Q150 Steam Train
Welcomed like a rock-star around the State, the Q150 Steam Train brought joy to thousands of Queenslanders both young and old.
It made its way around the State during a five-month journey venturing north, south, east and west.
Thousands of people in local communities across the State turned out to welcome the Q150 Steam Train. They celebrated Queensland's 150th anniversary in a way that is meaningful to them. Even in Cloncurry, a couple of local lads decided to hold up the train in true bushranger style!
Over five months from April to August, the Q150 Steam Train - presented by Santos and the University of Queensland:
- travelled more than 11,000 kilometres
- stayed one or more nights in 27 towns or cities
- made passenger stops and/or participated in ceremonies in 73 towns or cities
- made 61 short local trips in 21 towns or cities
- carried approximately 20,000 passengers.
View the Q150 Steam Train's five month itinerary 2009.
Watch Q150 Steam Train video highlights.
View the Q150 Steam Train photo gallery.
Watch news coverage of the Q150 Steam Train.
Fast facts about steam trains in Queensland
- The first steam locomotives were put into service in 1865 in Queensland. The first four locomotives were all given names that reflected the importance of the role they would play in opening the fist section of railway. They were named “Lady Bowen”, after the wife of the then Governor of Queensland, “Faugh-a-Ballagh”, as a tribute to the first Governor of Queensland Sir George Bowen, (or perhaps because of the large number of Irish who helped build the railway), “Premier”, and “Pioneer”.
- Queensland Railways (QR Limited) has in its heritage fleet, one of the first steam locomotives to enter service in Queensland, (which is now one of the oldest able to operate in the world). It also has also has in operation the last mainline steam locomotive built in Australia (BB181/4 1089 - built at Walkers Ltd, Maryborough, in 1958).
- The biggest steam locomotive used in Queensland was the Beyer-Garratt. It weighed 137 tonnes.
- Steam locomotives used to be delivered along Brisbane streets in the 1920s. Evans, Anderson and Phelan, a company at Kangaroo Point, South Brisbane, used to deliver steam locomotives to the Woolloongabba railway yards via Main Street, on prefabricated tracks. The locomotives were moved under their own steam.
- From 1865 until 1969, Queensland Railways had a total of 1311 steam locomotives put into service. Of these, 908 were built in Queensland.
Find out more information about the history of trains in Queensland
Last reviewed 4 November 2009
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