802 a C17 class operating on the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
The Queensland Railways C17 class locomotives was a class of 4-8-0 steam locomotives operated by the Queensland Railways. They were built between 1920–1953 by the North Ipswich Railway Workshops, Armstrong Whitworth, Clyde Engineering, Walkers Limited, and Evans, Anderson, Phelan & Co for the Queensland Railways of Queensland, Australia.
The design was so successful that 227 locomotives were built from 1920 when the first engine N° 15 entering service through until 1953 when N° 1000 was delivered.
They were used to haul Mail trains on lines could not accommodate heavier B18¼ class, also suburban passenger, mixed, goods and branch line trains.
Prior to the introduction of 60 long tons (67 short tons; 61 t) diesel electric locomotives, they were responsible for hauling the air-conditioned Inlander, Midlander and Westlander trains for parts of their respective journeys.
A number of modifications were carried out over their life including the fitting of large mushroom air snifting valves.
25 have been preserved.
Preservation Engines[]
- 2 at the North Ipswich Railway Workshops.
- 45 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
- 251 plinthed in Townsville.
- 253 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
- 705 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
- 719 plinthed in Jandowae[10]
- 720 at the Australian Railway Historical Society.
- 761 plinthed in Mitchell.
- 763 at the Australian Railway Historical Society.
- 802 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
- 809 plinthed in Injune.
- 812 at the Southern Downs Steam Railway.
- 819 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
- 824 at Injune.
- 934 at the Zig Zag Railway.
- 935 at the Australian Railway Historical Society.
- 944 at the Miles Historical Village and Museum.
- 965 plinthed in Mundubbera.
- 966 at the Zig Zag Railway.
- 967 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway.
- 971 at the Southern Downs Steam Railway.
- 974 at the Queensland Rail Heritage Division.
- 980 by the Blackwater Lions Club.
- 988 at Archer Park Station & Steam Tram Museum, Rockhampton.
- 996 at the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway.
- 1000 Queensland Rail Heritage Division.
Trivia[]
- The first engines had large steam domes, open cabs and C16 style tenders.
- The Commonwealth Railways NM class were the same design of this class.
- Until 1948 they were the heaviest engines that could work north of Mackay.
- On May 5, 1947, C17 class locomotive 824 left the rails near Camp Mountain on the Dayboro line claiming the lives of 16 people and 38 injured.
- Weighing in at just over 80 tonnes and with eight driving wheels, the C17 class became the mainstay of the Queensland Railways steam fleet.