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Qunaba Mill No.1 ‘Delta’ Formerly Fairymead Mill No.20 |
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It
carries the name ‘Delta’ (Qunaba Mill) and No.20 (Fairymead Mill) on the cabside.
Closer
inspection suggests a few details may be outstanding, such as the boiler clothing
and steam pipe lagging.
This view was kindly
contributed by David Baker and is dated March 2022.
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Builder |
Mile
End, Adelaide |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
9767.50.4 of 1950 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-6-2T |
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This locomotive was originally delivered to Fairymead
Mill, Bundaberg in 1950, becoming No.20 on the shed roster. In 1970 it changed hands when sold to Millaquin Sugar
Company for their nearby Qunaba Mill, where it became No.1 ‘Delta’. (The
intriguing name ‘Qunaba Mill’ is derived from Queensland National Bank, who
were the owners at one stage.) No.1 ‘Delta’ was withdrawn from service at Qunaba Mill as
late as 1978. It was subsequently donated to the Puffing Billy Preservation
Society and moved to their museum at Menzies Creek. My visit to Menzies Creek during October 2002 found No.1
Delta in a dismantled state and under overhaul, as per the photograph below.
The Menzies Creek Museum has been significantly upgraded in recent years,
with a vastly improved indoor exhibition building provided. As at June 2020,
No.1 Delta had been restored, reassembled and placed on displayed within the
exhibition area, prominent in its bright yellow lined livery among the many
interesting narrow-gauge railway artefacts. The Collections Victoria site provides some further
information and photographs for this locomotive. |
Qunaba Mill No.1 ‘Delta’ dismantled for overhaul at Menzies
Creek on 8 October 2002.
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 |
Collections Victoria page for No.1 Delta, retrieved 23 October 2018 |
Page updated: 6 March 2022
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Government Railways: |
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