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Polly Collie Tourist Information Office |
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A side view of rail mounted traction engine ‘Polly’ plinthed
at Collie. Photo dated 1970.
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=11711
(Image reference T03102, original
photographer – R. Moss)
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Builder |
Aveling & Porter |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
? |
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Wheel Arrangement |
2-2-0 |
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‘Polly’
is an interesting hybrid locomotive, comprising an Aveling & Porter
traction engine which has been modified for rail use with a resulting 2-2-0
wheel configuration. I understand the driving wheelset was originally sourced
from a redundant WAGR R-class 4-4-0 express passenger locomotive (or perhaps
just the tyres) – although the pattern of spokes is unlike railway practice.
Apparently it was operated by the Buckingham Brothers at a sawmill in the
forested south-west of Western Australia. Today
Polly can be found plinthed outside the Collie Tourist Information Office. Photos
show it has been plinthed here since at least 1964. The
little I know about this machine comes from the Railmac Publication
referenced below, and further information is welcome! Maybe a traction engine
buff can provide more information about this Aveling & Porter traction
engine, including the builder’s no. & date. A second
traction engine converted to rail usage also survives in WA: the attractively
named ‘Snorting Liz’ preserved
at the Manjimup Timber Museum. |
Buckingham Brothers traction engine converted to a railway usage
and named ‘Polly’. Photo date unknown.
This is a wonderful action shot, with the
young driver smirking for the camera while his colleagues take a more serious
tone.
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=15988
(Image reference P02217, original photographer – Unknown E.
Woodland collection)
Buckingham Brothers loco ‘Polly’ at Buckingham's Mill.
Photo date unknown.
This view reveals the OH&S nightmare
of the various spinning flywheels and gearwheels; the loco must have been very
dangerous to operate.
The wooden boiler lagging appears to be either
burned or rotten underneath the cylinder housing.
Image used with permission of the Rail
Heritage WA archive:
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=5591
(Image reference P08982, original photographer – Unknown)
This night photo is
kindly provided by Malcolm Cluett and shows Polly plinthed outside the Collie
Tourist Information Office in September 2008.
It seems the old
stovepipe chimney had succumbed to age by this time.
References
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a |
'Western
Australian Preserved Locomotives' published 1983 by Railmac
Publications, Elizabeth SA. Compiled
by D. Whiteford, C. De Bruin, L. Watson & N. Watson. |
Page updated: 28 July 2026
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Government Railways: |
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Private & Industrial Railways: |
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