Queensland C17 Class Locomotive

Queensland C17 Class Locomotive

The C17 class locomotive was a 4-8-0 locomotive of the Queensland Railways. The locomotives operated on 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge.

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. The 22 NM class for Commonwealth Railways were of the same design. C 17s were versatile engines and generally well liked. They were used to haul Mail Trains on lines could not accommodate heavier (B18¼) classes, also suburban passenger, mixed, goods and branch line trains. Until 1948 they were the heaviest engines that could work north of Mackay. Prior to the introduction of 60ton diesel electric locomotives, they were responsible for hauling the air conditioned Inlander, Midlander and Westlander trains for parts of their respective journeys.

First engines had large steam domes, open cabs and C16 style tenders. Those built from 1938 onwards, commencing with N°858, had small steam domes, sedan cabs with welded tenders and also larger diameter (9½”) piston valves. The two types of boilers were occasionally interchanged at overhauls and by later years most of the old style ones had been replaced. The last 40 engines, N°961 to N°1000, were fitted with roller bearings and painted brown. They acquired the nick name of “Brown Bombers”. Those overhauled in the last years of steam operations were repainted black. A number of modifications were carried out over their life including the fitting of large mushroom air snifting valves. Several had additional sandboxes and/or rear headlights fitted at various times for working lines where no turning facilities were available.