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No.7 ‘Frenchy’ Ex-Qunaba Mill, Mon Repos (Bundaberg) |
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Alan Crotty has kindly provided this photo showing
Decauville 246 / Frenchy hauling a goods train at Warren Wood, B&WLR on
Sunday 3rd June 2007.
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Builder |
Decauville,
France |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
246 of 1897 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-4-2T |
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The Decauville
light railway system was based on pre-fabricated units of narrow-gauge track
and points using permanently fixed steel sleepers. Being portable
and reconfigurable, this railway system was well suited to building and
construction projects, mines and quarries, sugar cane and other agricultural
uses. Military applications including underground bunkers were also notable
applications. To augment their light railway system, Decauville supplied
small locomotives of standard designs, together with standard rollingstock. This
little Decauville locomotive was known as ‘Frenchy’ on the roster of Qunaba
Mill, Bundaberg. Following retirement from sugar cane haulage, it was
privately preserved at Moama, NSW. In 1996 it was sold to a UK-based private
owner and exported. Frenchy has since been fully restored in the UK with a
return to steam in late 2006, being based at the Bredgar & Wormshill
Light Railway (B&WLR). Apparently the locomotive now wears the number 7
and nameplate ‘Victory’. My
thanks to Alan Crotty for providing the excellent photographs of No.7
‘Frenchy’ / ‘Victory’ appearing on this page. For
further information about this interesting locomotive, refer to the Bredgar
& Wormshill Light Railway website. |
Alan Crotty also provided this second photo showing Frenchy
at Bredgar (Warren Wood); next to the engine is David Best, and on the
footplate is Tony Baker who was involved with the restoration.
References
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a |
Light
Railway Research Society of Australia Inc. Web site 'Preserved
Australian Sugar Cane Locomotives' list |
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b |
Wikipedia
page for Bredgar & Wormshill
Light Railway, |
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c |
Wikipedia page for Decauville, France, |
Page updated: 24 March 2018
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Government Railways: |
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Private & Industrial Railways: |
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