Laheys Tramway
| Laheys tramway | |
|---|---|
| Operation | |
| Opened | 1900 |
| Closed | 1933 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 16.5 miles (26.6 kilometres) |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
Laheys Tramway was a private timber railway in South East Queensland, Australia. It connected at Canungra on the Canungra line and consisted of a 16.5 mile 'main line' to Upper Coomera and two branches.Its tunnel was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 11 April 2005.
Canungra was the centre of regional timber production from the 1860s and the Lahey family built a large sawmill there, completed in 1885. Situated in the middle of a hoop pine forest, logs were initially hauled short distances to the mill by bullock teams, but as the haulage distance increased a more efficient method was required.
The tramway opened in 1900, and initially used bullocks. Using 35 lb/yard rail, it climbed a ridge at an average grade of 1 in 12½ (~8%) to a 300' (~100m) tunnel, before descending at an average grade of 1 in 16½ (~6%) into the adjacent Coomera River valley, using curves as tight as 120' (~40m) radius. 1¼ miles had been built by 1901, and in 1903 the line was 5 miles (~8 km) long. The first steam locomotive, a Climax locomotive arrived that year, and lowered the cost of haulage by 85%.
A second locomotive, a Shay locomotive was purchased from the North Mt Lyell Mining Co. in Tasmania in 1906, and a second Shay was purchased new in 1910, the Climax loco being taken out of service in 1912, but was reconditioned by Walkers of Maryborough in 1914, being permanently withdrawn in 1922. Laheys ordered a third Shay loco in 1911, but it was on-sold to the Hampton Cloncurry Mines Ltd. Co. in 1912 without being used on the tramway.
The line also used a Model T Ford converted to a railmotor and a Commer truck converted to a shunter for use at the mill.
The line used two types of log bogies, the 'light' model with a capacity of 10 tons and 'heavy' with a capacity of 15 tons. A bogie was placed under each end of a log to create a 'wagon' for transport to the mill. When roller bearing bogies were introduced in 1914, the average load able to be hauled was 6 wagons, a load of up to 90 tons. Whilst there was no formal passenger service, people were able to ride on the log wagons 'at their own risk', and picnic excursions were organised occasionally, planks being used to create temporary 'seating' on the log bogies.
...
Wikipedia