Loco 106 arrives on the Downs

Downs Steam Darling Downs Historical Rail Society Ltd

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After nearly a year of toil by the Darling Downs Historical Society (and a decade of work by John Peel) Loco 106 returned to Toowoomba on Friday 26 October 2001. Loco 106 was on show near the Toowoomba Railway Station, as part of the Federation Street Party. Now she is in Pittsworth to be restored and will be seen back on the Rails here in he next few years.

It was a wet welcome to the outside world for #106 who had been in a Queensland Rail shed at Redbank for the past ten years. While the dry countryside welcomed the weather, the NQX / Sedl truckies where a bit concerned about taking a sixty tonne loco up the greasy Toowoomba Range.

After some confusion and short delay at Redbank, the Holts cranes moved into the QR shed at around 10am and lifted #106 onto the low loaders, rails and all. This gave the loco a good base on the truck and meant the front wheels stayed on (the pin is broken). The load was secured and #106 set off for the Darling Downs with its tender a few hundred metres behind. The only stop was for a dim sim and chocolate milk.

The 600hp prime mover hauled the loco up the steep incline without any problems, staying in the right hand lane to keep out of the slippery oil etc in the left lane. At 1pm Toowoomba welcomed #106 in a traditional fashion (it was cloudy and damp).

The trucks and their cargo were parked behind the Railway Station much to the excitement of DDHRS members and on lookers. The wet weather meant that the Federation Street Party had been moved indoors to Rumours, so the thousands of visitors who were expected didn’t get to see #106.

At 5.30pm a wet official ceremony was held as an official welcome to #106 and a thank you to the people who helped make it possible. Guests included Ian MacFarlane the Federal Member for Groom (with how to vote cards in hand), Kerry Shine the State member for Toowoomba North, Mike Horan the State member for Toowoomba South and Di Thorley the Mayor of Toowoomba.

Well the loco was guarded all night, while others checked out Dorothy the Dinosaur and Regurgitator. Jim and Rob had the night shift (until the professionals took over) giving passers by the full story in the rain. John and Ray stayed in doors at Rumours and flogged DDHRS magnets.

Saturday morning was a delightful day (its always the way). The loco stayed at the Railway station for a few hours for more inspections by a very good crowd. On Monday morning the cargo was moved to Pittsworth, unloaded and stored. The loco is presently not available for public visits.

The DDHRS would like to sincerely thank the following people and companies.

NQX and SEDL
for moving the loco at no cost and allowing the Society to make the loco available for public viewing.

Holt’s Crane Hire
for loading and unloading the loco at no cost.

Cleary & Lee (Pat Nunan)
for legal services to set up the DDHRS.

Queensland Rail
for their cooperation in allowing #106 to return to the Darling Downs Lionel Moore’s Trailers
for providing the facilities to restore #106.

Heritage Building Society
for assistance with the insurance.

The councils of
Cambooya, Clifton, Dalby, Gatton, Jondaryan, Pittsworth, Rosalie, Millmerran, Toowoomba and Warwick who all contributed money to help set up the DDHRS. 

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