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Sugar cane tram
travelling through Mossman, Queensland
Mill Street, Mossman. A loaded
cane tram headed by the 'Mossman' locomotive, passing an empty
outward-bound train with the 'Pioneer' locomotive in the Mossman Station
yard. The men riding on the empty cane truck are farm labourers. One of
the men riding nearer the engine is Mr. Harry Pringle (Description
supplied with photograph). The Queens Hotel, and a windmill, can be seen
in the background.
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Steam Trains in the Douglas Shire
The Cane Trams |
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history, stories or pictures click
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Visit
Port Douglas Court House Museum. Wharf Street,
Port Douglas. Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from
10am to 1pm. Admission by gold coin donation. This museum is
staffed by volunteer attendants.
Read about 'Port's People
here
Oral History on tape
here
The handover
DSHS Vice President Cathy Jack accepts the Faugh a
Ballagh's name plate from Douglas Shire Mayor Mike Berwick as the
ownership of the loco and carriage was transferred to the DSHS 7th
October 2005
For more about the 'Tramway' as it was know in the
pioneering days
click
here
Port Douglas tramway station. Jack and Newell's store in the distance.
Arrivals and departures from and to Mossman by passenger train
(Description supplied with photograph)
Millet's railway bridge in Mossman damaged by the 1911
cyclone. |
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Faugh a Ballagh Overdue her service
in 2005
7 October 2005
Faugh a Ballagh, was the fearful battle cry used in faction fights by the
clans of western Ireland in Connaught & Munster. From the Gaelic language
it translates as "Clear the way" though how it is spelt is often disputed.
It seems that it became woven into Irish history as an nationalist song
first published in 1842 & it is also the motto of 87th regiment, the Royal
Irish Fusiliers, known as "The Faugh a Ballagh Boys".
The locomotive’s original manufacturer’s plate that has been presented to
the Douglas Shire Historical Society today is part of the Shire’s history
which goes back over 100 years.
In 1899 the Douglas Divisional Board, forerunner to the present Douglas
Shire Council, was granted a loan of £22,000 to construct a tramway to
extend the Mossman Central Mill’s passenger service from South Mossman to
Port Douglas.
During the year 1900 the tram traveled almost 6,000 miles carrying over
23,000 passengers.
In 1901 the Divisional Board received its own rolling stock that included
this England built Fowler steam loco “Faugh a Ballagh” (number 8733 dated
1900).
John Fowler began business in 1850 by forming a partnership with a fellow
Quaker, Albert Fry, as agricultural implement manufacturers & traders.
John Fowler & Company (Leeds) Limited formed in 1886 was one of the
best-known manufacturers of traction engines in the UK.
Their tramway locomotives were exported all over the world & indeed many
found their way to Australia, especially during the evolution of the sugar
industry.
There is a story that this locomotive was used on the initial construction
of the Panama Canal in the late 1890’s though it seems incongruous that
the name “Faugh a Ballagh” could be used by that French construction
company which ceased in 1899. Our Society would welcome any further
information regarding this loco’s name.
In addition to “Faugh a Ballagh”, four ex-Mossman Mill Fowler locos are
still known to exist;
“Pioneer”
No. 8047
1899
“Ivy”
No. 15947
1922
“Miallo”
No. 20276
1934
“Faugh a Ballagh” also
hauled bagged sugar from the Mill to the Council Wharf at Port Douglas.
She last saw service under Council ownership in 1958 when she reached the
South Mossman depot & her fire was extinguished for the last time by
driver Mike Loveday & fireman Wally Butler. Mike Loveday would later write
“There was no one at the depot to greet us. In a very sombre mood we went
home. The Douglas Shire Council Tramway was finally dead”.
The loco & carriage were originally installed in Anzac Park opposite the
Court House Hotel as a reminder of the importance of the tramway to this
town. During the late
1970’s the carriage was restored by the
Train Restoration Society &
Douglas Shire Council provided weather protection. With the advent of the
Bally Hooley Tour the Mill reclaimed “Faugh a Ballagh” with a view to
returning the loco to steaming condition but the cost was found to be
prohibitive.
The Douglas Shire Historical Society became aware of the perilous state of
this loco & remaining original carriage in 1994 & together with the
Douglas Shire Tourism Association, the Douglas Shire Council & the Mossman
Central Mill a project was conceived to refurbish these former tramway
relics during the centenary of the Mill Company’s formation in that year.
Today we see the handover of these historic tramway items to the
trusteeship of our Society under which we can now move to their repair &
restoration. We earnestly ask for the assistance of those who see it as a
responsibility to ensure that “Faugh a Ballagh” may continue to exist as a
memorial to the pioneering spirit of the Shire.
On behalf of the Douglas Shire Historical Society members I thank Council
for its gesture today.
Noel Weare
Read more about the
Bally Hooley steam trains operating in Port Douglas
here. |
