Thread: STEAM IN QUEENSLAND

Originally Posted by Pickles2

I have a story "sort of" related to Steam in Queensland.
As I've said, I use to live in Toowoomba in the sixties, actually I lived in Drayton, I remember well the BB 18 1/4, & also the maroon coloured Railmotors that used to pass through Drayton Station, which is now a Railway Museum.
Anyway, I've always had an interest in firearms, & in those days ( I would've been around 14 ) there was a company in Brisbane called "Direct Disposals", they sold army surplus, including .303 rifles, and they advertised same in the newspaper. You could buy a "good" .303 for six guineas, or an "as new" one for seven guineas. I decided to buy the later. So I sent off a money order.
A week or so later, I got a phone call from the Drayton Railway Station that there was a parcel there for me to pick up.
So I rode down to the station on my two wheeler "semi racer", to pick up this "very long, narrow" parcel, & I rode home with it across my handlebars!
When I got home, I opened the box & was dismayed to find the rifle all covered in a black "grease". But when I cleaned all this stuff off, I found that the rifle looked like it'd never been fired. The stock was unmarked, & where the bolt slid there was no sign of use. I was very happy.
Couldn't imagine doing the same thing today?!
Pickles.

Hell no mate, gun laws have changed dramatically since then you should see the bull**** to get a gun licence in Queensland these days.But at the end of the day if these measures keep guns out of the hands of nutjobs then it's probably not a bad thing.

Originally Posted by rangietragic

Bit of qld steam history.First loco built in qld was the MARY ANN,built by john walker and co,later walkers ltd,in maryborough.It ran in the cooloola forest near rainbow beach hauling logs to poverty point on tin can inlet,where they were rafted up and towed to a sawmill near maryborough.It cut its own sleepers and rails from hardwood.A very good replica runs every thursday at maryborough on market day.Walkers ltd also built many locos,inc bb18 1/4s,plus rolling stock for qld rail plus other states.The stoney creek bridge,plus others on the kuranda rail line was also built by them.To see the mary ann along side the tilt train,also built by walkers,is a real eye opener as to rail evolution.Oh,melsa runs miniature steam locos giving rides in queens park in maryborough every second sunday.Another must for steam buffs

The DVD showed Mary Ann with a belt driven saw running off her very cool. Townsville also has a miniature steam railway that used to run the 3rd Sunday of the month. The care and attention to detail is first class and the guys that run them just have a massive amount of passion and are more than happy to share the knowledge of steam.

I think i get more of a kick out of it than my kids do.The engine drivers did it very tough after cyclone Yasi,the reopening was very special and showed how much effort put in to get it all up and running again.