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Blue Circle Southern Cement No. 5 Andrew Barclay Sons & Co B/n 1470 of 1916 |
This photo shows two of No.5's wheelsets in storage at Wodonga on 7 August 2010.
These wheels retain the light green livery which was apparently a feature of this locomotive during its working days at the Portland cement works.
This locomotive was No.5 in the fleet of Blue Circle Southern Cement at their works at Portland, NSW. (a) Here it shuttled over a short but steep branch line connecting the cement works to the NSWGR line at Portland station. Unfortunately I never saw this operation however enthusiasts have told me that No.5 wore an attractive green livery and would be worked quite hard to climb the grade up to the cement works.
The steam locomotive fleet at Portland was retired around 1983 and No.5 (together with No.3 and 2605) became available to preservation groups. I believe that No.5 had been stopped for overhaul and was sitting outside the engine shed at Portland, raised off its wheels for overhaul of the axle boxes, motion etc. No.5 may have also have received a new boiler. No.5 was acquired (still partially dismantled) in approximately 1986 for the Tallangatta Railway Society for their proposed tourist railway at Tallangatta, Victoria, where it was planned to be regauged to 5' 3" for operation on a restored portion of the Victorian Railways Cudgewa branch. Unfortunately these plans did not come to fruition and the rails of this scenic branch line were subsequently lifted. (b)
Newsgroup posts stated this locomotive was stored at Wodonga in late 1990's, still sitting on its frame & without wheels, however it subsequently moved and its location not been reported for many years. I finally found evidence of this locomotive in Wodonga on 7 August 2010 when two wheelsets were spotted in a storage compound; while photographing the wheels I was approached by son of the locomotive's owner, who advised it is now stored on a rural property outside of Wodonga (together with the third wheelset, motion, brake rigging etc). I was advised this locomotive is likely to be auctioned in coming months. (b)
UPDATE: Railway Digest magazine of October 2010 (c) included a notice that this locomotive would be auctioned on 16 October 2010. Newsgroup reports after the auction suggest that No.5 was purchased by the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum; presumably it will be transported to Dorrigo to join the collection there. (b)
References
| a | Griffiths, D. 'BHP Locomotives', Railmac Publications, 1982. |
| b | Personal comment or observation. |
| c | Railway Digest, October 2010 (Volume 48, Number 10), published by the Australian Railway Historical Society NSW Division. Page 18. |
Page updated: 12 November 2010
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