Mary Valley Rattler

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The Valley Rattler, C17 802 Mary Valley Rattler 802.jpg
The Valley Rattler, C17 802

The Mary Valley Rattler (formerly Mary Valley Heritage Railway) is a heritage railway line that conducts steam train trips and tours from Gympie through the Mary Valley using the former Mary Valley railway line in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. It is now one of the region's biggest tourist attractions and is managed by a not-for-profit organisation. [1] It has been described as Australia's third biggest heritage railway. [2] It was shut down for safety reasons in 2012. In 2016, the Gympie Regional Council provided funding to make the railway operational again as it is a major tourist attraction for the area. Journeys recommenced between Gympie and Amamoor on 6 October 2018. [3]

Contents

The Rattler in motion Gympie.jpg
The Rattler in motion

Railway history

The Mary Valley railway line was a branch line of the North Coast railway line, which branched west at Monkland (just south of Gympie) and continued to Brooloo in the upper Mary Valley. It was constructed between 1911 and April 1915 to facilitate closer settlement of the Mary River valley. [4] The line reached Kandanga railway station in February 1914 and the terminus of Brooloo in April 1915. [4] In March 1920, an extension of 10 miles 20 chains (16.5 km) to Kenilworth was approved at an estimated cost of £175,000. [5] However, the extension was never constructed.

By the 1970s, the line became increasingly unprofitable due to the economic impact on the dairying industry of lower butter consumption due to competition of margarine and the loss of the British export market when the UK entered the European Economic Community. The Wide Bay Co-Operative Butter Factory in Gympie (Australia's largest butter factory in 1925) closed in May 1978 after nearly 80 years of operation. In 1988, staff were withdrawn from Imbil, Amamoor and Dagun stations, with some railway buildings such as goods sheds and residences sold for removal. The pineapple industry lobbied successfully to keep the line operational until 1995. The Mary Valley Heritage Railway Board proposed to operate a tourist train on the line in 1996 using volunteers and trainees. The tourist train service commenced on 23 May 1998. [4]

In 2010, the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation conducted a review of the operations of the railway. It found the railway was operating at a significant economic loss and was dependent on grant income. [6] In 2011, concerns were raised about the safety of the line, but government inspectors found no significant safety issues. [7] When 2010-11 Queensland floods closed roads in the area, the railway was used as a shuttle service. [8] Some of the line crossings had a five km/h speed limit with the top speed limited to 25 km/h. [1]

Mary Valley Railway
Legend
North Coast line to Cairns
BSicon CONTg.svg
BSicon exSTR+l.svg
BSicon eABZgr+r.svg
Gympie North
BSicon lENDE@G.svg
BSicon SPLa.F.svg
BSicon HST.svg
Gympie
BSicon vDST-HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon SPLe.svg
BSicon STR.svg
Monkland
BSicon HST.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon eKRWgl.svg
BSicon eKRWg+r.svg
Sunshine Coast line
to Brisbane
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon CONTf.svg
Dagun
BSicon HST.svg
Amamoor
BSicon KHSTxe.svg
Kandanga
BSicon exHST.svg
Melawondi
BSicon exHST.svg
Imbil
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Brooloo
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This diagram:

After two very serious derailments during August and September 2012, the limitations and state of the railway company's finances became known. It was shut down indefinitely by the Department Transport & Main Roads, as it was declared unsafe to convey passengers. Following flood damage in 2013, the railway disbanded. [9] In June 2016, the Gympie Regional Council allocated $250,000 for operational start-up costs and $3.8 million for capital funds to restart the Rattler. [10]

Tours & Timetables

Mary Valley Heritage Railway (1993-2013)

"Ride The Rattler" scenic tours were operated by the Mary Valley Heritage Railway (MVHR) every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday from the historic Gympie Railway Station. This historic 40 km journey commences at Gympie, and after crossing the Mary River, negotiates an abundance of curves, gradients and bridges to pass through the small country villages of Dagun, Amamoor and Kandanga to Imbil.

The steam train, pulled by a fully restored C17 class locomotive from the early 1920s, departed Gympie station at 10 am. The Gympie Station itself dates back to pre-1880. As the train travels south, it passes through the southern end of the city of Gympie.

After crossing the Mary River, the railway line enters the Mary Valley. The line wanders away from the river to negotiate the valleys of some of its main tributaries, including the Yabba, Kandanga and Amamoor Creeks. In this area, there are a number of curves, gradients and bridges as the train heads towards the station of Kandanga.

The country village of Kandanga was established in 1910 to service patrons travelling on the proposed Mary Valley line which became operational as far as Kandanga in 1914. The original Kandanga railway station, now restored to its former glory, contains an interesting pictorial record of the history of the Mary Valley line.

Travelling through to Imbil, the line traverses an interesting gorge section through mainly timbered country, before reaching a short tunnel that pierces a ridge of coastal ranges. The track then descends quickly to the line's largest town, Imbil. The Imbil Railway Bridge over Yabba Creek was constructed between 1911 and 1915. [11]

Mary Valley Rattler (2018-present)

As of March 2021, heritage journeys operated by a C17 steam locomotive run on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, departing from Gympie Railway Station, travelling to Dagun and Amamoor. On Thursdays, a railmotor dining and tasting tour is operated by RM76. [12] [13]

The railway also runs various events throughout the year. [14]

Fleet

Steam Locomotives

NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatusNotesColours
C17 45 [15] 1923 Evans Anderson Phelan, Brisbane.StoredOperational from 1996 until May 2003, now stored at Gympie.QR Black and Red
C17 253 [16] 1921 Evans Anderson Phelan, Brisbane.Undergoing OverhaulFormerly at Mundubbera, traded for 965 in 2003.*dismantled*
C17 705 [17] 1926 Evans Anderson Phelan, Brisbane.StoredFormerly displayed at a preschool in Spring Hill until 705 was purchased in 2009.Apple Green and Red
C17 819 [18] 1927 Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne.Undergoing OverhaulFormerly displayed at Cloncurry until purchased in the 1990s as a second locomotive for MVHR.*dismantled*
C17 967 [19] 1950 Walkers Limited, Maryborough.OperationalCurrently the only operational locomotive at Mary Valley Heritage Railway after C17 802 was withdrawn in ~2011 or 2012. [20] Was originally plinthed in a park at Caloundra. 967 was purchased in 1985 by the Ghan Preservation Society, Alice Springs, Northern Territory and exhibited as 'gatekeeper' at their site. Initial inspection work identified it was suitable for operation. In 2000 No. 967 was purchased by Beaudesert Rail and moved to Beaudesert, south of Brisbane, restored to operation in early 2003 and used on Beaudesert - Logan tourist trains.QR Black and Red
C17 996 [21] 1953 Walkers Limited, Maryborough.Stored/Spare partsThis locomotive was formerly plinthed at Southport. This locomotive was purchased in 2005 by QPSR, who started overhaul but didn't finish the overhaul. 996 has since been purchased by Mary Valley Rattler for spare parts of C17 967.*dismantled*

Historical steam locomotive fleet

NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatus (when put up for sale)NotesColours (when put up for sale)
C17 802 [22] 1927 Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle upon Tyne.StoredOperational from 2003 until approximately 2011 or 2012. A suburban D17 whistle and B18 1/4 tender were used on the locomotive when it was restored. In June 2019, the locomotive was purchased by Southern Downs Steam Railway for use as their second locomotive in the near future.QR Black and Red
C17 965 [23] 1950 Walkers Limited, Maryborough.Undergoing restorationAt an unknown date, the carriage was purchased by MVHR and was put under restoration. 965 was previously displayed at a rotary park in Gladstone and was painted in a mostly yellow colour scheme. 965 was swapped with locomotive 253 in 2003 and is now displayed at Mundubbera.QR Black and Red

Diesel locomotives

NumberImageYear builtBuilderStatusNotesColours
1632 [24] 1967 English Electric, Rocklea.OperationalLocomotive 1632 was purchased in 1996. When it was restored, 1632 serves as a shunting locomotive in the Gympie Yard and as a replacement locomotive when fire bans are put in place. [25] MVHR Blue and White.
1639 [26] 1967 English Electric, Rocklea.StoredQR Blue and White.
1649 [27] 1969 English Electric, Rocklea.Stored/spare parts [28] QR Blue and White.

Heritage Listings

The Mary Valley Rattler has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

See also;

Related Research Articles

Gympie City in Queensland, Australia

Gympie is a city and a locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the Wide Bay-Burnett District, Gympie is about 170.7 kilometres (110 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city lies on the Mary River, which floods Gympie occasionally. Gympie is the administrative centre for the Gympie Region area. As of June 2018 Gympie had a population of 51,578.

Kandanga, Queensland Town in Queensland, Australia

Kandanga is a town and a locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Kandanga had a population of 665 people.

Kandanga Creek is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Kandanga Creek had a population of 118 people.

MVR or MvR may refer to:

Monkland, Queensland Suburb of Gympie, Queensland, Australia

Monkland is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Monkland had a population of 1,125 people.

Queensland C17 class locomotive

The Queensland Railways C17 class locomotive was a class of 4-8-0 steam locomotives operated by the Queensland Railways.

Imbil Town in Queensland, Australia

Imbil is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, Imbil had a population of 924 people.

Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway Railway museum

The Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway is located near Ipswich, Queensland, Australia and runs through the former West Moreton pioneering coal fields. It was first opened in 1881 by colliery proprietor and politician Lewis Thomas (1832-1913) as a tramway to his coal mines.

Amamoor Town in Queensland, Australia

Amamoor is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census the locality of Amamoor had a population of 636 people.

Dagun is a rural town and locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census, the locality of Dagun had a population of 150 people.

Gympie railway station Historic site in Tozer Street, Gympie

Gympie railway station is an Australian heritage-listed former railway station in Gympie, Queensland, on the North Coast line. It was the primary railway station serving Gympie from 1881 until 1989.

Queensland Railways 1620 class

The 1620 class was a class of diesel locomotives built by English Electric, Rocklea for Queensland Railways between 1967 and 1969.

Melawondi is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. It is located 20 kilometres (12 mi) south of Gympie. In the 2016 census Melawondi had a population of 30 people.

Imbil Railway Bridge Railway bridge over Yabba Creek in Queensland, Australia

Imbil Railway Bridge is a heritage-listed railway bridge over Yabba Creek, Imbil, Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built circa 1915 by Queensland Railways to facilitate settlement in the Mary River Valley. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 October 2011.

Mary Valley Railway Cream Sheds are heritage-listed sheds at Kandanga railway station, Amamoor railway station and Melawondi railway station, all of them on the Mary Valley Branch Railway, Mary Valley, Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. They were designed and built by Queensland Railways. They were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 14 October 2011.

Bella Creek, Queensland Suburb of Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia

Bella Creek is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Bella Creek had a population of 43 people.

Bollier is a rural locality in the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2016 census Bollier had a population of 200 people.

The Gympie Local Heritage Register is a list of heritage sites within the Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia. It is maintained by the Gympie Regional Council.

Gympie–Brooloo–Kenilworth Road is a continuous 51.6 kilometres (32.1 mi) road route in the Gympie and Sunshine Coast regions of Queensland, Australia. It has two official names, Gympie–Brooloo Road and Kenilworth–Brooloo Road. The entire route is signed as State Route 51.

References

  1. 1 2 Lee Gailer (22 March 2012). "Pamphlet targets tourism asset". Sunshine Coast Daily. Sunshine Coast Newspaper Company. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  2. ↑ "Heritage railway downplays demise talk". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  3. ↑ "Historic Mary Valley Rattler First Run Day this Saturday". Mary Valley Rattler. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Imbil Railway Bridge (entry 602791)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT". Morning Bulletin . Queensland, Australia. 5 March 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2020– via Trove.
  6. ↑ "Problems arise for the Mary Valley Heritage Railway". Interactive Omnimedia. 20 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  7. ↑ Bruce Atkinson (31 March 2011). "Fears aired over train track safety". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  8. ↑ Jodie van de Wetering (12 January 2011). "Rattler keeps flood-split Gympie connected". ABC Wide Bay. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  9. ↑ Atkinson, Bruce (17 July 2015). "Hope remains for historic Mary Valley Rattler steam train funding". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Rattler to get $4m kiss of life and ratepayers a 2.1% rise". Gympie Times . 15 June 2016. Archived from the original on 18 June 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Gympie's heritage still on track". Media Release. Queensland Heritage Council. 20 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Mary Valley Rattler Schedule of Services" (PDF). Mary Valley Rattler. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  13. ↑ "Timetable & Fares". Mary Valley Rattler. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "Upcoming Events". Mary Valley Rattler. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 45". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  16. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No.253". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  17. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No.705". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  18. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 819". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  19. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 967". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  20. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 802". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
  21. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 996". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  22. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 802". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  23. ↑ "Preserved Steam Locomotives Down Under - C17 No. 965". www.australiansteam.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  24. ↑ "1600,1620 Class - Queensland's Great Trains". sites.google.com. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  25. ↑ "Our Fleet". Mary Valley Rattler. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  26. ↑ "1639 - Queensland's Great Trains". sites.google.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  27. ↑ "1649 - Queensland's Great Trains". sites.google.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  28. ↑ "1649 - Queensland's Great Trains". sites.google.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  29. ↑ "Mary Valley Railway Cream Sheds (entry 602792)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  30. ↑ "Imbil Railway Bridge (entry 602791)". Queensland Heritage Register . Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 8 July 2013.

Further reading

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