The Queensland Rail History Podcast

A10 No. 6 is one of the oldest steam locomotives in the world, still capable of operating on a main line. The tiny locomotive has a long, and remarkable history. It was there (well, almost) to witness the beginnings of the railways in Queensland. Today, we will talk about the story of this steam powered time traveller, how in 1965, it was the showpiece of the centenary celebrations of the railways...

Once upon a time, three little letters, ‘’R R R’’ would bring a smile to any weary traveller’s face. Those three letters stood for the Railway Refreshment Rooms, and for 140 years it also meant passengers could hopefully enjoy a hot cup of tea, coffee scones, or even a full three course meal in all of 20 minutes!  It was a full dining experience at big stations with trains arriving at strange and...

Today we are discussing a place many of our listeners will be familiar with – Roma Street station. We will cover its grand beginning as a major terminus, to the many face changes over the years. We also chat with Operations Performance Manager for SEQ Operations, Ian Heidke, who shares the importance and challenges of Roma Street.

An encounter with the South Brisbane railway system during the 1960’s was truly a step back in time to the early 20th century. On our latest episode, we’ll talk about how the Gabba depot came to be, why it disappeared, and how a ‘flag and bell man’ was such an iconic part of the old streetscape and railwayscape of inner-city Brisbane for many decades.    We’ll also talk with Greg Rooney, General M...

Annette and Queensland Rail Historian, Greg Hallam, talk about a time of trains bringing families together to celebrate the holidays, delivering presents and good wishes.  From everyone at Queensland Rail, we would like to wish our listeners a happy Christmas,  and we're looking forward to connecting with you again in 2023 with new stories of the railways in Queensland.     

Episode 8 - It's been an honour... Queensland Railways Honour Boards In this episode, we talk about how over a century ago, Queensland and the Queensland Railways found themselves thrust into a great conflict. When it began in 1914, it seemed literally half a world away yet within four short years would have a devastating effect on the lives of many people in Queensland. Few people today unde...

In this episode, we talk about how 80 years ago, Queensland and the Queensland Railways found themselves thrust into a crucial role during the Defence of Australia. When Japan entered World War II, Australia was under threat of invasion. Darwin suffered the worst bombing and heavy casualties. Fortunately, the bombs that fell on Townsville and near Mossman brought no loss of life. Until the tide tu...

In 1914, Queensland Railways launched a garden competition to encourage railway staff to beautify the stations with colourful flowers and plants, and to grow fruits and vegetables. The Commissioner for Queensland Railways at the time, Colonel Charles Evans, introduced the prize to also allow for employees to demonstrate their pride in their workplaces – not only railway stations but also locomotiv...

Episode 5 - A Very Up and Down Place - Building the Main Range railway Today we're talking about the crossing of the Main Range from the present day township of Murphy's Creek to Toowoomba, and what truly was a marvellous feat of Victorian era engineering. We also speak with Gavin Anderson, Asset Manager West Moreton for Network Operations South at Queensland Rail. He commenced his caree...

Today we are looking into design and standardisation of the railway. Be it early prefabricated buildings brought over on ships, the choice for narrow gauge or the adapting and tweaking of designs, to give a local solution to problems faced when building a railway in Queensland’s climate and landscape.  We’ll also hear from Andrea Kriss, a Senior Design Manager here at Queensland Rail and hear how...

The Christmas period was always one of the busiest times for travellers in Queensland, who went to visit family, or go on holidays, on the Queensland Railways.

What are some of the great Queensland Railway lines that never were? What we might today think of as a big, connected network across the state, actually began as a number of scattered railway lines that stretched inland from the coast. They were very much their own identity.  In this episode, we chat with Ken Fairbairn, Driver of the Gulflander and Officer in Charge of the Normanton Railway*, an i...

In the 2nd half of our two-part special, we’re going to cover the completion of the Kuranda Scenic Railway (KSR). If you haven’t listened to part 1 yet, please make sure you start there first. We’ll explore some of its famous landmarks that can be seen along the journey. We’ll discover what happened to the line when war broke out and why it’s still such a popular tourist destination in Far North Q...

In this two-part episode, we’re going to dive into one of the most iconic pieces of railway in Australia, arguably in the world: The Kuranda Scenic Railway – the KSR - located in Far North Queensland. It has become such a popular tourist attraction in Cairns, truly a must-see experience.  We’ll chat with our historian, Greg and deep dive into how this railway came to exist and we’ll also chat with...

In the last weeks of July 1865, the population of Southern Queensland watched with increasing interest and confidence, the anticipated completion of the first section of the Southern and Western Railway. Looking back at that era, it is still easy to discern the excitement and pride that had manifested in the colonists of Queensland as they read reports in the local papers of the approaching openin...