Presenting...The Railway Jubilee of 1914 - Greg Hallam

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

In early 1914, a memo was circulated giving advice as to how the Queensland Railways, (and therefore the Commissioner for Railways) wished to recognise the Jubilee.  The Commissioner 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”.  A similar exhibit arrangement was decided using the example of the Brisbane Exhibition in 1913.  This time around however, what was to be on show would be a bit more challenging to put in place.  The decision was taken to put on display what was then, the largest and most modern locomotive on 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.  It was recently turned out from the Ipswich Workshops, and was intended to be a major drawcard for the public.  The other “star” attraction was to be even more significant, A10 No.3.

The crowds certainly turned out to see the “Trains in the Square”, and it was considered a good public relations exercise for Queensland Railways.  Along with the display, a special commemorative history booklet was prepared for publication later in 1914, and there was also a railway workers gathering planned, for February of 1914, with some of the then oldest railway workers being invited to reminiscence about what it was like fifty years before -" in the beginning."  

This will be a hybrid meeting in person at our Family History Research Centre, 46 Delaware St, Chermside and by Zoom. Please register your planned attendance whether you are attending in person or by Zoom.

Note: This event is held in QLD time, AEST: no daylight saving. (GMT+10)

Image: Albert Square, 25 February 1914. Queensland Railways Jubilee celebrations.

Greg Hallam has been with QR/Queensland Rail since 2000, and has been the Historian for the organisation for (nearly) all of the past 23 years. Greg is a third generation member of the Queensland Railways, with a grandfather commencing as a locomotive cleaner in Bundaberg in 1911. Greg is a post graduate of the University of Queensland, and had been active professionally in the community history and cultural heritage field for nearly 30 years. Greg has some published work behind himself, has travelled Queensland extensively in times past documenting the story of the railways and their connection to the State, and has also been fortunate to have travelled from Brisbane to Mareeba, Longreach and Charleville behind steam locomotives for various anniversary events sponsored by Queensland Rail (and even had his ‘office’ set up for a while in the Guards Van of a steam train between Emerald and Longreach, and to Mareeba…)