No.103 "Spirit of Baw Baw"

Henschel 25427 of 1956

 

This photo is kindly provided by Rob Ashworth and shows No.103 at Thompson on 6 November 2005. 

This locomotive was built by Henschel & Sohn of Kassel, Germany as their builder's number 25427 of 1956. a  It worked at Chonburi Sugar Mill, Thailand as No.103.  It is one of two sisters imported from Thailand for preservation (refer also to Henschel 29583 of 1956), and is apparently owned privately.

This interesting locomotive was built to the gauge of 750mm (i.e. 2ft 5.5in) whereas the Walhalla Goldfields Railway is 762mm (2ft 6in). It was extensively overhauled, regauged and rebuilt prior to performing trials on the WGR from July 2001.  Since then it has worked on the WGR from time to time, were it carries the name "Spirit of Baw Baw".  (The historic gold mining town of Walhalla is located in the Shire of Baw Baw.)  However the majority of WGR trains are run by diesel locomotives and I understand this may be because No.103 is not powerful enough to reliably haul the regular WGR service trains up the steep and curvaceous line from Thompson to Walhalla. b

This photo is also provided by Rob Ashworth and shows No.103 at Happy Creek station on the WGR during August 2004.

 

References

 

a 'Light Railways - Australia's Magazine of Industrial & Narrow Gauge Railways', Number 214, August 2010 (Page 21). Published by the Light Railway Research Society of Australia Inc.
b Personal observation or comment

 

Page updated:  26 December 2011

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