Rail in Queensland
Since the opening of the first line in 1865, railways have been an important part of Queensland life. Rail shaped the development of towns and industries, created opportunities for travel, and greatly improved communication.
In a state as vast as Queensland, the rail network was vital in overcoming the tyranny of distance. The rail connected the bush to the city and the city to the bush.
Come and explore how rail has influenced the life of Queenslanders.
Rail revolution
When Queensland became a colony in 1859, Queenslanders faced a major challenge: how to overcome the vast distances with almost no roads and no suitable inland waterways.
The rail revolution had swept through Britain in the 1830s and '40s, transforming the country. Many Queenslanders who had emigrated from Britain saw first-hand that rail was an efficient and reliable means of transporting goods and people. They believed rail could also transform Queensland.
Although costly to construct, rail would be invaluable in the development of industries such as agriculture, wool growing, cattle production and mining.
Narrow gauge
Queensland's rail network is different from most mainline networks in the world because of its narrow gauge. In 1863 the Queensland Parliament agreed to build the first railway line in the colony with a 3 foot 6 inch (1067 mm) gauge. This was a bold decision.
Up to this time, all mainline railways in the world were built with a wider gauge - either the 4 foot 8½ inch (1435 mm) gauge, called standard gauge, or even the 5 foot 3 inch (1600 mm) gauge.
Narrow gauge was adopted because it was cheaper to build, partly because tighter curves, smaller tunnels and lighter bridges could be used. But narrow gauge had its disadvantages. Trains could not travel as fast or carry loads as heavy as on standard gauge.
The people of rail
Conductors, cleaners, draftsmen, drivers, firemen, fettlers, gatekeepers, guards, locomotive engineers, labourers, porters, painters, signalmen and shunters, to name just a few!
People are the heart of the rail system. Even with the most sophisticated equipment and machinery, people are still essential to develop and maintain a rail system.
Queensland Railways has always been a large employer. By the 1930s it had more than 17 000 employees - more than half of the total public service. It was the largest single employer in Queensland.
Keep time
Official, agreed time, called 'standard time', was introduced mainly because of the growth of railways. Until the late 19th century, there was no such thing as standard time in Australia. As long as local time was agreed on, it did not matter too much if 1:00 pm in Brisbane was five minutes different from 1:00 pm in Sydney, Melbourne or Townsville.
With the spread of the rail network, the differences in local time became a problem. The same time was required everywhere (at least along the same railway line) to ensure that trains ran safely and on time.
Initially, Queensland Railways operated on three standard times: one for the southern and western line, another for the central line, and yet another for the northern line. One standard time for all of Queensland was finally adopted in 1895.
Railway stations
Railway stations come in all shapes and sizes. Some are grand, built of stone or brick, others are plain timber buildings. When rail was the main form of transport, railway stations were important public buildings. As the main 'gateway' to the town or city, the railway station was considered as almost as important as the town hall, banks, churches and other public buildings.
Connections - bush to city, city to bush
The spread of the rail network throughout Queensland changed the lives of people living in country towns, on farms and remote properties.
Rail provided access to goods and services from the city. It improved communications by providing regular, efficient and reliable mail services.
Rail assisted in the development of the bush by providing an efficient means of transporting farm produce, beef, wool and minerals to markets and ports on the coast.
A distant war - World War I
Although World War I was fought on the other side of the world, its impact on Australia was profound. Queensland railway workers were among the many who made an important contribution to the war.
Two thousand six hundred employees enlisted for service in the Australian Imperial Forces. Many served with distinction, and 127 died as a result of service.
The contribution of rail workers was recognised with memorials and honour boards. Some were substantial and elaborate, such as the memorial in the grounds of the Workshops. Others were more modest timber boards mounted in railway stations, depots or workshops.
A War Memorial was built onsite in 1919 to honour The Workshops employees who served in World War I.
