Brisbane Australia

Anyone know if there is any steam activity in the vicinity? Googling hasn't helped so far.

 

Googled "Steam trains in Brisbane":
http://www.arhs-qld.org.au/
http://www.queenslandrail.com.au/Community/Pages/SteamTrainSunday.aspx
http://www.southerndownssteamrailway.com.au/tours/index.php
http://www.qpsr.net/
http://www.arhs-qld.org.au/rosewood-railway-museum
There are others, a little further away from Brisbane, of course.

 

There is some OO live steam in my garden ;-)
Are you planning a trip over here?
The Workshops museum in Ipswich is always worth a visit although unlikely anything will be in steam.

 

I did imply I had already googled

 

Have family just moved there (eight mile plain) from Mackay...will be over in 2015 probably
Ipswich on the agenda now thanks.

 

When I lived over there briefly, I recall there was 'steam train sunday'. A short circular trip around Brisbane and the suburbs that ran a few round trips. This seemed to be once a month every month and it's not even 2 years since I lived there. I'd check that out.

 

Reviving an old thread, Mazza, I finally made it to Brisbane, staying in Balmoral for a couple of weeks. Ipswich on the agenda (Thomas the tank engine day but still....) where w oils be the best place to visit to see modern day operations? Locos preferably

 

Hi RG,

Welcome to my corner of the world. I will return serve by being in the UK in Sept/Oct.
The dual gauge freight only line to Fisherman's Island wharf is not too far away from you (runs through Morningside). The line to the North (Albion is your closest station to see all the traffic) and the line west through Ipswich to Toowoomba (Corinda probably closest station) are the other most likely spots to see loco hauled trains.
The locomotive workshops at Redbank (towards Ipswich) used to have a large number of stored locos outside, but I haven't been past it for a while. I know that some of them have been sold on.

For steam options you could try Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway
www.qpsr.net
Rosewood Railway Museum is operating on the last Sunday each month, although it looks like their steam loco is undergoing maintenance - the vintage railmotor is running though.
www.arhs-qld.org.au/rosewood-railway-museum

If you are still around on 2 July, there will be a Steam hauled train running around the network. Also a trip from Ipswich to Grandchester and return on 1 July. Tickets available through the Workshops museum at www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au/

I hope that you enjoy your visit.

Murray

 

Thx,family commitments allowing I'll try them. Gone before steam train Sunday unfortunately

 

It's been a while since I've lived in Brisy so my info is 5+ years out of date. You can't go wrong with what @Muzza recommends. The city is split in split in two by the river - Northside and Southside. There are two rail links across the river but mostly suburban services with some freight. Suburban services are all EMUs of a few types.

Yeerongpilly station might be a good shout for the Southside. You will get suburban traffic as well as freight workings from the Ipswich line as well as being dual gauge there too, so plenty of chances to see loco hauled freight trains going to the port (fisherman's island). The Brisbane to Sydney XPT goes through there too but you might have to get up early to catch that one.

Please, please do make sure you go the the ipswich workshops rail museum.

Southern Downs Steam Railway in my neck of the woods has a really good run from Warwick to Wallangarra on the 24th June. Looks like it is booked out but might be worth a phone call if you fancy a 1 1/2 hour car trip to get there....they have a C17 class - one of the more prolific classes used in steam days. Wallangarra is a very small town with an interesting station - it is on the QLD/NSW border and where all traffic had to transfer to change gauge.

Enjoy your stay

 

Ipswich top of list,thx for info

 

Managed Ipswich today after frustration at a car breakdown and sick child.what a facility! Photos soon, not home til Thursday and no pc available.

 

G'day RG. Glad you made it to Ipswich. Must have been a hell of a place back in its steam heyday. QR used to make an awful lot of their own rolling stock between Ipswich, Walkers in Maryborough, (4 hours north), and I believe no less than four other engineering firms in Brisbane. All gone now and everything is outsourced. The latest consignment is coming from Canada I think and that has turned into a debacle - naturally there has been a change of govt and everyone is blaming everyone else....bloody governments....

Got a sick child of my own and trying to make the best of school holidays. I hope you've enjoyed your time. There is steam working out of Roma St station this Sunday, (sold out), but looks like you will be gone.

 

Yeah bad timing

, leaving tomorrow night

 

Safe Travels. Hope you enjoyed your stay.

 

Ipswich loco works is a complete Works with pretty much everything intact and some bits still in use as far as I could tell. Not as big as Swindon or Derby I guess but probably comparable to Inchicore in Dublin. Went on the guided tour which I would have liked to have lasted longer but was fantastic. Excuse the "faces".

 

Did you happen to see the other 0-4-2 loco - Think it's No.3 - same type as No.6 - whilst you were touring the Museum?
When I first went to Australia in 1992, it lived in a covered "shed" in Queens Park, Ipswich along with a couple of coaches.


It was pesumably moved into the Museum when it opened as from what I could find on the internet it is described as "undergoing restoration" there.
I can't remember seeing it in the Museum when I went there in 2003 though....

 

i photographed all I saw even if the angles werent great. I'd say there were large areas not covered by the tour and the list on the net includes quite a few locos "stored".