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‘Perth’ ex-Macknade & Victoria Mills Pete’s Hobby Railway, Junee |
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‘Perth’ (sans side tanks
& tender) stored in the front yard of the owner’s home at Loftus on 8
January 2006.
Conservation and static restoration were slowly proceeding
at the time of my visit.
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Builder |
John
Fowler & Co, Leeds |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
8766
of 1899 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-6-0T+T |
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This locomotive was built as a
0-6-0T for the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. (CSR) and worked at a number of their
mills including Macknade Mill, being last allocated to the nearby Victoria
Mill, Ingham. It received a new boiler in 1932 and at some stage was fitted
with an auxiliary tender to extend its range. The locomotives at Victoria
Mill, Ingham generally carried names of Australian Capital cities, so I
presume the name ‘Perth’ was bestowed at this mill. Perth was fully
overhauled in 1965 and retained for a time as standby loco at Victoria Mill. Upon retirement, Perth &
tender were plinthed at an Ingham kindergarten, but the tropical climate took
its toll and I imagine a steam locomotive wasn’t really suitable as
playground equipment for young children, leading to the loco being removed in
1979. After some time in storage it was advertised for disposal in November
1982. Fortunately it was acquired for private preservation, entering the
collection of a well-known Sydney enthusiast. Perth arrived at the owner’s home in
the Sydney suburb of Loftus, NSW in February 1983, joining two other ex-sugar
industry steam locos in his private collection. While suburban homes usually have
a car or two parked on the driveway, this house was notable for having the
garage converted to a loco shed with a beautiful little Hunslet loco in residence,
while Perth and Chiverton were parked in the front yard! The owner kindly
permitted the webmaster to view and photograph his collection at Loftus on 8
January 2006 and the photos on this page dates from that visit. The owner relocated from Loftus to
Junee in 2015 and has now established a private line known as ‘Pete’s Hobby
Railway’ on his property there. Static restoration of Perth was completed in
December 2016, including fitting a set of replacement side-tanks. The Pete’s Hobby Railway website includes further details for
Perth and the other locomotives preserved here, together with updates on
railway developments on site. A 2018 news item on the Pete’s Hobby Railway
website indicated the welcome news that full overhaul and restoration of
Perth to operation was underway following a successful boiler inspection.
Apparently the loco is likely to be restored to original 0-6-0T
configuration, rendering the rusted-out tender obsolete. |
Perth’s replacement
side-tanks stored at Loftus on 8 January 2006.
Behind can be seen Perth’s tender, together with Perry
locomotive ‘Chiverton’.
Perth’s tender stored at
Loftus on 8 January 2006.
The metal moth has been
feasting on the platework!
Two loco sandboxes can be seen stored on the tender
footplate.
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 John
Fowler & Co, |
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c |
Pete’s Hobby Railway website, retrieved 15 September 2018 |
Page updated: 15 September 2018
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Government Railways: |
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Private & Industrial Railways: |
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