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1307 Yass Railway Museum |
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1307 basks in the morning sun at the Yass Railway Museum on
11 June 2025.
It carries a fresh coat of lined black livery
and presents a wonderful contrast to its rust-streaked condition during earlier
years of storage.
Steps and a platform also allow visitors
to safely access the cab – a nice touch!
A few items are missing and hopefully can
one day be refitted, such as the connecting rods, smokebox door ‘dart’ handle,
headlight and marker lights.
1307 is fitted with a rather stout chimney
– from memory it is marked ‘D 50’ from a 2-8-0 standard good engine – rather than
the taller original.
Some lift damage can be seen under the side tanks;
presumably evidence of poorly placed chains by a crane crew.
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Builder |
Beyer
Peacock & Co, Manchester |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
1637 of 1877 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
4-4-2T (originally 4-4-0) |
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No. in class |
20 |
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Built by
the famous Manchester company Beyer Peacock & Co as early as 1877, this
locomotive began its career as 4-4-0 tender engine C 92 of the C(79) class
for express passenger and mail train duties. Following
the introduction of the P(6) class 4-6-0 locomotives in 1892, some of the
smaller C(79) class locomotives became surplus. Accordingly, between 1896 and
1902 twenty members were converted to 4-4-2T configuration for Sydney
suburban passenger duties. The first locomotive converted was class leader C
79, and hence the 4-4-2T locomotives became known as the CC(79) class (later
Z13 class), while the remaining 4-4-0 tender locomotives became the C(80)
class (later Z12 class). The CC(79)
class tank locomotives were again displaced from suburban passenger duties
following the introduction of the more powerful S(636) class 4-6-4T
locomotives from 1903. Members of the CC(79) class found further employment
on various branch line duties including the Yass Tramway and the
Picton-Mittagong Loop Line, while others were used as shunters. 1307
almost lasted to the very end of NSWGR steam, being withdrawn from shunting
service at Clyde in 1972 after a working life of over 94 years. 1307 was
stored at Enfield and later added to the NSW Rail Transport Museum (NSWRTM)
collection. 1307 was relocated to Thirlmere in 1975 together with other
NSWRTM exhibits, but in 1983 was shunted onto the newly built storage sidings
where it remained out of public view. Unfortunately, it became increasingly
rusted and derelict through these years of open storage, and some parts were
removed in the mid-1980's to further the planned restoration of sister 1308. In 1999,
1307 was removed from the NSWRTM storage sidings and road transported to Yass
Railway Museum, where it was repainted and cosmetically restored for display
at the former Yass railway station. By 2010 a further, more comprehensive
restoration effort was in progress. 1307 is a very appropriate exhibit at the
Yass Railway Museum because it had worked on the Yass Tramway from time to
time between 1910 and the 1950's. Ron Preston's
wonderful book ‘Tender into Tank’ includes many photographs and historical
details of the Z13 class locomotives and their operations, including the Yass
Tramway. UPDATE: The
webmaster drove through Yass on 11 June 2025 and dropped by the Yass Railway
Museum. Alas the museum wasn’t open, but 1307 can easily be seen from the
station carpark and I took an ‘over the fence’ photo, as reproduced above. 1307
is clearly being well looked after by the Yass Railway Museum volunteers, and
it was encouraging to compare its fine display condition today with the rust-streaked
dereliction of its years of storage during the 1980’. A few items such as the
connecting rods, door dart, front and read headlights and marker lights
remain missing; hopefully replacement items can refitted one day. |
This view dated 31 July 2010 shows 1307 undergoing cosmetic
restoration whilst displayed at Yass station.
The wooden cab roof is in process of
being renewed and the chimney has been weatherproofed to prevent water entering
the smokebox.
Red lining and other markings were yet to be reapplied.
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This second photo dated 31 July 2010 shows a rear view of
1307 at Yass station. Bent platework beneath the cab and side
tank attest to a poor crane lift at some stage. Hopefully the missing connecting rods can be located and refitted at some stage. |
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An earlier scanned photo view of 1307 displayed at Yass
station during October 2002.
This rather poor scanned photo shows derelict 1307
lurking in the shadows of the NSWRTM storage sidings during 1990. A huge dent in the steam done is
evident – since repaired - and the headlight plinth remained although the
headlight itself was long gone. In the foreground is Tender 318 (now at Dorrigo for 2414), and immediately behind is 1076 which is now restored at Goulburn.
My thanks to John Hurst for this view of 1307 in storage
at Enfield, circa 1973. The connecting and side rods were
removed by this stage. Front and rear headlights were still
fitted, together with the marker lights. The chimney is visibly taller and more
slender. |
References
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a |
‘Locomotives
of Australia’ by Leon Oberg, published
by J. W. Books Pty Ltd, 1982 reprint. |
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b |
‘A
Compendium of New South Wales Steam Locomotives’ compiled by Alex Grunbach, published
by the Australian Railway Historical
Society, New South Wales Division, 1989. pp.41
& 136 |
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c |
‘Steam
Locomotive Data’ July 1974 edition, compiled by J. H. Forsyth for the Public
Transport Commission of NSW. |
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d |
‘Roundhouse’
magazine published by the NSWRTM, Volume XIII No.2 of July 1976, article
‘Museum on the Move’ pp.17. |
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e |
‘Tender
Into Tank’ by R. G. Preston. Revised, enlarged &
republished by New
South Wales Rail Transport Museum, 1984. |
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f |
Webmaster's observation or comment |
Page updated: 24 March 2026
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