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The
DD17 class locomotives were the final development of Queensland Railways
(QR) steam power for Brisbane suburban workings; this successful design
benefitted from the early lessons from the 6D16 class 4-6-2T locos (later
converted to 4-6-4T) and experience with the later D17 class 4-6-4T locos.
The 4-6-4T configuration was popular around the world for suburban
passenger traffic, key features being a symmetrical wheel arrangement that
was equally suited to forward or reverse travel at speed, good adhesion
from the mass of water tanks over the driving wheels, and good visibility
in both directions. The DD17’s were modern locomotives, featuring extensive
use of welded components, superheated boilers, electric lighting,
mechanical lubricators and roller bearings on all axles. Twelve DD17 class
locomotives were built at Ipswich Railway Workshops, the first six (949 -
954) in 1948-49 and the final six (1046 – 1051) between 1950 and 1952. The
class featured an attractive blue livery, a stark contrast to the black
livery worn by the earlier D17 and 6D16 class locomotives. I believe the
class were known as ‘Blue Babies’ by railwaymen and Brisbane residents.
No.1046
entered service in August 1950 and was the last of the class to be written
off when condemned in October 1969. Apparently it performed some enthusiast
tour train duties around Brisbane until late 1971. Fortunately No.1046
together with sisters No.1047 and 1049 were saved from the Ipswich
Workshops scrap line by the Zig Zag Railway Preservation Society
Co-Operative Ltd. for use on their formative heritage railway based on the
Great Zig Zag Railway at Lithgow, NSW. (Presumably these three DD17’s were
judged to be the best candidates among the steam locos on the Ipswich scrap
line at that time; records show they were the last three DD17’s to be
condemned, together with their modern design and suitability for operation
in either direction as required by the Zig Zag reversals. Other candidates
on the Ipswich scrap line at the time included several PB15 class 4-6-0
locos.) The three DD17’s were delivered to the Zig Zag Railway’s newly
created Bottom Points depot on 16 March 1975 via standard-gauge flatcars;
interestingly, a temporary slew was made to the adjacent Great Western
Railway main line to allow the locos (and some NSWGR passenger cars) to be
reversed into the depot, which is in an otherwise inaccessible location.
On
29 August 1975, DD17 No.1046 became the first steam loco to work on the
Great Zig Zag at Lithgow since 1910 when it successfully traversed the
newly laid 3’ 6” gauge track from Bottom Points to Top Points reversing
station. Shakedown trials were held on the weekend of 18 & 19 October
1975, commemorating the 106th anniversary of the original
opening of the Zig Zag on 18 October 1869 and its closure 65 years later on
16 October 1910. The Zig Zag Railway subsequently opened for business as a
tourist railway, with rails later extended along Top Road to the Chifley
Road in 1987 and then through the Mt Sinai cutting and Clarence Tunnel to
Clarence Station in 1988. A further extension along the Dargan’s Creek
Deviation to Newnes Junction was under construction during the mid-2000’s, but alas the Zig Zag Railway has not been
operational since 2011 due to accreditation issues, compounded by bushfire
damage and a significant embankment slip near Clarence.
The
webmaster has many fond memories of family weekend visits to the Zig Zag
Railway in the 1970’s, with the railway in those days only operating on the
Middle Road; visitors would drive along Top Road and across the No.1
viaduct to reach a small car park at Top Points. No.1046 operated in a very
handsome sky blue livery in Zig Zag Railway service; I recall sisters 1047
and 1049 (stored at Bottom Points in the 1970’s) wore the same livery which
suggests it was close to the original QR ‘Blue Baby’ livery worn in
Brisbane suburban service.
Alas
No.1046 was withdrawn from service in the early 1980’s due to frame
cracking and deteriorating mechanical condition. (I recall an article in
the Zig Zag Railway members’ magazine ‘Switchback’ which suggested the
vertical curve where the Middle Road 1:42 gradient transitioned to level
track at Top Points was thought to be to blame for the frame cracking, and
this section of track was fully relayed and re-profiled as a result.)
Overhaul
of No.1046 commenced in the mid-1990’s as an outsourced project by ‘Skills
West’, Penrith, an apprentice training school that had recently completed
the restoration to service of sister No.1049 after many years of storage.
No.1046 was stripped to the frames, with the frame cracks repaired by
specialist welding. In addition, a replacement bunker was fabricated.
Unfortunately the overhaul was cancelled prior to completion, presumably
due to financial constraints, with the dismantled components of No.1046
returned to the Zig Zag Railway for storage. Alas there hasn’t been any
progress since then, with the components stored away from sight, initially
in the dead-end siding at Top Points and more recently at Edgecombe Siding
on the Top Road. Hopefully the parts remain in safe storage and one day
there might be a change of fortunes for No.1046.
Further
information regarding DD17 No.1046 and the Zig Zag Railway can be found on
their web
site.
I
would greatly appreciate the contribution of colour photos showing No.1046
(& No.1047) operating on the Zig Zag Railway in the 1970’s and 1980’s to
add to this page. Colour photos of DD17’s at work on Brisbane suburban
services are also welcome.
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