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Robinson / Loveday Collection  -  Mapleton Tramway images

 

1.   The first Shay locomotive, 'Dulong'

 

Dulong at Nambour

Dulong in its shed at Nambour

Dulong at the Mapleton high-level water tank. Note that the coal is bagged.

 

 

2.   The second Shay locomotive, 'Mapleton'

 

Mapleton at the Mapleton high-level water tank

Mapleton at the high-level water tank, Mapleton station, 1940

Mapleton's engine, 1940

Mapleton's drive train

Detail of Mapleton's rear bogie, 1940

Mapleton at Mapleton yard, 1930s

Mapleton at Mapleton yard, 1940

Mapleton undergoes repairs at Nambour

Mapleton's cab controls

Mapleton's cab controls

Front bogie details on the fireman's side

 

 

3.   Rolling stock on the Mapleton Tramway

 

The pig and calf wagon on the Mapleton Tramway

The pig and calf wagon on the Mapleton Tramway

The louvred cream van with slatted ends from the Mapleton Tramway after acquisition by the Moreton Sugar Mill

The closed cream and fruit van with louvred ends on the Mapleton Tramway

One of the Mapleton Tramway guard's vans, known as the 'Combine'

A Mapleton Tramway flat car adapted for use as a steam grass-burner

 

4.   Crew

 

Bill English Sr (driver),  Bill 'Boy' Gooding (fireman) and Jock Simpson (guard)

 

 

5.   Scenes at Nambour station

 

An early view of the Mapleton locomotive with a temporary conical chimney (possibly that off the Dulong) as a steaming experiment

Transferring logs by crane from the Mapleton Tramway flat cars (foreground) to the larger Queensland Railways flat cars (beyond),
with the Moreton Central Sugar Mill in the background and the Mapleton locomotive at far left.

Transferring logs brought down by the Mapleton Tram to Queensland Railways flat cars at Nambour.

Mapleton shunting logs into the Moreton Central Sawmill with the QR main line in the foreground;
photograph by F.C. Carter.

Lowe's Sawmill at Nambour, serviced by a spur off the Mapleton Tramline

Mapleton brings a rake of loaded cane trucks into the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, past the Mill's loco Maroochy.

 

 

6.   Scenes at Mapleton Station

 

Mapleton Station, with the State School and Elanora Guest House on the slopes in the distance.

The station precinct at Mapleton, showing the log-loading area, the high-level water tank in the middle distance
with the Ocean View Hotel behind the trees, and the Mapleton shops behind the log pile.

 

 

 

7.   Scenes on the route

 

An early picture of a nearly-new Dulong with a diamond spark arrester and owned by the Moreton Central Sugar Mill, bringing logs down from Kureelpa. Note that the Gibson, Battle agent's plate on the bunker on this side appears to be missing. The date of the picture would be between June 1910 and August 1911.

The bridge over Petrie Creek with Jakat's house

Dulong with a full load of cane stands at Jakat's siding on Puddle's (Windsor) Road, Burnside

This is the set of points at the west end of Puddle's Road, leading to the Perwillowen Branch 

Looking east along Jakat's siding on Puddle's Road , with the town of Nambour in the background

 

This is the first cutting that the trams encounter when they leave Puddle's (Windsor) Road at Burnside, and begin the climb up the Highworth Range.

Dulong with the Afternoon Tram stops at Highworth

Ascending the long ramp up the Image Flat Branch. Dulong is pulling eight loaded cane trucks, and is pushing a bogie flat wagon  and
another loaded cane truck.  The flat wagon was pushed onto sidings joined to the main line by 'riding points' which the locomotive
was too heavy to negotiate, to reach cane trucks on the siding and then draw them onto the main line.

The tram route winding around a spur on the Highworth Range, with the Morning Tram descending in the middle left distance - 1942

Mapleton with the Morning Tram (mainly logs) negotiating the Horseshoe Curve and bridge, Highworth Range

An excursion tram descending the Highworth Range lets agile passengers off at a point in the foreground, then crawls around a semicircular curve to the point shown, and waits for those who got off to hurry across the little valley and climb aback on board.

 Climbing the Highworth Range

Hilly country traversed by the Mapleton Tram, near the summit of the Highworth Range

The locomotive Dulong reaches the cutting at the summit of the Highworth Range where Kureelpa Falls Road
passes on a bridge over the tramline - Afternoon Tram, 1942

The locomotive Mapleton takes a load of logs through Kureelpa, heading towards Nambour in 1940

A long tram, cane and timber, with Dulong in the lead and Mapleton mid-rake

Mapleton hauling logs near Kureelpa, photograph by M. R. Guerin, 1940

Dulong on the Afternoon Tram, taking on water; photograph by Dick Rockett, 1940

Mapleton with the louvred cream van near Kureelpa

Dulong hauling loaded cane trucks, Mapleton in background

Mapleton with the louvred cream van, the pig and calf wagon, and three flat cars carrying logs

Mapleton with the Morning Tram passing through Guerin's farm near Kureelpa, pushing in front two trucks filled with cane from Mick Jeff's farm, 1940

Mapleton takes water at Bailey's Paddock at Kureelpa, in preparation for the climb to Mapleton

Dulong at Whalley's Mapleton store

Mapleton at Whalley's store, with a charabanc waiting to pick up passengers

Dulong at Durey's Cafe, Mapleton

 

 

8.   Excursions

 

Dulong pauses on the Highworth Range to allow the Scottish Commissioners to enjoy the view down Petrie Creek valley to the Pacific Ocean. The date is October 1910, and the locomotive still has its original chimney.

The locomotive Dulong on a Temperance Special Excursion organised by the Courier-Mail newspaper, 1937 (see below).

Dulong on the Temperance Special Excursion in 1937

Mapleton on an excursion

Mapleton on an excursion

Mapleton on an excursion

Mapleton and its tram at the corner of Delicia Road and Obi Obi Road, Mapleton, adjacent to the Mapleton Station. The Mapleton shops are at the left margin, and the Ocean View Hotel is left of centre on the skyline. The Mapleton State School is on the highest point of the skyline.

Mapleton at the Mapleton Station, with the State School and Elanora Guest House in the distance

Dulong disembarks its passengers at Delicia Road, Mapleton, with the Ocean View Hotel at upper right

Dulong (left) and Mapleton at the Mapleton water tank

Mapleton heading back down the Range

Dulong brings about 100 people down the Highworth Range on an excursion

Shay on an excursion to Bli Bli, circa 1958.

 

 

9.   Maintenance

 

Reballasting part of the permanent way near Guerin's farm, Driver Bill English Snr in cab

Track gang at work

Clearing a fallen tree

Clearing a landslip on the Highworth Range

 

 

10.   Accidents 

 

The Dulong, working the cane tram, has had some of its trucks derailed at Kureelpa,
and has been caught up by the Mapleton, working the morning tram to Nambour.

The crews use manpower to get the trucks back on the road - Mick Jeff's farm, 1940.

Spilled stick-cane is loaded back onto the trucks by Fireman Clem Ebzery and Guard Dick Rockett,
Driver Bill English Snr waits in the loco's cab.

When order is restored, both trams will continue to Nambour

 Mapleton off the road in Captain Jewett's farm at Kureelpa, 14th March, 1934.

 

 

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