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HALF-CENTURY RAILWAY.Jl'SWICH TO UK, CAM V.FROM 35J TO 0040 MILKS.(By Red Hum.)Monday. July 31, 1865—uvaily 17 months aflar the Or«l lurf of the railway bad been rut. February 35. IBM— waa a particularly auspicious day for Ipawlch residents, inasmuch as II was lbs Brat occaalon. under auch exciting circumstances, tlmt an Iron horae bad aped icron Iho newly-erected Brainar Bridge, looking down with triumphant acorn nt the primitive contrivance of a by-pnet ago—Robert Jeffray a pontoon ferry!Th# 69th annlvaraary of the flrat •action of thn Queensland railway la coincident with the ralobration of tho centenary of the Nri#l.tue River, die-covered by the lato Uout. John Ox-ay.Taking both celebration# a» they coma, wondertut progress baa bean mud* both in the Brisbane and lira-mer Rlrara. but I am conflnlng my remarks to the railway anniversary, particularly Hie Incident* connected with the early commencement of th Southern and Western Railway. The turning of the Initial aod of railway toll fa wall rcmemberr-d, following which historical function waa the In-tenae excitement which prevailed In connection with the construction of (ha railway lino from North Ipawlch onwarde. via Mlhl Cully. Ironpot Creak, eventually cutting acroaa the black noil country to follow th# direction of the old Toowoomba road about two mtlea below Walloon. Ab a matter of fact. It wo* the original Intention to run the Southern and Western railway with the terminus on the North aide.The contractor a were Ueaars. Peto. Bravery, and Bette, an English firm of railway contractor*, their engineer having bean Mr. Samuel Wilcox. The •ub-contraotor had meet to do with the construction of the Brat 31 rollea and half of iba permanent line from Ipawlch to Blgge’e camp. The Black Ball line of eaiilng veasela woa engaged by the Queensland Government Agent, Blr Charloe Fox. C-E-. • th* old country, to bring all the material and the employees to Brlehane. and Chance to Ipawlch. When It la eon-eldered that, until th* completion of the extension of th# Une from Ipawlch to Brisbane, every particle of railway material uaed In Ita construction came by water from the sldea of the oversea vessels to the Ipewlcli wharves. It will be acknowledged that the waterway between Brisbane end Ipswich presented a continually animated appearance.Everything *«.omed fo progress 11 by magic. Tha flret batch of skilled mechanics arrived In Brisbane by the Black Ball liner. Fiery Star (Captain H. Yule), on November 21. 1184. Thle veaael waa burnt to Iho water** odga during the homeward Journey In 186S, while loaded with wool. The mechanic# who were passenger# by the fiery Star on the outward Journey were —Mr. J. W. Bedford, locomotive foreman; engine fitter#. Messrs- Henry Horn (blow, James Wriggles, and John Parrymnn: locomotive drivers, Messrs. Robert Lawson and John Smith; turner. Mr. Jomea Blythe: carriageforeman. Mr. Thomas Braid; carriage builder. Mr. Richard Dawson; bridge bulldcra. Messrs. Rlchuru Harris und W. E. Batchelor; blackemlch. Mr. James Suett. The date of their engagement waa from July. 1864. Th frames and all connectloni of tho Oral four locomotive* Imported Into Queensland (built. In th** first Instance, by the Avondulv Engine Company, of Bristol), were landed, aft wa* also tha woodw ork for ihlt;- can lager and the trucks (supplied Messrs. Ashbury and Co., Manchester), It wan estimated tliat 4000 Immigrants were landed In 1865. The bridge material nml the body work for the original railway terminal station (a really fine structure. indeed) were likewise coming acroH the water In vary quick time. Therv wne the railway briilr. (till la existence, known now ■* the vehicular and fool traffic connecting link of th* South with th# North shore). In nddl-to which there were th WidetlonGully bridge (263ft. In length nppo-elte Woodond). the Mlhl Creek brblge (3«5ft.). and the Iron Pot c reek bridge (400ft.) These viaducts were nu'ckly swung into position. The Int.- Mr. It. T. Darker, who lind come over from Now Ze.'lnnd after arrlrnl from England, was nrpoimed hy Mr. Abraham Fllxglbbon (In* Chl»f Engineer. In September of l8«t Mr. Parker having been a qualified engine fttlcr. Mr. Qsorgs Fvuna, a retired locomotive engineer, after hie arrival In this Colony on Juno Id. |84». woe employed by tho Chief Engineer to look after tho construction of Burner Bridge. the foreman of which structure was Mr. A. F- T-uya. The araction of the terminal elation In Ellenborough-elrcet wav un.hr ihlt;* superintendence tf Mr. H. Ritmtu. The oldest ex-employee of the railway service, who la atm wl'h U. I* Mr. George Kvnna. f Canning-atroot. The permanent any and excavations were In charge of Mr. Jl.r. Ollllvor, and one of (he chief aw n In rjmrge of tho horaea la still In the land of (he living, namely. Mr. Thontae SUldona. who roaUIca lt;*n the north ah'-e. but he U totally blind, the result of an accident ou the Calms railway comlru.r-llon during December 18*1.8o aa to have tliv Diet section of the Queensland railway op* n for traffic on August*!. 1*85. the construe-tlonal work of every department under Mr. Samuel Wilcox, Mcasi-a. l'eto. Braaaey, and Bella* repreaentutlvc. waa kept a: 'full atenra ahond.” Between Ipawlch an0 lllgge's Comp (Grund-rhealor). thousands of men wore employed. and the four locomotives were fired by bllltta of wood, which con-llnued for a couple of yenra subsr-ijucntly. A steam fire-wood mill was kopt very bu*y. Mr. Slavs Welsh, ■enr- had charge of this department at Norln Ipswich.The railway bridge wav •uffl'i* nlly completed te allow of trains paaalng ovor to the terminal edition, In El-lenltormigli-street, on.) Mr, Bumu«i Wllrox. on behalf of the contractors. Issued 600 Invitations to ho present at a dejeuner, te t*. huld at the termination of the first section—ut Uiggr'sCamp. Sir George and Lady Bowen drovs up from Brisbane.This morning. 09 years ago the ler-mlnal station at Ipawlch. 1n ttllen-borough-street. was decorated with bunting and foliage, and Iho engines were similarly adorned The V.ce-Regal party enjoyed their Initial ride on the flrat railway In a specially lltted up Bnd moat ornamental carriage. tho artistic palntinK being carried out by Mr. Henry Hadley.Four train* were run ncros* tli? Bremer nrldgo through Xmli Ipawlch (on the »Hc of the present rail-uav workshops! via Mlhl Crack across Hungry Flat (RrnMul:) to Iron I’ot Creek, and theme tho blnrk ao.l Hut In the direction of the old Toowoomba-road. Il.gge's Camp waa safely reached by each of the four trains, and much cnlhusiusm prevail* ed. Tho trains were In the onlcr of their arrival n* follow:—Premier. No. J: William Brown, engine mart; Henry llolmea, (Iranian; W. Novers-n, guard. Faugh-a-bftllugh. No. 3: J. Kenan, englneman: J. Hough. nre-m*n; (Jeo. K. Moore, guard. Lady Bowen. No. 4: John Smith, rnglne-mnn; C. J. W'hltehouse, flreman; J. Bailey, guard. Pioneer No. J; Robert Lawaon, englnetuan; filephen Welch, fireman; Geo. llobtnaon. guard,The chair wan occupied hy the Hon Arthur Macallster. Minister for lutndi. and Work*, who waa alyled The King of Ipawlch.” Tli# newly-appointed Locomotive Superintendent (Mr. J. F. L. Jotter. B.A.) waa well received.* There la no comparison with the rolling atotk and permanent way of 50 year ego. Miles box*' open total 0040; under construe!Ion. 571 miles; authorised. 10*5 miles: private railways, 131 miles. The flrat time-table for railway traffic from Ipswich to Bljrge'a Camp Was Issued on August I. 1*65. and the railway traffic officials were Mr. John Kennedy, traffic manager; Mr. John 8corra, atntlon_mn»-tsr at the Ipawlch terminus; Mr. John Strnndrln. atn!lon-master at Walloon; and Mr. William Henry Norris, at lilgge'a Camp.Thua for 10 years the Ipswhh-Toowoomba tralna ran oxer the old rail • way bridge acroaa the flat at North Ipawlch. via Mlhl and Iron Pot Creeks Th# deviation, via Sadller’e Crossing, waa opened on April 7. 1875. For a couple of year* the whole of the flat now comprlalng the Ipawlch railway workshops was used aa the Ipewlcb firing range*For 11 year# Ipawlch was the railway terminus, when there was a regular fleet of etenmera running between Ipawlch and Brisbane, but an July 5, 1818. the ceremony of opening the through traffic between Ipawlch and Brisbane put an end to the river traffic for many yenra.Wo can now travel by rail from Ipawlch to Townsville, and It le expected Cairns will be reached by Christmas.
Newspaper Details
Ipswich Queensland Times
Ipswich, Queensland, AU
Sat, Aug 02, 1924
Page 13
Full Page
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Anonymous
AU 29 Jan 2022
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