Australian Estates Company 0-6-2 Locomotives in Australia


Class Details by Steve Llanso of Sweat House Media

Class Airdmillan (Locobase 8145)

Data from Australian Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Society (ANGRMS) Data Sheet No 1, published 1980, accessed 7 February 2007.

According to the data sheet, this sugar-cane locomotive-- described as a "Standard 0-6-2T" was probably the Leeds-based builder's last steam locomotive (works #20763). Earlier Fowler 0-6-2Ts for sugar-cane plantation railways were smaller (8 1/2" x 12" cylinders, 15 tonnes). The Walschaert gear installation seems unusually neat on such a small set of running gear. Sand domes flank the single steam dome, which had double safety valves.

Airdmillan was rated at 320 tons on the level as it worked the Kalamia Mill in Ayr, Queensland until 1961. Displayed in the open at the mill yard from 1964-1975, the now weather-beaten engine was obtained by the ANGRMS and stored for restoration. It was moved in 1979 to the ANGRMS's Durundur Railway in Woodford, but was projected for a cosmetic restoration only.

Several similar locomotives were built in Australia by the Bundaberg Foundry as Bundaberg-Fowlers at the behest of the sugar-cane industry. According to [link] (accessed 9 February 2007)-- which made the documentary mentioned below -- the foundry "...negotiated to build the design under license as they were a very popular make in the sugar industry, being noted for their robust design and good steaming qualities." The first of these appeared in 1952, which suggests to Locobase that the cane growers had worn out their other steam locomotives and resisted conversion to diesel.

ANGRMS's #5, A 1952 Bundaberg-Fowler, featured in a 2000 movie about such locomotives, (Bundy's Last Great Adventureö. An account in the July 2004 Association of Tourist Railways in Queensland Inc (ATQR) newsletter -- reproduced on the Web at [link] -- notes that "This has made No.5 one of the most travelled locomotives in the sugar industry breaking records for the total number of mill systems visited and also the longest run (over several mill systems) without leaving the 2'0ö gauge network."

Principal Dimensions by Steve Llanso of Middle Run Media
ClassAirdmillan
Locobase ID8145
RailroadAustralian Estates Company
CountryAustralia
Whyte0-6-2T
Number in Class1
Road Numbers
Gauge2'
Number Built1
BuilderJohn Fowler & Co
Year1935
Valve GearWalschaert
Locomotive Length and Weight
Driver Wheelbase (ft / m) 5.75 / 1.75
Engine Wheelbase (ft / m)11.50 / 3.51
Ratio of driving wheelbase to overall engine wheelbase 0.50
Overall Wheelbase (engine & tender) (ft / m)11.50 / 3.51
Axle Loading (Maximum Weight per Axle) (lbs / kg)
Weight on Drivers (lbs / kg)47,040 / 21,337
Engine Weight (lbs / kg)47,040 / 21,337
Tender Loaded Weight (lbs / kg)
Total Engine and Tender Weight (lbs / kg)
Tender Water Capacity (gals / ML)612 / 2.32
Tender Fuel Capacity (oil/coal) (gals/tons / Liters/MT)
Minimum weight of rail (calculated) (lb/yd / kg/m)26 / 13
Geometry Relating to Tractive Effort
Driver Diameter (in / mm)27 / 686
Boiler Pressure (psi / kPa)180 / 1240
High Pressure Cylinders (dia x stroke) (in / mm)10" x 14" / 254x356
Tractive Effort (lbs / kg)7933 / 3598.35
Factor of Adhesion (Weight on Drivers/Tractive Effort) 5.93
Heating Ability
Tubes (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flues (number - dia) (in / mm)
Flue/Tube length (ft / m)
Firebox Area (sq ft / m2)34 / 3.16
Grate Area (sq ft / m2)
Evaporative Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)326 / 30.30
Superheating Surface (sq ft / m2)
Combined Heating Surface (sq ft / m2)326 / 30.30
Evaporative Heating Surface/Cylinder Volume256.16
Computations Relating to Power Output (More Information)
Robert LeMassena's Power Computation
Same as above plus superheater percentage
Same as above but substitute firebox area for grate area6120
Power L13157
Power MT443.88

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