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No.2 Skipper Ex-Qunaba Mill, Bundaberg |
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No. 2 Skipper displayed on dual-gauge track (2’ and 3’ 6”
gauge) at the entrance to the National Railway Museum, Adelaide on 24 September
2005.
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Builder |
Mile
End, Adelaide |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
1850.46.1 of 1946 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-6-2T |
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This
handsome loco is one of 19 steam engines built for various Australian sugar
mills by Adelaide company Perry Engineering Co. Ltd. Perry also built many larger
locomotives for various Australian state government railways and civil engineering
/ construction projects. The Perry-built cane locos have fared well in preservation,
with 16 surviving examples listed on this site. No.2
‘Skipper’ was originally supplied to Millaquin Mill, Bundaberg, later transferring
to the nearby Qunaba Mill. It remained in traffic until as late as 1980. In 1981, No.2 Skipper returned to South
Australia for display at the ARHS’ former Mile End Railway Museum, in
recognition of the local connection to Adelaide builder Perry Engineering Co.
Ltd (which was across the road from the Mile End museum site). Together with
other exhibits, No.2 Skipper was transferred to the new Port Dock Station
Museum site in 1988. Here it was statically displayed loaded onto a flatcar
within the 'goods shed' portion of the museum site. No.2 Skipper was statically restored at the
Port Dock Station Museum (now known as the National Railway
Museum) in 2003 and today can be found on display at the museum entrance. The
Queensland Rail Heritage website also includes a page for
Skipper with some additional technical information. |
No.2 'Skipper' double-heading
with No.3 'Flash' at Qunaba Mill in 1976 as they work hard uphill with a load
of sugar cane.
The driver on Skipper
was Dennis Eadey and the driver on Flash was (Blue) Ray Gilbert.
This photo was kindly provided by Ross Driver, also a
member of the mill locomotive staff.
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 Perry Engineering Co Ltd, |
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c |
Information provided by Ross Driver via email dated 28 January 2005. |
Page updated: 10 July 2018
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