The 1200 class was introduced in 1953. They were built at the Vulcan Foundry in the UK by English Electric and then imported to Australia. They were the only full width body loco used in Queensland.

The class were allocated to Mayne in Brisbane, and were worked from this yard their entire career. They were found hauling the ‘Sunlander’ and the ‘Sunshine Express’ trains between Brisbane and Cairns, but could also be found on the ‘Westlander’ between Brisbane and Roma.

A characteristic addition to the 1200 and 1250 class locomotives was a sun visor to help reduce glare 8 years after their construction in 1961.

By 1976, the last 1200 class turned a wheel in service.

1200 has been preserved in non-working order by the Australian Railway Historical Society Qld Division, and is currently stored at Redbank Workshops out in the open. It is thought this locomotive will require a replacement engine to be able to turn a wheel again.

1225 Notes

In 1984, 1208 was rebuilt into 1225. The rebuild used parts from 1252 and 1253, while the body was change to resemble a 1250 class loco. It earned the nickname ‘Hybrid’ after this work. 1225 remained in service until 1987, working mainly on the Wallangarra line. The loco is now privately owned, and is currently under active restoration by the Queensland Diesel Group. It will be moved to Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway at Swanbank for these works in mid-2010.

Notes

This class was the most significant and successful of the locomotives designed in the nineteenth century. The design resulted from a need for more powerful engines for passenger trains. Initially designated as “Passenger” B15, they were later better known as PB15.

They spent many of their early years hauling important passenger trains around the state. With the strengthening of the main lines they were relieved of most of these tasks by more powerful locomotives. Later they were relegated to lesser duties on branch lines and in shunting yards. Engines attached to Wooloongabba and later at Mayne were used on “Southside” suburban passenger trains until 1968.

A number of modifications including cab alterations and fitting of electric headlights were carried out during their lives. Tenders on engines constructed at Toowoomba Foundry and the one at Ipswich had increased water capacity. Some engines based at Cairns had additional boards on their tenders to enable additional coal to be carried. Several engines were fitted with an additional sandbox and electric light on the tender for working on branch lines where no turning facilities were available. In May 1918, Ipswich Workshops converted N°411 into a tank engine. Evidently the results were not completely satisfactory as the engine returned to its original form in March 1922. In the late 1920s, the boiler pressure was increased from 150psi to 160 psi.

They could run on all parts of the system except the Etheridge line, the isolated Normanton and (now closed) Cooktown Lines.

One engine was built in 1924 for the Aramac Shire Council. This engine was subsequently purchased from the Council when the Aramac Shire Tramway was dieselized in 1958. Numbered A1 in Council service, it first ran on QR in February 1958 as N°1052 but was renumbered N°12 in June of that year. This was the only engine of the class to be constructed at Ipswich Workshops.

In 1924, increasing traffic on lines that could not carry C16 engines resulted in orders being placed for an engine of similar proportions but fitted with Walschaerts valve gear. These engines became PB15 (1924) Class.

In November 1969, nineteen members of the class were still operating; eleven in the Mackay District, and four at Maryborough and four at Ipswich.

*Originally 8 x 7½. The larger pumps were fitted between 1928 and 1942

Abbreviations

EAP – Evans, Anderson, Phelan & Co, Brisbane, Qld
Ipswich – Ipswich Workshops, Qld
Kitson – Kitson & Coy, Leeds, UK
Toowoomba – Toowoomba Foundry Ltd, (Southern Cross Works) Toowoomba, Qld
Walkers – Walkers Limited, Engineers, Maryborough, Qld