Wee Mary

Frames stored at Lune River

 

A picture containing grass, outdoor, tree, farm machine

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Two sets of 2’ gauge 0-4-0WT locomotive frames stored on wood-framed 4-wheel trucks at Lune River, as the webmaster found them on 4 May 2003.

For the left set of frames, details such as the inclined cylinders and prominent front plate frames match those of Tullah Tramway loco ‘Wee Mary’.

Similarly, the cylinder design and other details of the right set of frames match those of Tullah Tramway O&K b/n 718.

I’m not sure how these frames came to be at Lune River – further information on this point is welcome.

Builder

John Fowler & Co, Leeds

Builder’s Number & Year

17732 of 1928

Wheel Arrangement

0-4-0WT

 

The North Mount Farrell Tramway at Tullah were presumably pleased with the operation of their 0-4-0WT locomotive ‘Wee Georgie Wood’ (Fowler B/N 16203 of 1924) as a second locomotive ‘Wee Mary’ (Fowler B/N 17732 of 1928) followed a few years later.

After World War Two, ‘Wee Georgie Wood’ and ‘Wee Mary’ were combined to form a single operable loco during an overhaul. Whilst the remaining locomotive carries the name ‘Wee Georgie Wood’, apparently it may in fact use the frames of ‘Wee Mary’ and therefore, under the usual practice of identity following the frames, would normally be known by the latter name. Wee Georgie Wood is now preserved as the operating locomotive on the remaining portion of the North Mount Farrell Tramway.

My visit to the Ida Bay Railway at Lune River in Tasmania's south on 4 May 2003 revealed two unidentified set of locomotive frames stored in the rail sidings, as seen in the photos on this page. I believe the frames belong to the former North Mount Farrell Tramway (Tullah Tramway) locos ‘Wee Mary’ and O&K 718, the former Magnet No.2, although I am unsure how these remnants came to be at Lune River – further information on that point is welcome.

Alas, more recent visitors to Lune River report the two sets of 0-4-0WT locomotive frames are no longer riding on small wooden 4-wheel carts, instead now being dumped in the undergrowth. Hopefully these interesting artefacts can one day be retrieved and placed on display, perhaps at Tullah among the artefacts held by the Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway.

Further information about these rusty old relics and how they came to be at Lune River is welcome.

A brief history of the North Mount Farrell Tramway and its locos can be found on the Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway website.

Amongst the bric-a-brac at Lune River could be found these locomotive wheels. 4 May 2003.

In particular, the two sets on the right look like Fowler wheels which may belong to ‘Wee Mary’.

A picture containing grass, outdoor, tree, farm machine

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A closer view of the right set of frames, as seen at Lune River on 4 May 2003.

Various details match to photographs of O&K b/n 718, such as the horizontal cylinders with angled valve cover, the rail guard across front,

the distinctive smokebox saddle support, the ‘plate’ motion bracket and the frame step-down to the cab floor.

References

a

Preserved Orenstein & Koppel Steam Locomotives,

retrieved 28 May 2014.

b

‘1902 – 2002 Celebrating the Centenary

of the North Mount Farrell Tramway’,

Published by Wee Georgie Wood Steam Railway Inc,

November 2002.

Page updated: 20 November 2021

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