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Mossman Mill ‘Ivy’ Mandalong Valley Tramway |
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Newly restored Fowler ‘Ivy’ pictured at the Mandalong
Valley Tramway on 23 October 2024.
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Builder |
John
Fowler & Co, Leeds |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
15947 of 1922 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-4-2T + T |
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‘Ivy’ was
one of many Fowler steam locomotives supplied to the sugar mill railways of
Queensland. It worked at the Mossman Mill, north of Cairns where sugar cane
grows quickly in the tropical heat and humidity of Far North Queensland. I
understand Ivy had an unusual Tender & Tank configuration (T + T) at
Mossman Mill, with the tender presumably augmenting the limited fuel and
water capacity of the locomotive unit and thus significantly extending its
otherwise limited range. As of August 2004, Ivy was reported as being privately
owned at Wonga Beach (near Mossman), partially dismantled and available for
sale. (Alas the webmaster was unable to locate it during a visit to Wonga
Beach around this time.) Apparently it was subsequently sold to another
private individual and transported to a Newcastle / Hunter Valley, NSW
location. The little
that I know of ex-Mossman Mill loco Ivy is based on John Browning’s listing
of preserved sugar cane locomotives on the Light Railway Research Society of
Australia website, as referenced below. I would greatly appreciate the contribution of a photograph and any further
information for this locomotive, either when in service or when in private
ownership. Update: Ivy is now
resident at the Mandalong Valley Tramway, a private bush tramway on the NSW
Central Coast. Here it has been restored to service, culminating in a ‘Welcome
back Ivy’ steaming event on 12 November 2023 as highlighted in this YouTube item
from BelbinVideo which also provides an overview of the Mandalong Valley Tramway
locomotives and operations: “Welcome
back Ivy" Mandalong Valley Tramway, three locos in steam. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNQiKg5yBKo) |
References
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a |
Light
Railway Research Society of Australia Inc. Web site (retrieved
23 May 2016): 'Preserved
Australian Sugar Cane Locomotives' list by John Browning |
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b |
Email
received from Morgan / Mandalong Valley Tramway, dated
1/11/24 |
Page updated: 29 May 2025
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