Notes

These engines were referred to as Large Consolations before the introduction of the new classification system.

They were the first eight coupled engines to run in Queensland and were also the first to have a bogie tenders. An early problem experienced with them was that they were too long for existing turntables and could only be turned on fork lines. They were built by Baldwin and were typical of that company’s products of the time with a large oil headlight, pepper pot steam dome and sandbox and also a wooden cab with glazed windows.

N° 41 was put to good use on the Main Range where it could haul 120 tons compared with 75 tons for the E (B12) Class although it had originally been purchased with the intention of being used on the line beyond Chinchilla. It was shipped to Townsville in June 1881 and was later returned to Ipswich in 1890.

N°42 was imported by the contractors working on the Stanthorpe Extension and named “Queenslander”. It was later bought by the railway after the new line opened in May 1881.

The engines had their original wagon top boilers replaced with round top ones in 1900. Apparently engine loads were not increased even though the new boilers had an increased pressure of 140 psi.

Both finished their days working in the Rockhampton District.

In 1889 locomotives and rollingstock were consolidated into one rollingstock register. This resulted in most items, except those operating on the original Southern and Western Railway (from Ipswich), being renumbered. Numbers shown are state (or former S & W) numbers. Those in brackets are former numbers of individual railways.

Abbreviations

S&W – Southern & Western Railway based on Ipswich
GNR – Great Northern Railway based on Townsville
Baldwin – Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia USA

Notes

The initial plan had been to use these engines on the proposed air-conditioned Mail Trains that were being designed at the time. This never eventuated, although they did regularly haul the “Midlander”, mainly between Emerald and Bogantungan for some years. They were used on the Rockhampton Mail and Sunshine Express in the early 1950s.

The first ten engines were constructed at Beyer Peacock & Co Limited Works in Manchester UK. Owing to the number of orders they had on hand, Beyer Peacock (BP) contracted Societe Franco Belge de Materiel du Chemins de fer, Raismes, France (FRB)to build the remaining twenty.

They were painted Midland red and had chrome yellow lining with large QR monograms on the sides of the front tank and bunker. Unfortunately this attractive livery easily discoloured particularly as a result of priming. The engines were not regularly cleaned when relegated to goods train working in latter years and their appearance rapidly deteriorated.

Originally trialled on the Brisbane – Toowoomba route, they were soon withdrawn from this section due to problems with limited clearances in the tunnels. They were used extensively on North Coast Line between Brisbane and Rockhampton. By 1956, this working had become restricted to mainly north of Bundaberg. They did not work north of St Lawrence on the NCL. On the Central Line they initially ran between Rockhampton and Emerald but from 1957 this was extended to Bogantungan.

A few were attached to Mayne until 1955 and some at North Bundaberg until 1956, when all were allocated to Rockhampton. In later years they worked Moura coal trains via Mount Morgan, prior to the opening of the ‘short line’ to Gladstone. One of their last regular tasks was on limestone trains between Tarcoola and Gladstone. Increasing numbers of diesels saw mass withdrawals of these engines. Twenty two were written off in June 1968.

They were subject to much positive publicity when introduced but failed to live up to all expectations. They were attributed with saving 19,500 miles of assistant and goods engine running on the Bundaberg – Rockhampton – Emerald sections between October 1950 and June 1951. Steaming difficulties were encountered with South Queensland coals; however they performed well on Blair Athol coal. The boilers had a tendency to prime. Limited coal and water capacity caused worries. General overhauls cost about three times those for a B18¼.

They had a number of unique features (for QR steam engines) including Ajax air operated butterfly fire doors, Hadfield power reversers, speedometers and also flow meters; the latter being fitted to the class in 1955.The outer bogies and inner trucks had roller bearings but the coupled axles has plain bearings. Several engines received fabricated stove pipe chimneys to replace the original cast ones that had been damaged.

N°1009, preserved as a static exhibit, was taken into Ipswich Workshops in 1993 and restored to working order. Subsequently due to a leaking fused plug, it has been out of service for quite some time.

* Test weighing proved some engines to be 11 tons over this design weight with 11TAL

Notes

The engines were designed to haul Mail Trains and were the principal engines used on these services until the introduction of the BB18¼ and diesels. Nevertheless, they spent much of their working lives on goods trains and suburban passenger workings. They were generally popular with crews and had free-steaming boilers.

A prototype engine, N°84, was constructed by Ipswich Workshops and ran to Grandchester on 16th July 1926. After successful trails on both the Sydney and Townsville Mail Trains, approval was granted in 1927 to construct a further eight engines at Ipswich and another eight were ordered in 1929. A proposal to fit a Franklin booster to the trailing truck was rejected. These first seventeen engines were constructed with open cabs and C16 style tenders. Six engines built in 1935 were the first to be fitted with sedan cabs but retained old style tenders. Commencing with N°841 in 1936, all engines were built to what was considered the “standard” B18¼ design with sedan cabs, new style tenders and larger 9½” diameter piston valves.

A number of modifications were carried out during their lives. The 1935 engines were fitted with MeLeSco multiple valve regulators mounted on the superheater header. These were later replaced with standard regulators in the boiler dome. N° 843 was fitted with an ACFI feed water heater when it entered service in 1936 but had it removed in 1942. Early engines were fitted with Alligator crossheads. The Laird type was used on those constructed at Ipswich in 1939 commencing with N°870. Minor changes were made to boilers over the years. A few engines acquired BB18¼ boilers during overhaul and later a “standard” boiler was designed for use by both classes. All B18¼ chimneys were cast with capuchions, but several were later ground off due damage in service.

All members of the class were painted green commencing with N°50 & N°911 in 1949; however, several engines that were overhauled in the final years were repainted black. N°895 was the first of the class to have its headlight moved to a bracket in the centre of the smokebox door. Most other members of the class were similarly altered.

The last two engines in service were N°770 at Mackay and N°842 at Ipswich.

N°84 attained the highest mileage of any QR steam engine, travelling 1,472,859 miles during its life of 42¼ years.

~ Some tenders types were exchanged during service
* Engines constructed since 1936 (N°841 onwards)
** Engines constructed since 1939
# Some WH pumps later changed when engines underwent boiler exchanges.

Abbreviations

Ipswich – Ipswich Railway Workshops
Walkers – Walkers Ltd, Engineers, Maryborough