No.2 Skipper

Ex-Qunaba Mill, Bundaberg

 

No. 2 Skipper displayed on dual-gauge track (2’ and 3’ 6” gauge) at the entrance to the National Railway Museum, Adelaide on 24 September 2005.

Builder

Perry Engineering Co. Ltd,

Mile End, Adelaide

Builder’s Number & Year

1850.46.1 of 1946

Wheel Arrangement

0-6-2T

 

This handsome loco is one of 19 steam engines built for various Australian sugar mills by Adelaide company Perry Engineering Co. Ltd. Perry also built many larger locomotives for various Australian state government railways and civil engineering / construction projects. The Perry-built cane locos have fared well in preservation, with 16 surviving examples listed on this site.

No.2 ‘Skipper’ was originally supplied to Millaquin Mill, Bundaberg, later transferring to the nearby Qunaba Mill. It remained in traffic until as late as 1980.

In 1981, No.2 Skipper returned to South Australia for display at the ARHS’ former Mile End Railway Museum, in recognition of the local connection to Adelaide builder Perry Engineering Co. Ltd (which was across the road from the Mile End museum site). Together with other exhibits, No.2 Skipper was transferred to the new Port Dock Station Museum site in 1988. Here it was statically displayed loaded onto a flatcar within the 'goods shed' portion of the museum site.

No.2 Skipper was statically restored at the Port Dock Station Museum (now known as the National Railway Museum) in 2003 and today can be found on display at the museum entrance.

The Queensland Rail Heritage website also includes a page for Skipper with some additional technical information.

No.2 'Skipper' double-heading with No.3 'Flash' at Qunaba Mill in 1976 as they work hard uphill with a load of sugar cane.

The driver on Skipper was Dennis Eadey and the driver on Flash was (Blue) Ray Gilbert.

This photo was kindly provided by Ross Driver, also a member of the mill locomotive staff.

References

a

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

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

b

Wikipedia page for Perry Engineering Co Ltd,
retrieved 10 July 2018

c

Information provided by Ross Driver

via email dated 28 January 2005.

Page updated: 10 July 2018

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