Queensland B18¼ class locomotive explained

Queensland Railways B18¼ class
Powertype:Steam
Builder:North Ipswich Railway Workshops (59)
Walkers Limited (24)
Builddate:1926-1947
Totalproduction:83
Whytetype:4-6-2
Driverdiameter:4feet
Locoweight:56.3LT
Tenderweight:36.9LT
Fueltype:Coal
Fuelcap:8LT
Watercap:3000impgal
Boilerpressure:1700NaN0
Firearea:25square feet
Tubearea:1511square feet (as built)
1478square feet (1935 reboilering)
1414square feet (1936 reboilering)
Totalsurface:1957square feet (as built)
1923square feet (1935 reboilering)
1859square feet (1936 reboilering)
Cylindercount:2 outside
Cylindersize:18.25x
Valvegear:Walschaerts
Maxspeed:50mph
Tractiveeffort:226481NaN1
Factorofadhesion:3.54
Operator:Queensland Railways
Fleetnumbers:16, 18, 28, 30, 40, 52, 84, 227-232, 768-771, 827-830, 841-852, 864-881, 887-916
Preservedunits:771
Disposition:1 preserved, 82 scrapped

The Queensland Railways B18¼ class locomotive was a class of 4-6-2 steam locomotives operated by the Queensland Railways.

History

The first batch of 17 B18¼ class locomotive were built by the North Ipswich Railway Workshops in 1926. Per Queensland Railway's classification system they were designated the B18 class, B representing they had three driving axles, and the 18 the cylinder diameter in inches.[1] [2] [3]

Further orders saw the class total 83 by 1947 with some built by Walkers Limited. The latter examples were fitted with modified boilers and improved cabs. The early examples were painted prussian blue with the boilers having a natural finish. The latter examples were painted black with red lining. In 1949 all were repainted green with red lining. From 1951 they began to be relegated following the delivery of the BB18¼ class. The first was withdrawn in March 1967, with the last removed from traffic in 1970.[1] [2] [3]

Preservation

Notes and References

  1. Book: Armstrong, John. Locomotives in the Tropics Volume 2. 1994. Australian Railway Historical Society. Brisbane. 9780909937263. 86–96.
  2. Book: Turner, Jim. Australian Steam Locomotives 1896-1958. 1997. Kangaroo Press. Kenthurst. 086417778X. 113.
  3. Book: Oberg, Leon. Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010. 2010. Rosenberg Publishing. Dural. 9781921719011. 196.