurnett.com.au
website: Article
1: ‘It’s full steam ahead at Murgon’ Published
9 August 2023, retrieved 17 December 2023. https://southburnett.com.au/news2/2023/08/09/its-full-steam-ahead-at-murgon/ Article
2: ‘Railway dream becomes a reality’ Published
3 October 2023, retrieved 17 December 2023. https://southburnett.com.au/news2/2023/10/03/railway-dream-becomes-a-reality/ |
Page updated: 21 December 2023
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Private & Industrial Railways: |
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