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Puffing Billy train at Ipswich Railway Station, 1950s
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TitlePuffing Billy train at Ipswich Railway Station, 1950sDate Created1955-1959
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DescriptionSign reads: 'Built by Nelson & Co Glasgow. Total weight engine & tender in running order 21 ton/cwt Tractive effort 5100 lbs (pounds) Boiler pressure 120lbs.'Additional Information A10 No. 3 taken after being moved from Countess Street (Brisbane) in 1959.
This was the second class of locomotives to be introduced into the state. Eight were built for the Southern and Western Railway based on Ipswich and another four for the Central Railway at Rockhampton. One engine was also constructed for the contractor building the line to Toowoomba. This was later purchased by the railway in 1876. All engines were fitted with injectors instead of feed pumps when built.
Four engines were converted to 4D10 tank engines. Five engines survived the turn of the century although four of them were written off in 1902. N°3 continued in use shunting Bowen Jetty until 1914. It was then stored at Ipswich Workshops and restored to working order for the Railway Pageant in 1936. Afterwards it was preserved near Countess Street in Roma Street yard. It was removed from Countess Street to North Ipswich, due to the enlargement of the Roma Street goods yards, and the locomotive and carriages were again sent to Ipswich Railway Workshops. In 1969 No.3 and carriages were placed in a shelter at Queen’s Park, Ipswich. This was primarily in recognition of the ending of the steam era at Ipswich, in November 1969, and to retain a connection with the railway history of the organisation. It appears that it was around 1936 that the nickname of “Puffing Billy” was given, although it never actually was named this in any official context by QR.
Additional information provided by Greg Hallam, Historian with Queensland Rail.
This was the second class of locomotives to be introduced into the state. Eight were built for the Southern and Western Railway based on Ipswich and another four for the Central Railway at Rockhampton. One engine was also constructed for the contractor building the line to Toowoomba. This was later purchased by the railway in 1876. All engines were fitted with injectors instead of feed pumps when built.
Four engines were converted to 4D10 tank engines. Five engines survived the turn of the century although four of them were written off in 1902. N°3 continued in use shunting Bowen Jetty until 1914. It was then stored at Ipswich Workshops and restored to working order for the Railway Pageant in 1936. Afterwards it was preserved near Countess Street in Roma Street yard. It was removed from Countess Street to North Ipswich, due to the enlargement of the Roma Street goods yards, and the locomotive and carriages were again sent to Ipswich Railway Workshops. In 1969 No.3 and carriages were placed in a shelter at Queen’s Park, Ipswich. This was primarily in recognition of the ending of the steam era at Ipswich, in November 1969, and to retain a connection with the railway history of the organisation. It appears that it was around 1936 that the nickname of “Puffing Billy” was given, although it never actually was named this in any official context by QR.
Additional information provided by Greg Hallam, Historian with Queensland Rail.
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Buildings & StructuresNicholas Street BridgeIpswich Railway StationBusinessesWhitehouse's CafeDefining Tulmur | IpswichDreaming of Tomorrow: Growing Up
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Reference IDqips-2014-12-01-0001Asset TypeImage - JpegImages, Maps and Artefacts (Trove mapping field)imageColour or Black & White ImageBlack & WhiteOrientationLandscapeGenreTransportPhysical DescriptionPrintCopyright StatusCreative Commons Attribution - Non-Commercial - Share Alike (CC:BY-NC-SA)Copyright NoticeCreated prior to 1st January 1955 and as such copyright has expired. Moral rights subsist and the item should be correctly attributed and its integrity preserved.
To use this image, please contact the Picture Ipswich Digital Archivist.CopyrightPicture Ipswich Copyright Information
To use this image, please contact the Picture Ipswich Digital Archivist.CopyrightPicture Ipswich Copyright Information
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Puffing Billy train at Ipswich Railway Station, 1950s. Picture Ipswich, accessed 25/10/2026, https://www.pictureipswich.com.au/nodes/view/12267