Queensland C17 class locomotive
Encyclopedia
The C17 class locomotive was a 4-8-0
locomotive of the Queensland Railways. . The locomotives operated on narrow gauge
.
The design was so successful that 227 locomotives were built from 1920 when the first engine N° 15 entering service through until 1953 when N° 1000 was delivered. The 22 NM class
for Commonwealth Railways
were of the same design. C 17s were versatile engines and generally well liked. They were used to haul Mail Trains on lines could not accommodate heavier (B18¼) classes, also suburban passenger, mixed, goods and branch line trains. Until 1948 they were the heaviest engines that could work north of Mackay
. Prior to the introduction of 60ton diesel electric locomotives, they were responsible for hauling the air conditioned Inlander
, Midlander and Westlander trains for parts of their respective journeys.
First engines had large steam domes, open cabs and C16 style tenders. Those built from 1938 onwards, commencing with N°858, had small steam domes, sedan cabs with welded tenders and also larger diameter (9½”) piston valves. The two types of boilers were occasionally interchanged at overhauls and by later years most of the old style ones had been replaced. The last 40 engines, N°961 to N°1000, were fitted with roller bearings and painted brown. They acquired the nick name of “Brown Bombers”. Those overhauled in the last years of steam operations were repainted black. A number of modifications were carried out over their life including the fitting of large mushroom air snifting valves. Several had additional sandboxes and/or rear headlights fitted at various times for working lines where no turning facilities were available.
at Lithgow, New South Wales
. No. 934 has been operational there for some years, and No. 966 is awaiting restoration. No. 944 has been in open air storage at the Miles Historical Village and Museum
in Miles, Queensland
since 1971. No. 996 was placed on the waterfront at Southport on the Gold Coast, and was nicknamed "Southport Express". After calls by the local council to have the locomotive removed in 2005, it was purchased by the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
, and is now at their Box Flat Depot in a dismantled state pending the decision to return it to operational condition.
4-8-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-8-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , eight powered and coupled driving wheels on four axles, and no trailing wheels. The type was nicknamed the Mastodon or Twelve-wheeler in North America....
locomotive of the Queensland Railways. . The locomotives operated on narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
.
The design was so successful that 227 locomotives were built from 1920 when the first engine N° 15 entering service through until 1953 when N° 1000 was delivered. The 22 NM class
Commonwealth Railways NM class
The Commonweath Railways NM class locomotive was a 4-8-0 locomotive of the Commonwealth Railways in Australia. The locomotives operated on narrow gauge lines in South Australia....
for Commonwealth Railways
Commonwealth Railways
The Commonwealth Railways were established in 1912, as part of a government department, currently called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by the Government of Australia to construct the missing link in the east-west transcontinental railway and...
were of the same design. C 17s were versatile engines and generally well liked. They were used to haul Mail Trains on lines could not accommodate heavier (B18¼) classes, also suburban passenger, mixed, goods and branch line trains. Until 1948 they were the heaviest engines that could work north of Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
. Prior to the introduction of 60ton diesel electric locomotives, they were responsible for hauling the air conditioned Inlander
Inlander
The Inlander was a sternwheeler that worked on the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada from 1910 until 1912. She was owned by the Prince Rupert and Skeena River Navigation Company which was a syndicate of Skeena River businessmen who planned to use the Inlander as a passenger and freight...
, Midlander and Westlander trains for parts of their respective journeys.
First engines had large steam domes, open cabs and C16 style tenders. Those built from 1938 onwards, commencing with N°858, had small steam domes, sedan cabs with welded tenders and also larger diameter (9½”) piston valves. The two types of boilers were occasionally interchanged at overhauls and by later years most of the old style ones had been replaced. The last 40 engines, N°961 to N°1000, were fitted with roller bearings and painted brown. They acquired the nick name of “Brown Bombers”. Those overhauled in the last years of steam operations were repainted black. A number of modifications were carried out over their life including the fitting of large mushroom air snifting valves. Several had additional sandboxes and/or rear headlights fitted at various times for working lines where no turning facilities were available.
Destination board
Queensland steam engines including the C17s were fitted with brackets in front of the smokebox where destination signs could be displayed.Preservation
The C17s have survived strongly to the present day. Almost 30 examples still remain with eight currently operational or in near operational condition. Two are currently inter state on the Zig Zag RailwayZig Zag Railway
The Zig Zag Railway is a heritage railway at Lithgow in New South Wales, Australia on the site of the famous Great or Lithgow Zig Zag which operated between 1869 and 1910. As built, the line formed part of the Main West line from Sydney across the Blue Mountains and served to lower the line from...
at Lithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow, New South Wales
Lithgow is a city in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and is the centre of the local political division City of Lithgow. It is located in a mountain valley named Lithgow's Valley by John Oxley in honour of William Lithgow, the first Auditor-General of New South Wales.Lithgow is...
. No. 934 has been operational there for some years, and No. 966 is awaiting restoration. No. 944 has been in open air storage at the Miles Historical Village and Museum
Miles Historical Village and Museum
The Miles Historical Village and Museum is an open-air museum located near the town of Miles, Queensland, Australia. The village consists of 30 buildings, replicas of ones built during the time period of the 1920s.-Region history:...
in Miles, Queensland
Miles, Queensland
Miles is a small town in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Miles had a population of 1,164.The town is situated on the Warrego Highway, 340 kilometres west of Brisbane, the state capital. Formerly known as Dogwood Crossing, the town is situated on Dogwood Creek, named by German explorer...
since 1971. No. 996 was placed on the waterfront at Southport on the Gold Coast, and was nicknamed "Southport Express". After calls by the local council to have the locomotive removed in 2005, it was purchased by the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
Queensland pioneer steam railway
The conduct steam train trips from Bundamba Racecourse on the Swanbank Branch Line to the Swanbank Power station, near Ipswich, Queensland. There is a heritage station located at Swanbank and a platform at the Bundamba Racecourse.[1]...
, and is now at their Box Flat Depot in a dismantled state pending the decision to return it to operational condition.