B13 Class

Notes

These mixed traffic engines, originally known as "F" class, represented the largest group of locomotives introduced in the nineteenth century. Several of the early engines burnt wood and were fitted with diamond stack spark arrestors. As with some other large classes of locomotives, there were a number of variations incorporated during their period of construction. Some engines were built with wide fireboxes and others with narrow ones. Later a replacement boiler with a deep narrow firebox was designed and was found to be the most suitable. This style of firebox was to become common on many future classes. The last of the engines fitted with wide fireboxes was withdrawn by 1927. One engine, N°34, was built with an extended smokebox in 1886. Also in that year, 12 engines were fitted with rocking grates at Rockhampton. Both of these features proved successful and were then perpetuated in the design of later classes of engines. The older engines also received the modifications as they were overhauled. Six engines were sold to Commonwealth Railways, six to the sugar industry and another two to Beaudesert Shire Council for use on the Beaudesert Shire Tramway. The class was largely obsolete by 1930s with the strengthening of remaining light branch lines to B15 standard. They were the largest (and last) class of steam engines to operate on the isolated Cooktown and Normanton Railways. The last engine to run on QR was N°90 which was used as Ipswich Workshops shunter until 1955. Two engines sold to Bingera Sugar Mill, N°48 and N°79, continued to be used there until 1969 when the latter engine was donated to QR for preservation.