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Driver in the cab of restored locomotive, engine No. 6, travelling from Swanbank to Racecourse, Ipswich, 1990
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TitleDriver in the cab of restored locomotive, engine No. 6, travelling from Swanbank to Racecourse, Ipswich, 1990Date Created1990
Location
City & StateIpswich, QueenslandGeo Coordinatesnot specified
Description
DescriptionA10 No. 6 was part of the second group of locomotives to be commissioned to operate the infant Southern and Western Railway of the Queensland Government Railway. The initial group of four locomotives were products of the Avonside Engine Co. in England. The second batch however were ordered from the Scottish firm of Neilson and Co were to be classified as the B Class. The B class contract originally called for four locomotives to be supplied, but this was subsequently increased with an additional nine engines.
No.6 was assembled at the first QGR workshops at North Ipswich. It was put into service in August of 1866. All early locomotives on the QGR were wood burners, and on the run from Ipswich used to take on wood at Walloon, Gatton and later at Murphy’s Creek for the range climb.
In 1896 No.6 was sold to the Gibson and Howes Sugar Co. for use on their 3’ 6’’ gauge sugar tramways, and eventually saw use at the Fairymead Sugar Mill near Bundaberg, as well as the Bingera Sugar Mill. The locomotive was used principally during the sugar season, and eventually found its home at the Wattawa plantation tramway, near Gin Gin, hauling cane traffic to the Mt. Perry branch of the Queensland Government Railway.During its long sojourn with Gibson and Howes it acquired a new running number as “Bingera No. 2”.
In 1965 the Centenary of Queensland Railways was to be celebrated, and it was here that another phase began in the remarkable career of this locomotive. Bingera No.2 was offered back to QR to take part in the Centenary celebrations at Grandchester on July 30 of that year. The locomotive in mid July 1965 made its way from Bingera Sugar Mill to Brisbane and Ipswich under steam. After its arrival the engine was repainted in a QR diesel blue colour scheme, and was also to be fitted with a Westinghouse pump enabling it to brake QR rollingstock.
After the Centenary celebrations A10 No.6 found itself exhibited at the 1965 RNA Exhibition, made an appearance at Elizabeth St. in Brisbane, and was then retained as a special excursions engine. Her last appearance on the mainline was in 1969, working a special excursion to Shorncliffe, in company with Beyer-Garratt 1096. On this trip it failed. The decision was taken to withdraw it from service for inclusion in the Queensland Railways Locomotive Museum at Redbank, opened in 1970.
In late October 1989 No.6 again left the Redbank Museum as part of an initiative to return it to service to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the opening of the first section of the QR. A volunteer group- consisting of members of the ARHS (Qld Division), as well as private individuals, oversaw the restoration and rebuilding of the locomotive. Members of the ARHS (Qld Division), Queensland Rail, private donors, and other outside bodies all contributed to the restoration effort.
On May 26 1991 A10 No.6 was recommissioned as a part of the QR Heritage Fleet at Roma St- during the 125th anniversary year of the Queensland Railways.
In June of 1991 No.6 in company with PB15 732 made its way north to Cairns to haul a steam hauled special on the Cairns- Kuranda railway to celebrate the centenary of its opening.It also featured in the 125th anniversary trip from Brisbane to Toowoomba in May 1992 to recognise the opening of the Main Range railway, a line it ran in its early years of operation.
Since 2002 it has featured as an on loan item to the Workshops Rail Museum, Ipswich, where it is on show with two other early carriages of QR.
Description provided by Greg Hallam, Historian with Queensland Rail.
No.6 was assembled at the first QGR workshops at North Ipswich. It was put into service in August of 1866. All early locomotives on the QGR were wood burners, and on the run from Ipswich used to take on wood at Walloon, Gatton and later at Murphy’s Creek for the range climb.
In 1896 No.6 was sold to the Gibson and Howes Sugar Co. for use on their 3’ 6’’ gauge sugar tramways, and eventually saw use at the Fairymead Sugar Mill near Bundaberg, as well as the Bingera Sugar Mill. The locomotive was used principally during the sugar season, and eventually found its home at the Wattawa plantation tramway, near Gin Gin, hauling cane traffic to the Mt. Perry branch of the Queensland Government Railway.During its long sojourn with Gibson and Howes it acquired a new running number as “Bingera No. 2”.
In 1965 the Centenary of Queensland Railways was to be celebrated, and it was here that another phase began in the remarkable career of this locomotive. Bingera No.2 was offered back to QR to take part in the Centenary celebrations at Grandchester on July 30 of that year. The locomotive in mid July 1965 made its way from Bingera Sugar Mill to Brisbane and Ipswich under steam. After its arrival the engine was repainted in a QR diesel blue colour scheme, and was also to be fitted with a Westinghouse pump enabling it to brake QR rollingstock.
After the Centenary celebrations A10 No.6 found itself exhibited at the 1965 RNA Exhibition, made an appearance at Elizabeth St. in Brisbane, and was then retained as a special excursions engine. Her last appearance on the mainline was in 1969, working a special excursion to Shorncliffe, in company with Beyer-Garratt 1096. On this trip it failed. The decision was taken to withdraw it from service for inclusion in the Queensland Railways Locomotive Museum at Redbank, opened in 1970.
In late October 1989 No.6 again left the Redbank Museum as part of an initiative to return it to service to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the opening of the first section of the QR. A volunteer group- consisting of members of the ARHS (Qld Division), as well as private individuals, oversaw the restoration and rebuilding of the locomotive. Members of the ARHS (Qld Division), Queensland Rail, private donors, and other outside bodies all contributed to the restoration effort.
On May 26 1991 A10 No.6 was recommissioned as a part of the QR Heritage Fleet at Roma St- during the 125th anniversary year of the Queensland Railways.
In June of 1991 No.6 in company with PB15 732 made its way north to Cairns to haul a steam hauled special on the Cairns- Kuranda railway to celebrate the centenary of its opening.It also featured in the 125th anniversary trip from Brisbane to Toowoomba in May 1992 to recognise the opening of the Main Range railway, a line it ran in its early years of operation.
Since 2002 it has featured as an on loan item to the Workshops Rail Museum, Ipswich, where it is on show with two other early carriages of QR.
Description provided by Greg Hallam, Historian with Queensland Rail.
Connections
Government & Non-Government OrganisationsNorth Ipswich Railway WorkshopsDefining Tulmur | IpswichExpanding Horizons: TourismTaxonomy20th Century | 1990s | 1990
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Reference IDqips-2009-09-18-0001Asset TypeImage - JpegImages, Maps and Artefacts (Trove mapping field)imageColour or Black & White ImageColourOrientationLandscapeGenreTransportIndustrialPhysical DescriptionPrintCopyright StatusIn CopyrightCopyright NoticeThis work was created after 1st January 1955. It is protected by the Copyright Act 1968. Copyright duration is for the life of the creator plus 70 years.
The creator retains ownership of the copyright of this work. The creator has granted Picture Ipswich a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use and reproduce this work.
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You CANNOT use this work for any other purpose (including redistribution on social media platforms) without seeking permission first.
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CopyrightPicture Ipswich Copyright Information
The creator retains ownership of the copyright of this work. The creator has granted Picture Ipswich a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use and reproduce this work.
Under the Fair Dealing exception of the Copyright Act 1968, you can use this work for research or study, criticism or review, and parody or satire. Moral rights remain and the work MUST be correctly attributed to its creator (photographer, studio, author, etc.) with acknowledgement of Picture Ipswich as the source of the work.
You CANNOT use this work for any other purpose (including redistribution on social media platforms) without seeking permission first.
For more information, or if you require a higher resolution copy of this work, please contact Picture Ipswich.
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Government & Non-Government OrganisationsDefining Tulmur | Ipswich
Copyright
This work is protected under the Copyright Act 1968
This work was created after 1st January 1955. It is protected by the Copyright Act 1968. Copyright duration is for the life of the creator plus 70 years.
The creator retains ownership of the copyright of this work. The creator has granted Picture Ipswich a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use and reproduce this work.
Under the Fair Dealing exception of the Copyright Act 1968, you can use this work for research or study, criticism or review, and parody or satire. Moral rights remain and the work MUST be correctly attributed to its creator (photographer, studio, author, etc.) with acknowledgement of Picture Ipswich as the source of the work.
You CANNOT use this work for any other purpose (including redistribution on social media platforms) without seeking permission first.
For more information, or if you require a higher resolution copy of this work, please contact Picture Ipswich.
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Driver in the cab of restored locomotive, engine No. 6, travelling from Swanbank to Racecourse, Ipswich, 1990. Picture Ipswich, accessed 28/10/2026, https://www.pictureipswich.com.au/nodes/view/2927