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Beyer Garratt, 1009,locomotive at Ipswich Railway Station, Ipswich, 1965
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TitleBeyer Garratt, 1009,locomotive at Ipswich Railway Station, Ipswich, 1965Date Created1965
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DescriptionBeyer Garratt locomotive at Ipswich Railway Station during the Queensland Rail Centenary celebrations. This locomotive was designed and built in Australia. Although initially not successful on Queensland railways, when introduced during World War II, there would be more ordered from Beyer, Peacock & Co, Manchester, England in 1947. No. 1009 is the only survivor of the Queensland Railways Garratts, and was initially placed on display in the Redbank Locomotive Museum. It was restored to working order at Ipswich Railway Workshops in the mid-1990s and was used for excursions for a few years. No. 1009 can be seen today in the Steam Shop at Ipswich.Additional Information The Beyer-Garratt locomotive first made its appearance on QR tracks in 1950. As part of the post Second World War rehabilitation of the Queensland Railways thirty of these articulated locomotives were ordered from the famous Manchester works of Beyer Peacock and Co. The engines were considered an important element in addressing the problems of dealing with increasing freight movements, and passenger traffic. Queensland was limited to a light axle loading on locomotives, thereby limiting the size of engine that could be operated on the network.
When placed in October 1947, the Beyer-Peacock works in Manchester were unable to complete the order for Queensland Railways, due to demands placed on its own works by labour and material supply problems. To cope with this situation Beyer-Peacock allowed some 20 of the engines to be constructed under licence to the Franco-Belge works, in Raimes, France. Beyer-Peacock proceeded with the construction of ten engines.
The first of the Beyer-Garratt engines arrived at Pinkenba wharves in Brisbane as deck cargo on board the “Peter Dal”. The engines were enormous by Queensland engine practice. The articulated machines, were typical products of the Manchester works. Four cylinders of 13 1/4 inches, a Belpaire firebox boiler with an operating pressure of 200lbs PSI powered a two unit locomotive. Two water tanks supplied the boiler with 3800 gallons of water. A coal bunker held 6 tons of coal. Total weight in service was 137 tons.
The locomotive units were assembled at Pinkenba wharf with spare parts packed into boxes. The engines were then towed separated by several wagons, to limit weight on the Indooroopilly bridge span, to Queensland Railway North Ipswich Workshops for fitting out. In their workshop grey and black they looked impressive machines. However to suit the light Queensland tracks several concessions had to be made in weight. This was to be a major problem for these engines after their introduction, and included a reduced coal capacity to save weight.
The first into service was 1009 works no. 7349 in September of 1950. This engine was displayed at the Central Queensland Industries Fair in Rockhampton, and Emerald. The Garratts in service were painted an attractive maroon and gold colour scheme. Although by Garratt standards the engines were small and lightly powered, they developed the highest tractive effort of any Queensland loco, some 37 000 pounds.
Initially the Garratt’s were allocated to the Mayne steam locomotive depot in Brisbane. The locomotive crews however looked upon the new engines with mistrust. Queensland had been exposed to articulated locomotives during the Second World War when the Commonwealth Land Transport Board allocated the Australian Standard Garratt as part of the war effort. The ASG story was one of failure on the QGR although, as both the Queensland Railway Unions and Administration themselves opposed its introduction and operation for a variety of political reasons.
After their introduction problems were experienced in running the new engines on the South Eastern Division of QR.
The limitations of design saw the engines withdrawn from their intended western sphere of operations from Brisbane to Toowoomba. Engine crews had complained about overheating on the locomotives within the Victoria tunnel on the Little Liverpool Range near Grandchester. However the overall design of the locos and limitation of coal capacity, played a larger part in the eventual withdrawal of the Garratts from the Main Range workings.
After 1956 the Garratt engines gravitated to a new centre of operations centred on Rockhampton, and it was with Central Queensland that they became most associated . The Rockhampton engines had hauled the Sunshine Express, and Rockhampton Mail trains from 1950-53 between Bundaberg and Rockhampton. With the introduction of the Diesel- Electric engines and the new air-conditioned "Lander "trains, the engines were phased out from these workings. On the air-conditioned Midlander service introduced in 1954, Garratt’s acted as motive power from Rockhampton through to Emerald. With additional track strengthening the range of the engines was extended further to Capella on the Blair Athol branch, and to Bogantungan west of Emerald.
The Garratt locomotives were also operated outside of the Brisbane-Toowoomba- Gympie area. They operated between Bundaberg and Rockhampton, as well as on the Central Division through to Emerald. However by 1956, the limitations of the engines saw them withdrawn from operating south of Bundaberg. At this time 1952-4, the first Diesel- Electric locomotives were being introduced from the United States to operate the North Coast Line. The new form of motive power acted to revolutionise the train operations on the North Coast Line. For the work they were designed to do in the South Eastern division, the Garratt engines were unsuccessful.
The Garratt engines probably are best associated for railway crews with the early years of the cental Queensland export coal haulage. This traffic began in 1952 with the opening of the Mount Morgan deviation that by-passed the old rack railway between Mount Morgan and Rockhampton. In 1953 a branch was opened to the Callide valley open cut coal mine, and the first maximum load coal trains were operated on this line by the Garratt’s. They performed well on this work, and in 1957 loads were further increased with the introduction of heavier drawgear on coal hoppers.
In 1963 the first major coal export mine was opened at Moura on the Dawson valley line, by Thiess Peabody as part of its plans to develop a coking coal market with Japan. The Garratt locomotives were used on this traffic hauling train loads in excess of 700 tons. In 1964 the Dawson valley line was strengthened to take main line Diesel- Electric engines with a fifteen ton axle loads, and the Garratt’s were withdrawn from operations. Locomotives were stationed throughout various depots in central Queensland, and until 1967 worked various services from Emerald, Theodore, Mount Morgan and Rockhampton.
With the introduction of additional Diesel- Electric engines to the Central Division the Garratt era came to a close. The majority were written off by June 1968, and the final one in service was withdrawn in June 1969. 1009 being the first one in service, was to survive the extinction of this type of engine in Queensland. 1009 came south in July of 1965 to take part in the Queensland Railways centenary celebrations at Grandchester. 1009 hauled additional special trains until its withdrawal in 1968. It was then selected for inclusion in the Queensland Railways Redbank Locomotive Museum which opened in 1970. Franco-Belge locomotive 1096 was the last Garratt to operate in Queensland and hauled its final train in 1970.
From 1970, until its closure in 1992, 1009 remained in the Redbank Museum. However in July of 1993 the decision was taken to restore 1009 to operating condition for QR Heritage trains. 1009 left the Museum in August 1993. After a restoration effort by Queensland Rail at North Ipswich Workshops and the Redbank Workshops, Beyer-Garratt 1009 was officially recommissioned into the QR Heritage Fleet on 7 April 1995 at the North Ipswich Workshops.
Additional information from Greg Hallam, Historian with Queensland Rail.References (offline)Railway Workshops Museum website for more information
When placed in October 1947, the Beyer-Peacock works in Manchester were unable to complete the order for Queensland Railways, due to demands placed on its own works by labour and material supply problems. To cope with this situation Beyer-Peacock allowed some 20 of the engines to be constructed under licence to the Franco-Belge works, in Raimes, France. Beyer-Peacock proceeded with the construction of ten engines.
The first of the Beyer-Garratt engines arrived at Pinkenba wharves in Brisbane as deck cargo on board the “Peter Dal”. The engines were enormous by Queensland engine practice. The articulated machines, were typical products of the Manchester works. Four cylinders of 13 1/4 inches, a Belpaire firebox boiler with an operating pressure of 200lbs PSI powered a two unit locomotive. Two water tanks supplied the boiler with 3800 gallons of water. A coal bunker held 6 tons of coal. Total weight in service was 137 tons.
The locomotive units were assembled at Pinkenba wharf with spare parts packed into boxes. The engines were then towed separated by several wagons, to limit weight on the Indooroopilly bridge span, to Queensland Railway North Ipswich Workshops for fitting out. In their workshop grey and black they looked impressive machines. However to suit the light Queensland tracks several concessions had to be made in weight. This was to be a major problem for these engines after their introduction, and included a reduced coal capacity to save weight.
The first into service was 1009 works no. 7349 in September of 1950. This engine was displayed at the Central Queensland Industries Fair in Rockhampton, and Emerald. The Garratts in service were painted an attractive maroon and gold colour scheme. Although by Garratt standards the engines were small and lightly powered, they developed the highest tractive effort of any Queensland loco, some 37 000 pounds.
Initially the Garratt’s were allocated to the Mayne steam locomotive depot in Brisbane. The locomotive crews however looked upon the new engines with mistrust. Queensland had been exposed to articulated locomotives during the Second World War when the Commonwealth Land Transport Board allocated the Australian Standard Garratt as part of the war effort. The ASG story was one of failure on the QGR although, as both the Queensland Railway Unions and Administration themselves opposed its introduction and operation for a variety of political reasons.
After their introduction problems were experienced in running the new engines on the South Eastern Division of QR.
The limitations of design saw the engines withdrawn from their intended western sphere of operations from Brisbane to Toowoomba. Engine crews had complained about overheating on the locomotives within the Victoria tunnel on the Little Liverpool Range near Grandchester. However the overall design of the locos and limitation of coal capacity, played a larger part in the eventual withdrawal of the Garratts from the Main Range workings.
After 1956 the Garratt engines gravitated to a new centre of operations centred on Rockhampton, and it was with Central Queensland that they became most associated . The Rockhampton engines had hauled the Sunshine Express, and Rockhampton Mail trains from 1950-53 between Bundaberg and Rockhampton. With the introduction of the Diesel- Electric engines and the new air-conditioned "Lander "trains, the engines were phased out from these workings. On the air-conditioned Midlander service introduced in 1954, Garratt’s acted as motive power from Rockhampton through to Emerald. With additional track strengthening the range of the engines was extended further to Capella on the Blair Athol branch, and to Bogantungan west of Emerald.
The Garratt locomotives were also operated outside of the Brisbane-Toowoomba- Gympie area. They operated between Bundaberg and Rockhampton, as well as on the Central Division through to Emerald. However by 1956, the limitations of the engines saw them withdrawn from operating south of Bundaberg. At this time 1952-4, the first Diesel- Electric locomotives were being introduced from the United States to operate the North Coast Line. The new form of motive power acted to revolutionise the train operations on the North Coast Line. For the work they were designed to do in the South Eastern division, the Garratt engines were unsuccessful.
The Garratt engines probably are best associated for railway crews with the early years of the cental Queensland export coal haulage. This traffic began in 1952 with the opening of the Mount Morgan deviation that by-passed the old rack railway between Mount Morgan and Rockhampton. In 1953 a branch was opened to the Callide valley open cut coal mine, and the first maximum load coal trains were operated on this line by the Garratt’s. They performed well on this work, and in 1957 loads were further increased with the introduction of heavier drawgear on coal hoppers.
In 1963 the first major coal export mine was opened at Moura on the Dawson valley line, by Thiess Peabody as part of its plans to develop a coking coal market with Japan. The Garratt locomotives were used on this traffic hauling train loads in excess of 700 tons. In 1964 the Dawson valley line was strengthened to take main line Diesel- Electric engines with a fifteen ton axle loads, and the Garratt’s were withdrawn from operations. Locomotives were stationed throughout various depots in central Queensland, and until 1967 worked various services from Emerald, Theodore, Mount Morgan and Rockhampton.
With the introduction of additional Diesel- Electric engines to the Central Division the Garratt era came to a close. The majority were written off by June 1968, and the final one in service was withdrawn in June 1969. 1009 being the first one in service, was to survive the extinction of this type of engine in Queensland. 1009 came south in July of 1965 to take part in the Queensland Railways centenary celebrations at Grandchester. 1009 hauled additional special trains until its withdrawal in 1968. It was then selected for inclusion in the Queensland Railways Redbank Locomotive Museum which opened in 1970. Franco-Belge locomotive 1096 was the last Garratt to operate in Queensland and hauled its final train in 1970.
From 1970, until its closure in 1992, 1009 remained in the Redbank Museum. However in July of 1993 the decision was taken to restore 1009 to operating condition for QR Heritage trains. 1009 left the Museum in August 1993. After a restoration effort by Queensland Rail at North Ipswich Workshops and the Redbank Workshops, Beyer-Garratt 1009 was officially recommissioned into the QR Heritage Fleet on 7 April 1995 at the North Ipswich Workshops.
Additional information from Greg Hallam, Historian with Queensland Rail.References (offline)Railway Workshops Museum website for more information
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Buildings & StructuresIpswich Railway StationDefining Tulmur | IpswichDreaming of Tomorrow: Transport
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Beyer Garratt, 1009,locomotive at Ipswich Railway Station, Ipswich, 1965. Picture Ipswich, accessed 15/09/2026, https://www.pictureipswich.com.au/nodes/view/13520