| Weight | 13t 12cwt |
| Length | 108ft 7ins |
| Driving Wheels | 3ft 0ins |
| Boiler Pressure | 120psi |
| Cylinders | Outside – 10in x 18in |
| Tractive Effort | 4,800lbf |
This locomotive was built by Neilson & Company in Glasgow in 1866 as one of eight locomotives supplied by Neilson & Company to the Southern & Western Railway and deployed Rockhampton which was part of the Queensland Government Railway. Initially they were categorised as B class locomotives but this later became A10 with the A representing that they had two driving axles and the 10 the cylinder diameter.
The locomotives were delivered to Moreton Bay by sailing ship and transferred by lighter along the Brisbane River to the railway wharf at the newly established Queensland Government Railway workshops and railhead at Ipswich.
Four locomotives were constructed for the Central Railway operating out of Rockhampton. These were later transferred to the Southern & Western Railway. Another engine was constructed to the same design for Peto, Brassey and Betts who were contracted to build the line to Toowoomba. This locomotive was purchased by the Queensland Railway in 1876.
The Queensland Railways was the first operator to adopt the narrow gauge for its railways. It chose a gauge of 3ft 6in and this gauge is still in use today. The first section opened in July 1865 from Ipswich to the Bigge’s Camp and was called the Main Line. The narrow gauge was chosen as it enable the shortest construction time at the least cost. The network evolved as a series of isolated networks until the completion of the North Coast line in December 1924 when all were joined sections apart from the Normanton to Croydon line which always remained isolated. At its peak in 1932, the network totalled 10,500 kilometres.
Four of the Neilson A10 class locomotives were converted to 4D10 class 2-4-4T engines between 1887 and 1890. This followed the decision to build four 4D10 class locomotives at the North Ipswich Railway Works in 1890. The construction of the four new locomotives followed a recommendation by a Select Committee that no new locomotives were built in the colony so these were built from the parts then available. All of the locomotives of the AD10 class were withdrawn from service by 1902 and scrapped by the following year.
This locomotive was still in service as a shunter at Bowen Jetty until 1914. The jetty at Bowden dated back to 1865 and was part of establishing Bowen as the first port in Queensland. The jetty was extended between 1911 and 1915.
The locomotive was then stored at North Ipswich Railway Workshops and restored to working order in 1936.
It was then preserved in Roma Street railway yard in Brisbane before being moved to Queen’s Park at Ipswich in 1959.
In the 1980s the locomotive was moved to the North Ipswich Railway Workshops.
One other AD10 locomotive built by Neilson & Company is preserved
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