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Robbie Burns No.3 Originally for the Stannary Hills Tramway |
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No.3 Robbie Burns in storage at Woodford on 12 April 2003.
Some of the unusual features are evident, such as the curved framing above the
front pony truck and cylinders placed towards the mid-frame.
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Builder |
A. Borsig, |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
6345 of 1907 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
4-4-2T |
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No.3 ‘Robbie
Burns’ is a rare and unusual locomotive. It was built as a 4-4-2 tender
engine for the Stannary Hills Mining & Tramway Co. for use on their Stannary
Hills Tramway which linked tin mining operations and associated firewood
supply with the Queensland Government Railways at Boonmoo on the Mareeba to
Chillagoe line, inland from Cairns. To my knowledge it is the only locomotive
supplied to Australia by German manufacturer A. Borsig, and as originally
built featured a rather unusual look owing to its cylinders being placed
towards the mid-frame and distinctive front pony truck. It worked alongside more
conventional British locomotives on the Stannary Hills Tramway, becoming the
last loco to work there when used to dismantle the line in 1940. The Borsig
loco was then stored at Boonmoo until purchased by the Cattle Creek Mill in
1942. Its new owners converted the loco to a tank configuration (4-4-2T) and
it worked in sugar cane haulage until withdrawn from service in 1962. After 10
years stored at Cattle Creek Mill, No.3 was donated to the Australian Narrow
Gauge Railway Museum Society (ANGRMS) in 1972. The loco was relocated to
their Woodford site in 1983, where it remains in open storage. ANGRMS have
recently completed construction of a large loco running shed, and hopefully
No.3 Robbie Burns may be moved undercover. The ANGRMS website includes an
information page for No.
3 ‘Robbie Burns’ including some technical data. A search
on the web found this site containing some photos of the unusual Borsig locomotive as originally
built. Although
No.3 ‘Robbie Burns’ has been slowly deteriorating in open storage since 1962
and has been modified from its original tender configuration, it remains an
interesting & unusual locomotive with a history that speaks of the early
mining and development of the Atherton Tableland and Cairns hinterland.
Perhaps one day it will be restored for display as a significant artefact in
a Cairns or Atherton Tableland regional museum. In the meantime, ANGRMS
deserve thanks for saving this locomotive and hence creating the option of
future restoration and display. |
References
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a |
Light
Railway Research Society of Australia Inc. Web site 'Preserved
Australian Sugar Cane Locomotives' list by John
Browning (www.lrrsa.org.au/LRR_SGRc.htm) |
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b |
Wikipedia
page for August
Borsig, retrieved
30 March 2018. |
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c |
Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum (ANGRMS) Website, Page for No.3
Robbie Burns, retrieved 30 March 2018. |
Page updated: 17 March 2021
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Government Railways: |
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