This locomotive was built by Beyer Peacock in 1878 for the New South Wales Government Railway in Australia. It was the fourth locomotive of an initial order for six heavy freight locomotives of the A93 class and carried the number 114.
Beyer Peacock delivered 50 of the locomotives between 1877 and 1881 and a further 9 between 1880 and 1891. Henry Vale and Company supplied 18 in this latter period.
The A93 class was subsequently re-titled the Z19 class and the locomotive renumbered 1919. The 77 locomotives had short wheelbases and no leading boggie which resulted in them having a tendency to derail and they were ultimately restricted to a speed of 40kmh. Driven slowly they were capable of negotiating extreme curves and running on badly maintained or unballasted track.
The locomotives were capable of hauling loads of 128 tons over the Blue Mountain Line which ran from Sydney to Katoomba and then on to Mount Victoria, Lithgow and Bathurst. Gradients on this line were as steep as 1 in 33
As the locomotives of the class were replaced by more powerful engines they were redeployed on steeply graded lines which had to be operated by light locomotives and on shunting duties. Such lines included Batlow / Kunama, Oberon and Dorrigo lines where the gradient was as steep as 1 in 25 in places and the radius on curves as little as 100 metres.
This locomotive (number 1910) was allocated to South Grafton for use on the Dorrigo line during the 1950’s.
It was one of the last steam locomotives in service with the NSWGR when it was withdrawn around 1972/73 when it was based at Darling Harbour and employed on shunting duties.
The locomotive stored at Parkes before going to its preservation home at the Lachlan Vintage Village at Forbes. Here it was placed on a plinth as a gatekeeper in 1979 and later painted a gaudy sky blue livery with silver dome and chimney.
The Lachlan Vintage Village was an interesting local museum featuring relocated historical buildings, a recreated Aboriginal camp and other displays relevant to the region. Unfortunately the Lachlan Vintage Village did not succeed as an ongoing concern and the railway assets were progressively sold off.
1919 was sold at auction in November 1986 to the Dorrigo Steam Railway & Museum.
The locomotive was returned to steam at Dorrigo in July 2004 and hauled tourist trains over the restored section of the Glenreagh Mountain Railway (GMR) from Glenreagh West to Tallawudjah Creek.
The GMR operations ceased when new regulatory requirements were introduced.
The locomotive is stored at Glenreagh West depot.
Three other members of the class built by Beyer Peacock are preserved.
- 1904 – Beyer Peacock works number 1646
- 1905 – Beyer Peacock works number 1647
- 1923 – Beyer Peacock works number 1890
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Preserved British Steam Locomotives 