Portfolio of Queensland Railways - Pictures from the 50's
and 60's.
Warwick from the lens of Kim Thurlow
A rear view of a BB18.1/4.
1076 was built at Walkers Limited, Marybrough, Queensland,
in 1955. On the tender is SWD, T standing for South Western Division,
Toowoomba, its home shed. Here she is drawn forward at Warwick
to take on water for the southbound run of the Sydney Express
through Stanthorpe to Wallangarra. This train designation was
#26 Up. The return passenger the following morning was 37 Down.
It is 3pm, and she'll be at journey's end by 6.
In an email to me, Mr Patrick Hodgson of Townsville, who is doing further
research on the Warwick-Wallangarra train turns and duties, says, "My
Father, Frank Hodgson spent 43 years on the Railway at Wallangarra. At the
time this photograph was taken, he was a Shunter-in-Charge. From his considerable
knowledge of train operations Frank could say on arrival at Wallangarra the
crew of Sydney Mail, No. 26Up, if they were from Warwick, would effect an
immediate turn around and return to Warwick with timetabled Train No. 253
(goods).
There were sleep over quarters in Wallangarra, and these would
have been used as required. I remember the long low building distinctly
on the western side of the yard, because it was heavily fly screened.
This and other western Queensland districts really needed protection
from these blighters - they buzzed around you incessantly, and
got in your eyes, nose and mouth.
