Queensland C19 class locomotive
| Company type | Steam locomotive class |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway transport |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Headquarters | Queensland , Australia |
| Products | Steam locomotives |
The Queensland Railways C19 class locomotive comprised a series of 4-8-0 steam locomotives operated by Queensland Railways.
History
Developed as a superheated successor to the C18 class, the C19 class followed Queensland Railways' classification where "C" represented four driving axles and "19" denoted the cylinder diameter in inches.
Constructed between 1922 and 1928, with twenty units produced at the North Ipswich Railway Workshops and an additional six built by Walkers Limited in 1935, these locomotives operated on Queensland’s Main, Southern, North Coast, and Western lines, all known for their steep gradients.
Locomotive number 702, which entered service in December 1923, was christened Centenary to mark it as the hundredth engine manufactured by North Ipswich. Significant events include number 699 hauling a Royal train in 1927 carrying the Duchess of York, and number 700 transporting the Duke of Gloucester in 1934.
A key design change from 1926 onward replaced the two separate large domes for the regulator and safety valve with a single dome boiler; earlier models were subsequently upgraded to this standard. Both boiler configurations incorporated an elongated, narrow firebox grate that required considerable physical effort from firemen, impacting their operational favorability.
Although capable machines, the C19 class experienced problems such as frame cracking. As newer locomotives and diesel-electric units were introduced for heavy haulage tasks, these engines were increasingly relegated to lighter service roles. The majority were retired during the 1950s; however, three were temporarily returned to operation in the late 1950s to alleviate power shortages.
Following its withdrawal in 1956, number 800 was repurposed as a stationary steam plant at Maryborough. Several tenders from the C19 class remained at Ipswich and were temporarily attached to overhauled C17, B18¼, or BB18¼ class locomotives awaiting their own tenders.
The last C19 active in service was number 700 at Toowoomba, which was withdrawn in February 1964.
Preservation
One locomotive has been preserved:
- Number 700 at the Workshops Rail Museum