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‘Torpedo’, ex-Inkerman Mill Pete’s Hobby Railway, Junee |
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‘Torpedo’ at 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 |
Hunslet
Engine Company Ltd, |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
1187 of 1915 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-4-2T |
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‘Torpedo’ originally worked at the
Inkerman Sugar Mill, situated at Home Hill / Carstairs on the Burdekin River south
of Townsville. It was withdrawn from sugar cane haulage duties in the early
1960s and plinthed in Wangaratta Park at Queens Beach, Bowen. Torpedo was acquired for private preservation
on 24 January 1975 by a well-known Sydney enthusiast, arriving at his Loftus
home on 13 May 1975. 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 the beautiful little Hunslet loco ‘Torpedo’ in residence,
while Perth and Chiverton were parked in the front yard! Apparently Torpedo received
an overhaul to working order around 2002/03 including a full re-tube, new
side tanks and added hungry boards for wood firing. The owner kindly
permitted the webmaster to view and photograph his collection at Loftus on 8
January 2006 and the photos of Torpedo on this page dates from that visit. The owner relocated from Loftus to Junee in 2015 and has
established a private line known as ‘Pete’s Hobby Railway’ on his property
there. Torpedo is the operating steam loco on this hobby railway, having been
dismantled for contract overhaul during 2015/16. The Pete’s Hobby
Railway website includes further details for Torpedo and the owner’s two other
steam locomotives, together with updates on railway developments on site. |
‘Chiverton’ (sans side
tanks) 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.
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 Hunslet Engine Company, |
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c |
Pete’s Hobby Railway website, retrieved 15 September 2018 |
Page updated: 15 September 2018
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