VR 2'6" NG (Puffing Billy).
There are many Baldwin narrow gauge locomotives which came to Australia. Not the first but probably the most noteable were the NA's which successors now operate on what is known as the Puffing Billy line.
1A and 2A were delivered in 1898 from BLW and were 2' 6" gauge side tank prairie outside frame locomotives. 1A was simple expansion and 2A was Vauclain compound. Spares were also delivered and these were later built into 3A and 4A as simple and compound. 3A is the only survivor but is in storage and has been ratted for parts.
The following photo's were taken 1904 or a bit later as this is when the NAS numbering scheme was introduced. I cannot find the builders pics in my mess.
NA1
NA2 note the compound cylinders.
Mt. Lyall Tasmania.
The Mt. Lyall company ran a 3'6" gauge line from Queenstown where the copper mine was located to Straun where the harbour was located. This railway is now famous as a restored Abt railway known as "the West Coast Wilderness Railway. Part of their loco fleet comprised of some (5 I think) 0-6-0 side tank Baldwins with inside frames. None of these Baldwins survived. Powelltown Railway Victoria.
Powelltown is a logging town east of Melbourne off the Warburton branch, now defunct and rails pulled. The Powelltown timber Co. installed a 3' railway from Powelltown to the VR network at Yarra Junction. One of the locomotives they purchased new from Baldwin was a 2-4-0 tender locomotive in 1912. The locomotive was called Little Yarra. I cannot at this time find a builders photo.
Little Yarra is in the centre.
The Eight 0-4-0's.
Eight 0-4-0 saddletank 3'6" gauge locomotives were imported into Australia in the late 1800's.
The agents for Baldwin were Newell & Co. locateed in Melbourne. Half of these locomotives saw service in Victoria.
Two were first purchased by the Melbourne Harbour Trust and another two by the Sorrento Tramway. The others saw service in Tasmania, Western Australia and Northern Territory (Darwin). Many were shuffled around to different locations and occupations in the course of there life.
Only two survive as static displays, Kia Ora in Western Australia and Sandfly at Darwin.
This type of locomotive was also used in the Hawaiin Islands on plantations and some survive there as static displays.
Builders photograph.
Kia Ora static display WA.
Kauila 1900 Hawaii.
Sorrento Tramway. The stacks were exrended so the smoke went over the top of the carriages.
The carriage are ex Melbourne, Omnibus and Tramway Co. (MOT) toast rack horse drawn trams of which Melbourne had a large network of 3'6" gauge prior to the introduction of the cable tram which was one of the largest cable tram networks in the world.
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