When the first railway line opened in Queensland in 1865, alongside it also went the electric telegraph line. The wires that accompanied the rails would be a vital part of the connection of our communities and enable communication that was the very much at the forefront of technology in the middle 19th century. 

Got a question about our railway's history - send us a telegram, fax or e-mail to: [email protected]

Why do trains run late sometimes? 

How do you even plan a train time table? 

What does it take to become a train controller? 

What happens to the rail network during disruptions – like say, a tropical cyclone...? 

Here's our full interview with Matt Green, Senior Manager, RMC Product, Strategy and Planning and hear about his love for trains, photography and hear about his 22 year career in the railway.

Why do trains run late sometimes? 

How do you even plan a train time table? 

What does it take to become a train controller? 

What happens to the rail network during disruptions – like say, a tropical cyclone...? 

In today's episode we chat to someone from our Train Planning team and find out all of that, and more!

We also chat with our Historian Greg Hallam about The Rail Management Centre (RMC) Project. The project involved the design and construction of a new three-storey structure on the site of the existing Mayne Control Centre, located at Bowen Hills. This is the heart of our Brisbane rail operations for the next 30 years.  

The RMC provides oversight over all Queensland Rail's passenger and freight movements in SEQ. Planning and scheduling of all 'business as usual' rail operations, reponse teams, security and incident management control.  

Let's take a look at the beginning of the Mayne Control Centre, and today’s 21st centre of train control.

Here's a collection of images Annette and Greg chat to throughout the episode.

Annette's full interview with Matt Green is available here. Thanks so much Matt for your time!

If you love trains and you love history, and you love train history, please follow the podcast and leave us a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, we would love to hear from you!

Also - do you have a QLD railway question ahead of our 160th anniversary? Email Greg at [email protected] and we can try and include it in our upcoming episode!

In 1873, Walker's Limited built Queensland's first steam engine and went on to become a major manufacturer of railway Rollingstock. The first B15 steam locomotives came from Walkers, and they built steam locomotives up until 1958.

Walker's Limited built over 550 steam powered, 12 diesel electric and 144 diesel hydraulic locomotives.

In today's episode we'll discuss how over 140 years this small Maryborough company grew through various name changes and ownership, made big things for Queensland Railways and other states of Australia too.

In February 1914, Queensland Railways commemorated the 50th anniversary of the beginning of construction for the first section of railway line in the state.  This section of line from Ipswich to Bigges Camp (today’s Grandchester, west of Ipswich) opened on 31 July 1865.

The Commissioner of the Railways had formally written to the Mayor of Brisbane, asking for permission to exhibit in Market (Albert) Square, "an example of the progress made in locomotive construction." The decision was taken to put on display what was then, the largest and most modern locomotive in the Queensland Railways roster.  This was C18 class locomotive No. 692, which would be one of three locomotives of this class eventually put into traffic. Along with it was the oldest “star” attraction A10 No.3, from 1865.

The crowds certainly turned out to see the “Trains in the Square”, and it was considered a good public relations exercise for Queensland Railways.  

So how did Queensland Railways get two steam trains into the centre of Brisbane, and rewrite some of its own history in the process? 

Well, join us for episode 23 of the Queensland Rail History podcast and find out more. We'll also be joined again by special guest, Rob Shiels, Curator for the Queensland Museum Rail Workshops, and hear about his own experience moving a large piece of history across the country and back.

Historical images discussed throughout the episode can be seen here.

Got any railway history questions? hit up our Historian, Greg Hallam. 

Please email: [email protected]

If you like what you're listening to, please follow our podcast and leave us a review, we'd love to hear from you and want to know what you'd like us to feature in a future episode. 

Did you know one of the first travelling dental clinics in Queensland was a railway carriage? The school dental scheme was developed by the Department of Public Instruction in the late 1920s. The Rail Dental Clinic ensured people from the country received the same level of care as those living in the city. Operating for half a century, the Rail Dental Clinic service was discontinued in the early 1980s, but helped save many a tooth in Queensland, via rail.

Here's a collection of historical images here.

Today on our podcast, we will go on a journey, and look at when things were not set in stone, but, rather, poured in concrete. 

Queensland Railways was a pioneer in the early use of concrete, where remarkable structures, bridges, dams, and buildings sprang up all over the state using this innovative building material.   

We will also talk about getting the mix correct with Peter Osborne, Heritage Strategist in Queensland Rail and here about his love for concrete...

Here's a link to a collection of images discussed during the episode, including all things culverts, concrete station buildings and structures.

We hope you will be a culvert convert after listening to this episode, make sure to follow and leave us a review, and please email [email protected] with all your railway questions, we would love to hear from you! 

In 1931, the then Queensland Premier Arthur Moore travelled to Monto and opened Monto's Third Annual Show on Friday, 1 May 1931. Monto was a "new town" to which rail connection had been opened via Gayndah on 15th September 1928. The official party comprised the Premier, Arthur Moore, his wife, and Mr. R. L. Boyd, Country Party M.L.A. for Burnett from 1928 to 1932, who had a dairy farm near Wetheron in the Burnett district. 

The Premiers’ carriage (Possibly No. 920) was attached to the regular Saturday Goods (it may have been a Mixed train carrying both passengers and goods etc. on account of the Show; normally, the Mixed ran only Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from Monto). The journey back to Brisbane was 321 miles (517 km) and would be taking close to 24 hours. 

The trip was proceeding uneventfully until it was discovered that the Westinghouse brake on the Premier's carriage was defective. The carriage had been attached at the rear of the train so that the Premiers’ party could enjoy the view unimpeded and have a minimum of disturbance from shunting. 

However, with the brake out of action, it was of concern to the railway employees as in the event of coupling coming loose, especially as the train had to climb the steep Bin Bin Range on the branch.

The carriage was then uncoupled to place it ahead of the Guard's van (ahead of the ‘roadside wagon’ that was used for transporting perishables, and deliveries to various stations along the line, general practice was that the roadside wagon stayed next to the Guards van). 

The carriage wheels were ‘spragged’ (a piece of iron or timber placed in between wheel spokes) to prevent it running away, and the train remarshalled to reattach the carriage. As the driver was easing back to allow the Guard to swing the screw coupling onto the carriage, there was a jolt. The jolt knocked the sprag out and the carriage began to slowly move under its own momentum down the line.

It was not until they had travelled about 20 yards that the Premier and the travellers realised something was wrong. The Guard, (Hutton), gave a warning shout and raced after the carriage. After a short sprint, he climbed aboard just as the carriage was gaining speed. As the carriage had no handbrake it was with a 'thump' that the Guard realised that nothing could be done.

 The carriage was soon "swaying round the curves at a fast pace". The Guard thought they would stop, (or rather roll to a halt) at Byrnestown but this was overly optimistic. As the Premier said to the newspaper, “We rushed through there at 30 m.p.h. (48 km/h) much to the surprise and alarm of the official (presumably the Station Mistress) … My hat and papers were swept off the table and flew out the window ....”

As the carriage swept past Mr. Boyd's house, (the local member) that was plainly visible from the railway line, Mr. Boyd noticed his wife staring in disbelief from the verandah of their house.

Recognising the Premier's carriage and Mrs Boyd, being described as “a person of action”, dashed to the car with her two children and chased the runaway carriage. At Wetheron station, the carriage rolled up a steep grade, and "the speed gradually reduced, the guard and the Premier jumped off on either side of the carriage and hung on to it until it was dragged to a stop just on top of the rise. 

Mrs. Moore and Mr. Boyd also jumped out, and in a few moments the wheels were chocked, and a strong sapling propped up against the carriage, to prevent further unauthorised movements.

Mrs. Boyd arrived by car soon after the party had jumped out while the train engine, sent from Gooroolba in pursuit, arrived and took the carriage in tow. The Premier finally reached Brisbane on the Sunday morning without further incident, and full of praise for the quick-thinking Guard, and the locals, who set off in hot pursuit of the runaway.

On Saturday, 18 November 1978, the Merivale Railway Bridge, connecting Roma Street and South Brisbane Railway Stations was officially opened in the presence of 850 official guests.

Crossing the Brisbane River, the bridge was constructed over a period of three years and three months and reported to have cost $20.6 million.

In today's episode we discuss why the Merivale Bridge is still so important for Brisbane train travellers.

We also chat with Brad Sutton, Asset and Structures Manager at Queensland Rail and hear about the work involved in maintaining the structure.

Images discussed during the episode can be found here.
Some great historical images of the opening are available here.

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries most of the travel between the isolated railway systems, and towns of Queensland was carried out by coastal shipping. 

By the end of the nineteenth century there were eleven of these isolated systems of the Queensland Railways and most of them ran from a coastal point towards the bush – the closest port was considered a good enough place to start from.

Or finish?

However, it was these far-flung lines heading off to the interior that would form the various staging points for the North Coast Line when Parliament approved its construction in 1910, and stitching together the railway patchwork that was Queensland in that era. The North Coast Railway Act gave the official nod by the Queensland Parliament to construct 740 kilometres of railway to link Cairns and Brisbane. 

The line would eventually be completed in 1924, and by the mid 1940’s it was to become the major railway line, and connection in Queensland. The north coast line was crucial in the Defence of Australia, from 1942 - 1944.

Today we look back a century to when a very large bridge, over a very large river in northern Queensland finally a railway construction project that really began in the 1880s, along the north coast.

We also talk to Rob Shiels, from the Queensland Museum Rail Workshops, about their exhibition that recognises the centennial of the completion of the railway in December 1924.  

Come along and join our journey through the decades.

Have a question about our railway's history? - email Greg: [email protected]

Links to archival images discussed throughout the episode:
https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/media/30853
https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/media/29185