Pioneer

Ex-Pioneer Mill, Brandon

 

This historical view of Pioneer outside the loco shed at Pioneer Mill is from the collection of Mark Bennett; date unknown.

 

Builder

Hunslet Engine Company,
Leeds, England

Builder’s Number & Year

624 of 1896

Wheel Arrangement

0-4-2T

 

This locomotive worked at the Pioneer Mill, Brandon (near Ayr) where it was known eponymously as ‘Pioneer’. While most Queensland cane haulage railways were built to 2’ gauge, the Pioneer Mill railway system was one of a few built to 3’ 6” gauge, in common with the Queensland Government Railways.

‘Pioneer’ was privately preserved at Ayr for several decades, and hence largely out-of-sight to most enthusiasts.

Light Railways magazine of December 2017 (Number 258) provided a news update and photograph for this locomotive. It has recently been acquired by the Burdekin Machine Preservationists group, who are statically restoring Pioneer for display at their Brandon Heritage Precinct museum. The accompanying photo showed Pioneer under repair and static restoration at the Brandon Heritage Precinct, wearing an attractive green livery with red running boards.

I would appreciate the contribution of recent photographs of this locomotive for addition to this page.

References

a

'Light Railways - Australia's Magazine of Industrial & Narrow Gauge Railways', Number 258, December 2017, published by Light Railway Research Society of Australia Inc.
Photo and news item on page 37.

b

Light Railway Research Society of Australia Inc. Web site
(retrieved 10 March 2018):

'Preserved Australian Sugar Cane Locomotives' list
by John Browning (www.lrrsa.org.au/LRR_SGRc.htm)

c

Wikipedia page for Hunslet Engine Company ,
retrieved 10 March 2018

Page updated: 24 March 2018

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