QUEENSLAND STEAM SELECTION

摘要

2009 marked the 150th Anniversary of Queensland becoming independent from New South Wales. As part of the Anniversary Celebrations, a series of special trains were run, with marketing particularly targeted at locals rather than enthusiasts. The trip illustrated on this page (and on the front cover) ran from Townsville to Mount lsa behind BB18(1/4) 4-6-2 No. 1089 of 1958. This 3ft 6in gauge locomotive was the last to be built and enter service in Australiia. There were 55 members of class BB18(1/4), the first 35 were built by Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, and the last 20 at the Maryborough, Queensland works of Walkers Ltd, where No. 1089 was completed to Works No. 577. It was withdrawn from service in June 1969 and placed on static display at the Redbank Railway Museum from 1970 to 1992 before being returned to steam, making its first test run on 12th December 2001.